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adventure, family, fitness, humour, midlife crisis, Mud Hero

You’re probably among the vast majority who are thinking “enough with the Mud Hero already. We get it – you’re a dirty girl!” So I thought I’d share the top 5 reasons that this is a BIG deal to me – keep reading or tune in next week (assuming I’m not hospitalized or worse…) when the next midlife crisis starts…

1) Just after Little Guy was born, I threw my back out so far I’m still looking for it. I also developed other health issues (that weren’t diagnosed for several years) and at 32, I was facing a long lifetime of chronic and debilitating pain! It has taken me a long time to get where I am (which still requires medication, rest, and moderation) so imagine the hope and joy of rediscovering movement…to go from being unable to take a shower without a physical and emotional breakdown, to lifting weights and running 5km. It isn’t something I thought I could do before Little Guy came along, and it certainly wasn’t something I thought I could even consider doing after.

2) I have never been athletic or bendy! I was the kid who ran into the bar during high jump, came in last in every sprint, and ducked whenever the ball came near me. I tried out for the soccer team once – I had no idea what I was doing (i.e., why I was trying out or literally, what. I. was. doing)! I figure skated because it was the closest thing to “dance” in our town but that’s it for physical activity! I hated gym class with a dark passion! So the fact that I’m engaging in an activity that requires physical activity both prior to and during the event, is nothing short of a miracle!

3) I look stupid in shorts! I rarely wear shorts. With the exception of my one pair of yoga shorts (which someone gave me), I only own one other pair of shorts, and they are 7 sizes too big! I wear skirts or jeans. And at the risk of sounding crude, I don’t quite know what to do with bouncing boobs. I don’t want to put anyone’s eye out or simply knock them unconscious. It’s a problem. So right there – the dress code – is taking me out of my comfort zone!

4) I am not confident, outgoing, or a risk-taker…but if I’m going to do it – now is the time! I should have looked into it more careful before I starting encouraging anyone to join me in my madness midlife crisis. I may be an introverted perfectionist but mud should be pretty forgiving! I’m getting used to looking pretty stupid anyway. I am more concerned about how my efforts and decisions will impact the others on my team. Most of my team mates train one-on-one in a gym on a regular basis…I fancy about in runners and (ridiculously snug) shorts with my 8 lb weights. . I am afraid I will disappoint them.

5) If there’s a hard way to do something, I will find it! And I am a danger to myself and others…but not on purpose! I’m just not always fast on my feet. For example, I played on the church softball team in high school only because they needed a certain number of girls at each game or they had to forfeit. They tried me at third base first…until I got taken for a ride by a runner heading home at full tilt. I saw him coming, yelling, and everything went into slow motion. Like a deer in the headlights, I just stood there. He picked me up on the way by, and kindly set me down somewhere between third base and home plate…and I never played third base again…

To sum up – I am an aging, insecure, physically unfit spazz, a danger to myself and others, who is taking a leap of faith to play in the mud with strangers!