Have you ever had that dream where you’re walking over a
train bridge and just around the corner you catch the first glimpse of the
oncoming locomotive that is speeding right toward you. Where can you go? It’s
too late to turn around. You can’t jump the 600 feet to the winding river
below. You know you can’t take the train head on either. What to do?
I can remember several months ago when I would log on to our
blog and check the latest stats or read one of the new posts from my two crazy
partners on this journey and take a quick glance at our World’s Toughest Mudder
countdown clock. It would always read 256 days (funny that I have a distinct
memory of checking it on this particular random day), 223 days, 175 days, etc
and so forth. One of the things I remember most is how distant it felt. I
always seemed to find myself in preparation mode for the next ticking clock
leading to the next Tough Mudder on the horizon. Over time I guess I grew a
little numb to the whole exercise. I mean minus a new obstacle here and there,
I knew what I was getting into. Well let me tell you this, as I have looked at
this speeding train getting closer and closer, I have finally come to realize
how unprepared and scared I really feel. Yes – I said scared dag nabbit. I think you would be a fool to be not a
little frightened of an oncoming, speeding train.
One of the things I keep reflecting on though gets back to
one of my overarching themes in all of my posts this year. This is the Tough
Mudder that I have been training for. Now that it is here, I’m scared to death.
Not scared in any real sense of the world. I think it is more of a fear of the
unknown and not being 100%. Not that anyone is ever 100% but the 55 miles we
recently did at the Tri-State and Mid-Atlantic Tough Mudders really took their
toll on my legs. (And that is the last time I will bemoan any injury. None of
us out there will be 100% and I have nothing to prove to anyone but myself.)
But – this is my Tough Mudder. This is the thing I have been
preparing for and am excited to get started. What I have found most interesting
over the past couple of weeks are my reflections and what has really seemed
most important to me, and I think it ties really nicely into the idea that it
doesn’t matter what your particular Tough Mudder is – it is just important that
you have one and are working each day to get there.
These reflections have allowed me to focus on that one
final, and possibly most critical element, in the whole journey of preparing
for a Tough Mudder in life – SUPPORT. With all my personal drive, my commitment
to working out and living a healthier life, none of this journey is possible
without support. It is so critical to keeping you going when the last thing you
want to do is too keep going. So I would like to take a moment to offer some
thanks.
First to my mom and dad. No this not a sappy, you raised me,
you fed me, you clothed me – I think I will be offering those thanks for the
rest of my life. The support in this specific context is the fact that they are
taking my two girls for the four days my wife and I will be up in New Jersey.
While I really wanted to take the girls to the race as well, I honestly think
they are going to see me go by a couple of times and start to think – O.K.
what’s next. My parents juggled their entire weekend around so that they could
help me make my Tough Mudder a reality. While this may be something small to
them, it is taking a big worry off of my chest in that I know they are being
well taken care of – and will be able to check in on our blog regularly to see
how dad and Mr. Brian and Mr. Pat are doing.
My next thought is to my wife Tasha. While she has never
stopped stating I think you guys are completely insane, she has also been the
lone voice at times that has told me, “What do you mean you aren’t going to do
World’s Toughest Mudder… You’ll regret it.” The truth is she’s usually right. She
has even hit me with the old, “The girls will be so disappointed.” I mean
having these conversations has been a workout in and of itself – “You’re
completely nuts…what do you mean you are not going to run.” I mean talk about mental
grit training.
She is also coming with us on this trip to offer whatever
support she can in the pit. She has agreed to be our event blogger and follow
us around the course for video and interviews so she can load them up to the
blog immediately for everyone to be there with us – all of you out there who
are our larger support networks. Another piece of our support puzzle that just
makes all of this a little more exciting that we will be able to share this
crazy journey with so many more people. Thank you for being there and always giving
the nudge or kick that was appropriate and exactly what I needed to hear.
And then there are the two crazy mudda bruddas that have
been with me on this entire journey. You guys are insane, and I would not be
here without you. I am pretty sure we have all tried to talk each other out of
this craziness with one subliminal message or another, but none of us ever bit
on that type of talk, and this has been really critical. One of the things I
have learned on this journey is that it is great to have others who share your
same interests and are training for the same Tough Mudder. It is so, so much
better when you have someone to do this with – who are just as committed (or
need to be committed), and who understand that there is nothing left to do but
run up and meet that train rather than just letting it plow into you.
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