You can do whatever you set your mind to!

Hello Spartans,

It has been a wild month, where I have been dancing with change! This past month I not only accepted an offer to teach 3rd grade (after three years teaching pre-k), but I also challenged my body in a way I have NEVER before. So, Thursday I excitedly completed my first day as a 3rd grade teacher (and LOVED it), and Saturday I completed an 11 mile, 30 obstacle, Super Spartan Race at Moutain Creek, New Jersey.

These two challenges, were possibly the hardest things I have ever accomplished.  For those of you who are teachers, or parents, you know that teaching is no joke. With 35+ hours on classroom preparation, and then 12 hour work days preparing lessons... Whew! I applaud ALL of the teachers out there, and certainly have a much higher respect for the teachers I had growing up.

The Super Spartan Race challenged every cell of my body.  We climbed up the mountain at 1,000ft vertical climb THREE times... and that does not even count the obstacles. I, Miss Afraid of Heights, jumped off a CLIFF! Wow was that invigorating! Oh, and then climbed another 1,000 ft vertically...

Although these two challenges are very different, they are equally the same... and with change and challenges comes emotions....

Friday, after working 12.5 hr (yep you read that right), I was beginning to come down from my endorphin high (which we often experience in change). I was ready to quit, and give up all of the training I had done for the Spartan Race (which was the next morning).  I had run 4 times a week, 6+ miles on hills in the woods, and did P90x2 videos 3x a week.  This training gave me the STRENGTH and CONFIDENCE to get my foot in the door and be a 3rd grade teacher... So, thankfully my wonderful teammate, my fiance, John, made sure I did not give up (and let his money go to waste ;) He gave me the boost, literally, that I needed to complete the race.

Team work :)

And we finished!!

During the Super Spartan Race, I fought with my ego and my fear.  Having a bit fear of heights made me want to run home, and avoid the cliff jump, and the 1,000ft vertical climb up the mountain (did I mention we did that 3 times?) But, a little voice in my head kept me going: "I can do this, I can do anything I sent my mind on, I am a woman, I am powerful, I am strong, I got this." And so, I got through the 11 miles, 3,000ft vertical climb, cliff jump, and 29 other obstacles including crawling through mud under barbwire, in a rather unimpressive time-- BUT I did it!

In the end, my body was sore from head to toe... I cried while waiting for my delicious dinner from Good Karma Cafe (Prefect vegan recovery meal: Live Kale Salad, Love Bowl with Tempeh, and Live Lemonade), and then, had the giggles harder than I have had in a LONG time. Strange experience, however, I think that it is proof that I pushed my body unbelievably hard, and survived. I did it!

Grrr!!

Footwear: Vibrams
Pre-workout smoothie: Sunwarrior, 1 banana, coconut water, 1tsp. wheatgrass, 1 tbs. chia seeds, 1tbs. flaxseed, 1tsp. bee pollen, 1 tsp. maca powder

BTW, I attribute my vegan diet for my quick recovery: Out of everyone I raced with, I was the only one who was not sore the next day, and even ran 7mi the day after that! Vegan IS power!

Until next time you crazy challengers <3