Do you ever psych yourself out?
I just might have.
As I’m prepping for my first Spartan Super, I started reading race recaps about this particular course.
And now I’m scared.
Yeah, this is an Iron(wo)man talking. (10 years ago to the month!)
But I’m still scared.
Because you read stuff like…
“…brutal one-mile climb to start the race.”
“…sandbag carry down and up the infamous double black diamond slopes.”
“If those did not break your heart, the bad was about to come…”
“…Spartans littered across the trail, sprawled on all fours, leaning against trees, pawing their way up, glancing occasionally for the summit only to have another wave of rock, tree, and dirt crash upon their hopes.”
“Most athletes agree that this is the toughest OCR course on the circuit and the true pinnacle of the Spartan Mountain Series.”
Ahhhh, sh*t.
What did I just get myself into?
I literally picked this race because of its’ geographical location. It’s 90 mins from my parents’ house. And was at a convenient point in the summer.
I have no idea what I am about to get myself into.
I mean, I sort of do. You can watch videos on YouTube and stuff. But I have never experienced anything like it.
Sure, I did a Spartan Sprint. But it was clean. It was in a baseball stadium. Not in the woods. Not dealing with mud. And a freakin’ mountain.
Look at this map! It’s CRAZY!
And the obstacles…
But then you read quotes from other Spartans:
“Three words. Just. Be. Brave.”
“You are capable of more than you know.”
“Relax, do your best, and just have fun. Enjoy the moment.”
“Don’t worry about the clock…it doesn’t matter. One obstacle at a time.”
“Don’t get wrapped up about burpees. Push yourself beyond your current limits.”
“Your mind will tell your body to quit a thousand times before it’s ready to.”
“Never give up.”
… I start to relax.
I know I can do this.
Trust the training.
Breathe.
And have fun.
It’ll be what it’ll be, right?
And we always come out that much stronger in the end.
Do what makes you happy.