Skinny Housewife

I'm sure you are all tired of hearing about my half-marathon....well, now I can talk about the next challenge I've set!  I've mentioned it before, and honestly, it seems like an unreachable challenge for me right now.  I'm unnerved.  I'm scared.  But then, I remind myself that if you had told me a year ago that I would complete a half-marathon with a time I was proud of, I'd have thought you were crazy.  It seemed unattainable.  But, I did it.

I have a good friend (we met through Zumba...holla!) who does Spartans.  And she's been harassing me for at least a year to join her.  If you don't know what a Spartan is, it's a pretty badass obstacle race.  Now, I've got a few obstacle races under my belt.  The toughest by far being Warrior Dash (which I cannot WAIT to do ON my 39th birthday in 2015) but in reflection, there were only a couple obstacles that were REALLY challenging.  Spartan obstacles?  They don't play.  You MUST be able to lift your own body weight.  And, it's not a race where they let you wuss out...you MUST complete the obstacle.  If you truly CANNOT, you have to suffer a penalty.  A penalty in the form of the devil himself in workout form.  Burpees.  BURPEES.  I FN hate burpees.

This friend...she is a member of the Spartan Trifecta club.  Meaning:  She completed 3 Spartan races in a year.  A Spartan Sprint (3.1 miles plus obstacles.)  A Spartan Super (8+ miles plus obstacles.)  A Spartan Beast (13.1+ miles plus obstacles.)  I have agreed to do all 3 with her in 2015.  I'm clearly insane.  And, at the end?  She will be a double trifecta member.  I have badass friends.

See that part up there ^^ where I said you MUST be able to lift your own body weight?  Yeah, I'm no where CLOSE to capable of that.  The first of my Spartans is in April.  That is 163 days from today.  I need to get to work!  Last night, The Bestie and I went to "aerial bootcamp."  It's the type of place where they teach you how to hang from silks, do tricks, work on a Lyra hoop, etc.  And the bootcamp class is intended to prepare you for those things.  We had 9 stations last night, and NONE of them were easy.  The easiest was hula hoop.  But when you are supposed to do it for 2 full minutes, it's not as easy as it would seem.  We also had to climb silks.  The Bestie KILLED it.  She reached the top on her first try!  I managed to get a few inches off the ground, but it's whatever.  ;)  Wall sits.  Mountain climbers (which are a bitch on the floor, but try doing them with your feet suspended from silks attached to the ceiling.  yeah.)  Plank get ups (which I can do for a full minute on the floor, but again, put your feet through a hoop of silk attached to the ceiling and that shit is HARD) I was able to do 2 actual get-ups and then I just held the plank for the remainder of the time.  We also worked on splits.  *smh*

Every muscle in my upper body hates me today, and my hamstrings aren't really my friends either.  It's fantastic.  If I keep going, I have no doubt I'll be ready for Spartan.  Cause seriously, this class is no joke.

Skinny Housewife: Do you even lift??

In addition to ALL the running, part of my half-marathon training included weight-lifting.  I did weighted squats, and dead lifts.  I can lift heavier than I ever imagined!  Not that it's heavy by anyone's standards, but still.  It's more than *I* thought I could do....which is enough for me.  :)

I have my "senior" ladies using weights, too.  There are many benefits, aside from just looking great AND feeling like a badass.  ;)  READ THIS:


12 Reasons You Should Lift Weights

Manic Monday

Let me tell you.  Training for a half-marathon was no joke.  I'm a mom.  Of four.  A wife.  A friend.  An employee.  Devoting HOURS a week to running is a commitment.  I told the ladies in my class that I would NEVER run this far again, because it is just SO LONG.  See my last Skinny Housewife post for further proof that that was my thinking.  But, uh, guys?  Since I completed my first half?  I'm absolutely certain I will do this again.  It was LONG.  And it was torturous.  And that last mile?  Oh, it totally made me it's bitch.  It was the LONGEST most grueling mile of my entire life.  Fo'Sho.  But, crossing that finish line....and the sense of euphoria upon doing something that at one time I thought was ludicrous and impossible for ME....I'm gonna need that again.  Just so ya know.

I'm super, insanely, ridiculously sore today.  BUT...I did teach my Zumba class this morning and rocked it...because I'm just THAT bad ass.  ;)

Skinny Housewife

This running thing ain't no joke.  I'm so thankful that I have my family's support in this.  I want to run a 1/2 marathon.  Just for the purposes of crossing it off my list.  After all this training, I'm CERTAIN I shall never run this far again.  Ever.  But, back to the support part.  My girls (16 and 14) have been amazing.  If it wasn't for them, I'd have to get up at 5 AM to be able to get in a run.  10 miles takes me 2 hours, and The Punk leaves for work just after 7.  Running at night is NOT my thing.  One:  I get freaked out in the dark.  Even in my own neighborhood.  Two:  I need a few hours of moving around after running that long or my hips just quit (fickle bitches.)  However, having older kids is a blessing since I can just leave and they play with their brothers while I run.  They watch their brothers while I nap, too.  Because seriously, after a 2 hour run?  I MUST nap.  I have already explained to The Punk that I will be napping on the beach before I attempt to drive home on race day.

10 days to race day.  Every time that thought crosses my mind....I feel like I might vomit.  I know that's because I am all in my head about how daunting this task is.  I can do it.  I'm certain of that.  But, it still feels HUGE.  Prior to training for this race, 4 miles was the farthest I had EVER run.  Now?  I consider 5-6 miles a SHORT run.  I'm ready.  I'm terrified.

After completing this race, I only have one more "race" to cross off my list.  And for me that event won't be a RACE at all.  It will be a RUN that I will finish.  Possibly last.  But I will finish.  Spartan, here I come.  AROOO.

Sunday Snapshots

I know, I suck-again-lately. But I'm here. Climbing back in the saddle. 

This is what you do when you're 5 and you have to go dress shopping with your mom and 16 yr old sister. 

This boy LOVES blueberries. 

One attended her first semi-formal event, this hair took a painfully long time as her mama didn't get the "hair" gene (I have shoulder length naturally curly hair that requires no effort, thankfully!)  BUT it turned out lovely. 

Early morning minecraft videos in mama's bed. 

Being 'stereotypical' homeschoolers (Four reading the dictionary.) 

Three reading the atlas. 

A stunning rainbow, you could distinguish every color.