Limberlost Challenge

this year i ran The Limberlost Challenge.

i ran the 14km.

it was fun.

i loved it.

i had to go through a big big big big big big big big big big mud pit.

i got muddy.

i finished my race.

dan ran the end with me.

i passed the finish line, i finished my race.  

i was so happy.

*as dictated by my girl*

*my turn to tell you how it was*

I had originally hoped to be in the top 10 of my age group this year.

but i did not train enough.

i went into this year with not having run more than the 10km i ran at Band on the Run one month before.

i was not prepared but i was planning to run it anyway.

i love the Limberlost Challenge.

my hubby made the decision to run the 56 one week before so we signed up.

(obviously even though i was planning to run it i was hesitant to sign up)

Dan hadn't been feeling the greatest and was planning to take it easy, and not push himself too much.

he was aiming for a 7 hour finish.

i was just wanting to cross the finish line, i didn't care how fast, although i will be honest, i wanted to break 2 hours. knowing that would be crazy hard.

the night before the race happened.

thunderstorms.

rain.

lots of both.

the morning of the race happened.

rain.

we set up for the kids to hang out 

(a friend was coming to hang with them)

and got ready for the race.

a wet morning.

but everyone was excited, and spirits were high.

the 56km race headed out.

dan hung back and didn't rush.

the 28km race headed out.

our friend showed up so i could get ready for my run.

my turn!

off we went.

last year i was determined to be at the front at the beginning so i didn't get caught behind the crowd entering the trail or crossing the first bridge.

but, i forgot that this year - mainly because i wasn't ready for the race.

i love running trails.

i spent a lot of time running with people who had never run it before.

i chatted with many of them.

we ran similar pace for a bit.

i really enjoy the many people on the trail.

so many encouraging people, and i love also encouraging those i pass or who pass me.

i am so thankful for everyone who run the aid stations.

the trail was pretty much one big trail of mud!

hills to slide on, puddles to go through.

mud, mud and more mud!

I think I wore the right shirt for the day

it was beautiful.

and exhausting.

i was running and chatting with a couple in the last 2km.

i felt done.

i hurt.

i was walking a little more often than i wanted to.

when suddenly someone jumped on me.

i now had less than a kilometre and someone jumps on me.

it was Dan!

he was finishing his second lap.

i was going slower than last year.

and he was faster than originally planning to run.

we ran together for the end.

i told him to go on, 

but he wanted to cross my finish line with me.

i was about to walk the last little hill when he took my hand and we ran out of the woods together.

i finished my race with my husband!  

it made me so happy.

I didn't make the top 10 of my age group.

but i am happy with my time, and results.

Results 14km (look up my bib #329)

and off he went to lap 3 of 4.

i will train better next year.

i think.

when dan was on his 4th and final lap we went to see him at the one mud hole.

which was even bigger now.

we saw the first place guy pass.

pretty sure it was him.

but the second place guy didn't pass us.

(we were pretty sure he hadn't already gone by)

and then Dan came.

we were pretty sure he was in second.

he was hurting but doing well.

we headed back to the finish to see him.

He came in 2nd overall.

1st in his age.

he had a great run.

Results 56km (bib #766)

so that's what taking it easy looks like.

haha.

i absolutely love that race.

i am already looking forward to it again next year.

Am i nuts?!?!

Way back...

August 2010 i wrote my first post on this blog.

it was about pink eye.  

yep, that's me, always full of exciting stories.

in that same month i wrote my second post.  

read it here: Running

for those who do not want to go read another post right now here's a little of what i said.

My husband and brother just ran their first Marathons in July.  the training was crazy! I was happy to be running 1 km and Dan was running 30km.  he is a runner - I am not.  But I'll tell you, I am at least becoming someone who does enjoy going for a run for the fitness/health of it.  and I miss it when I go too long between.  i have no plans to ever do a marathon but I do want to, next year, do the 10km Terry Fox Run.

that was August 2010.

it's now December 2014.  

and i will say it.

I am a runner.

that's right.

those who have followed this blog for any length of time have noticed it has become about my kids, 

my husband and me... 

and a whole lot of running.  

so i am now here to tell you something i have thought about and planned for about half a year now.  

i was out for a run, a longer run, probably 10-15K.

and i was thinking about running.  

i was training for the Band on the Run 10K.

as well as working on my endurance for Tough Mudder.

while i was running, thinking about running, i realized how much i was enjoying it.

i was already running greater distances than i ever thought my body could do.

i was actually thinking that maybe, just maybe, i could run the half marathon at Band on the Run in 2015.  

my mind continued from there.

i'm turning 40 in 2015.  

people do crazy things when they turn 40.  

some mid-life crisis thing.

maybe i should train for a marathon on my 40th..

no, that's crazy.

haha, yes, i thought that was crazy.

but i wasn't crazy.

i wanted a significant event on my birthday.

how about 40K on my 40th.  

not a road 40K.

but a 40K trail run with my husband.

that would be so much fun.

yes, i think i was delirious on my run, 

because i honestly thought that would be fun.

even when i got home i thought about it and liked the idea.

it took me a few weeks to tell my husband about my idea. 

if i told him i would have to commit to it.

i have since then told a few others about my plan.

some think i'm nuts.

others think it's a great idea.

others say "why don't you just run a marathon...it's 42K".

my answer to that.

"i'm not turning 42.  i'm turning 40.  i want to run 40K trail on my 40th."

so today began my training.

i ran 3.5K as soon as the kids got on the bus.

easy peasy lemon squeazy (as my girl now says).

i am signing up for the half marathon as soon as i can.

i may even sign up for the 14K trail run at The Limberlost Challenge, 

but we'll see if it fits in my training schedule.

it's going to hurt a lot at times.

i'm going to want to quit.

the month after i turn 40 and running my 40K i will be going to do my 3rd Tough Mudder.

am i nuts?

possibly.

am i loving the life and the abilities God has blessed me with?

yes.

am i hoping i can encourage others with my story of dislike to love of running?

yes. 

am i excited that my running is encouraging my kids to run?

yes.

my son wants to run the 5K Band on the Run race with his daddy. 

when i don't run i have less energy.

less endurance.

i eat less healthy things.

when i run i want to eat better...especially grapefruits.

i feel better in the day.

i fit clothes better, that feels good.

i can play with the kids or go hiking and not be as out of breath as fast.

so, call my running 40K on my 40th a mid-life crisis if you want.

i don't see it as such.

i'm not in a panic that i'm turning 40 and that my grey hairs are becoming quite obvious.

i'm excited that at 39 i can run and i can believe i will accomplish this goal.

follow me on my journey.

It's a new year...same old, same old..

date: 

Jan 1 2014

headed out: 

9:30am

temperature:

-20*C

distance:

3.5Km

Happy New Year.

i have begun...continued...my training.

in 2014 i am planning to:

run the 10K race in town, but beat last year's time, in June.

do Tough Mudder in Aug.

and run the Terry Fox 10K in Sept.

same goals as last year.

nothing new.

except get faster...and fitter...

is that actually a proper word?... more fit?

last year at this time i began with a .5K run.

in the first month dan had me scheduled to work up to 1.5K and walks were included to work me up to that distance.

this year.

i began with a 3.5K, and by the end of the first month he has me up to 5K.

i love that i feel like this will be an easy month for me.  

cold...

but easy distances.

i have run twice, maybe 4-5 times, since Tough Mudder in Sept.  

so i'm starting over...

and feeling great about it.

this is my new year.

my new training routine.

yet my continuation on getting fit.

not a new years resolution.

i don't do those, they don't last.

i give myself a goal.

and work toward that.

Photo taken my Me.

with my Canon Rebel T2i

the Christmas Letter...

Merry Christmas from the D. Quigg Family

It’s December, 2013. 

I haven’t written a Christmas letter in quite a few years, but I decided that today was as good a day as any to write one. 

Dan has been working at the same company for about 6 years now.  He does welding, carpentry, tree work… yes, he is quite versatile.  He’s out there on this chilly day welding at a lake for a dock job.  Cold and not too fun I’m sure.  He always has something around the house that he wants to get done, and is so full of creativity.  He has discovered that his thyroid is not working well so has been on meds for that.  In June he ran a half marathon, held here in town, and did very well. 

the boy turned six this year.  In January he began his year by asking Jesus if He’d come live in his heart.  And since then he has been quite excited that Jesus is with him always.  His latest prayer request has been to have wisdom, like Solomon.   He is in grade one and is doing very well.  He loves his teacher and is making friends.  He loves math.  He also enjoys helping out in his sister’s class at lunch times.  He is a determined kid with lots of creative energy.  He has been waiting for snow so daddy can teach him to snowboard some more this winter.  He has just finished swimming lessons, that he had requested, and did so well in them. 

the girl, our little 4 year old.  She also began her 2013 by asking Jesus to come live in her heart.  She has been asking a lot of questions about what that means.  She is excited to see great grandpa Quigg in heaven one day, now that she gets to go there.  She (and her brother) love memorizing verses for Sunday school and their mid-week programs.  Her favorite verse is 'When I am Afraid I will Trust in You'. Psalm 56:3.  She is in Junior Kindergarten.  She goes three days a week, and loves the days she’s there.  She has a wonderful teacher and is making some good friends as well.  She loves going on the bus with her brother.  She just finished 14 weeks of gymnastics lessons and had a blast, loving everything about it.

Michelle is still at home with the kids.  She loves being at home to see them on the bus, off the bus and to be home if needed to take care of a sick little one, or to help out in one of the classes.  Every Monday she volunteers in the school library and loves it.  Seeing the kids when they come in, and having lunch with the boy every Monday.  Monday has definitely been a hi-light of her weeks.  She has been able to take some of her time to work on her photography, with the desire to improve on her passion. She is currently in drama rehearsals for the Church Christmas Play (dinner theater) that will be performed the weekend before Christmas.  She also completed her first ever 10K run in June.

In the summer we took a family trip out to British Columbia.  To Summerland, in the Okanagan Valley.  We were there for a Quigg family reunion.  What a wonderful trip it was.  The kids had their first airplane ride, and enjoyed everything about it.  We had the opportunity to see so many family members and for the kids to meet people they had only heard existed.  We are so glad we took that trip.  We also stayed after for another week and had a chance to visit Dan’s sisters and families at their homes – homes we had never been to.  And to spend time with the nieces and nephews we really didn’t know well at all.  The kids loved their cousins, and can’t wait to see them all again. 

When we got home we had Dan’s parents staying with us before they moved out to BC.  It was nice to have them stay with us, and we miss them lots.  The kids want to go visit about every other day.  Not so easy.  But they are now getting to see their other grandkids and enjoying being in their lives as much as they have been in our kids’ lives all these past years. 

In September we, as a family, participated in the Terry Fox run.  Dan and the boy biked the 10K, Michelle ran the 10K and the girl and her papa did the 5K.  Later that month Dan and Michelle participated in Tough Mudder.  It is an obstacle course challenge.  About 17Km in distance.  We had a team of 5.  What an amazingly fun day it was.  Tough? yes.  Sore at the end of the day? Yes.  We are registered to do it again August 2014. 

So…now it’s December.    At the end of this month we will be celebrating our 11^th Anniversary.  We are also preparing for Christmas…  ok, not really yet.  This is the start.  Each morning Michelle reads a little of the Christmas story out of Luke for the kids, and they have been enjoying listening to it. 

Christmastime will only be as busy as we allow it to be.  But no matter how busy we allow it to be I hope that you remember to take some time remembering that Christmas is a time to celebrate Christ’s birth. 

Love Dan, Michelle, the boy (& bear) & the girl (& Lammie)

Hoo Rah!

i hurt.

my muscles hurt.

my knees hurt.

my knees and elbows are scratched, red, sore.

my back hurts.

and i love it.

on sunday morning i woke.

way earlier than the alarm.

i couldn't sleep so i went downstairs and got ready.

Dan got out of bed shortly after me.

change of clothes, check.

lunch, check.

registration forms for us and the others, check.

water, check.

'will i be warm enough? will i be too cold?'

time to check the car's fluids for the drive.

oh crap. 

we had a fuel leak.

call and verify we can use Jon's car.

good to go.

picked up Ben and Nick.

nerves not too bad.

but the excitement was thick in the air.

met Jon and transferred vehicles.  

we were on our way!

alright, 

which obstacles were everyone afraid of?

Arctic Enema, Boa Constrictor, Electric Eel, Walk the Plank, um...all of them.

we had no idea what to expect, and were excited to go.

this had been anticipated since January.

we had trained..some...ok, not too much.

we were as ready as we were ever going to be.

thoughts swirled through my mind.

"are we crazy? will i have to go around any obstacles? am i tough enough? i don't want to be the slowest on the team. will i love it as much as i hope i will?  will i get hurt?  it isn't going to be as scary as i think...yes it will.. no it won't.  i don't want to walk the plank."

we arrived at the ski hill: Mt. St Louis Moonstone.

there were so many cars coming off the highway, i couldn't believe it.

and this was with the priority parking.  there would be many more arriving by shuttle.

wow.

we parked and i was so nervous, i was shaking.

it wasn't cold but i couldn't stop shivering.

on our way to park we passed Arctic Enema and the Mud Mile.  

they were real.  

we were really there.

walking over to registration the excitement bubbled over.

we were all talking non-stop.

none of us had done it before.

none of us knew anyone who had.

none of us knew what to expect.

we were a team.

C2TM: Couch 2 Tough Mudder.

i was about to do Tough Mudder!

walking toward registration,  and seeing the START, i was definitely feeling as though i really did just get off the couch to come.

watching the first heat begin the ascent up the first ski hill..

crap, of course they start us off on a hill.

while waiting to begin i was looking around at the others waiting with me.

some appeared hard core: lots of muscle, face paint, scary.

others were scrawny, small, i felt i could blow them over.

there were many dressed up in costumes or themes, there to have fun.

some were looking as fearful as i was feeling, but trying to hide it.

after a speech, some cheers, O Canada, showing appreciation for our military, past and present, and a few more Hoo Rahs! 

we were off.

up hill.

i was doing it.

i ran for a bit, then walked, then ran again.

but i wasn't the only one.

that in itself was encouraging.

many walked, some ran, most did a little of both.

throughout the whole event.

Tough Mudder is not a race.

it is a challenge.

we were not racing the other people on the course.

although some others looked like they were determined to win.

and the event felt as though the five of us were just a small team within a larger team.  

a sweet feeling.

i was tougher than i thought.

the obstacles didn't appear as scary as i approached them.. or as i attempted them.

there was no shame in going around one you truly felt you couldn't do.

my personal goal was to attempt them all.

and i did.

i did hear some say they would never do it again.

but they appeared to be a minority.

i had so much fun i was already excited to plan for next year.

and i hadn't even completed it yet.

my fear hit me when we were running through the trees and i suddenly heard one of my teammates say "Michelle, Walk the Plank"

i remembering it not registering right away and as soon as it did i stopped in my tracks.  

i jogged slowly toward the rest of my team as they waited at the entrance to it.

there was a sign beside it pointing the direction to go if skipping the obstacle.

i did hesitate and look at that.

dan put his arm around me and spoke quietly.

he said i could skip it if i wanted but he knew i could do it.

he climbed right up behind me.

12' up i stared down into the water, and then at Jon, Ben & Nick who had already jumped by this time.

in the end i did it.

it wasn't that bad, but i'm glad dan was behind me.

many other obstacles, 

watching others do them or struggles with them.

none were so completely out of reach as a possibility.

i gained confidence as i went, and having a team was a huge part of that.

we assisted eachother.

when i didn't have the ability to scale a 9' wall i had teammates to hoist me up.

when i didn't know if i could make it up part of a ski hill i had a husband who piggy-backed me.

when we saw some gals struggling at the Berlin Wall, we were the ones who could help them.

running through the finish line, and receiving the Tough Mudder headband, was such a great feeling.

i hadn't died.

i hadn't even hurt myself.

i had done it.

i think back to the many times i questioned why i was doing it.

and i am so glad i committed to it.

the whole event was so much fun.

it was challenging.

it was, at times, painful.

but it was also encouraging.

the other participants, the volunteers, the staff.

it was a day of pushing ones self. 

of determination.

but you were never alone.

i loved my team.

each of us had strengths, fears, pain, encouragement for each other, jokes, sarcasm.

we chatted with others, helped others, were aided by others.

if we knew there was an event one of us was scared of then we got behind that person and encouraged.

thank you to my team.

(i was The Ancient One.  the eldest.)

Jon was our Beauty. haha.  and our constant sarcasm.  

but even when his knee hurt he kept pushing on.

Ben was Goliath...our giant.  our encouraging giant.

Nick the Young One.  full of energy and always had a smile.

Dan was.. dan.  he was our leader- although i know he would never say that.  it wasn't intentional.  

he just seemed to be the one everyone looked to at the events.

he was right up there with Nick with energy and smiles.  

he pushed us when we hesitated before the Electric Eel.

he pulled Goliath out of the Boa Constrictor as he struggled up the hill.

he did somersaults down part of one of the hills, just because.

he pushed me off Walk the Plank because i was scared 

(i asked him to push me)

C2TM.. you guys rocked! 

thank you for such a great day!

Thank you...

to the guy at the beginning, for pumping us up.

to the volunteers who encouraged & gave explanations of the best way to do an event.

to the volunteers who gave us water and bananas.

to the medics - i'm glad i didn't have to meet you.

to the guy who pulled me over the first hill in the mud mile.

to the lady who looked like she wanted to cry as we counted down to start - i wasn't alone.

to the guy who did the warrior carry with Nick, you were just cool.

to the Arctic Enema volunteers, your advice was great.

to the Walk the plank volunteer for not making me feel rushed.

to the 2 volunteers at Everest for the advice, i didn't smash my face.

to the girl i met at the mystery event, for applauding my attempt

to theresa for encouraging me to sign up in the first place... next year you're doing it with us! 

(but thanks for watching the kids and praying for us) 

The weather was beautiful.

the colors of the leaves were spectacular, and something to look at as you hiked up a ski hill.

Tough Mudder 2014!

More Mud!  

HOO RAH!

**Hey C2TM.. we completed the impossible!**

(this is from the website)

Play-by-play: The last 2 minutes of a Tough Mudder course

You just conquered 10-12 miles of Tough Mudder’s wrath – the only obstacle between you and the finish line is Electroshock Therapy®. You pause to gather your cojones, then try to run through the live wires without getting shocked (impossible). You get repeatedly zapped with 10,000 volts of electricity, and it does NOT tickle. After dropping your fair share of f-bombs, you cross the finish line. 

  

i feel fine

by reading the def'n of Acrophobia i don't have it exactly...

but i am afraid of heights.

that's right.

oh, 

i can sit on a cliff edge with my feet dangling over and be at peace.

i can admire the height and view.

however...

i'm not so good at scaling something (rock face...wall) that takes my feet higher than my own height.

i can do it if need be.. i have done it..

but most times at some point (even if tied in) i will freeze.

i will cling with all my strength.

i may cry as i rest my forehead against the wall.

i will need to slow my breathing.

i will need to know i have a good grip.

i will sometimes come down and give up.

i will sometimes calm enough.. pray enough.. and finish the task.

i will sometimes come down, regroup and do it again.

Then there's coming down from a height.

i have rappelled.  

highest is about 30ft.

i am completely freaked out stepping over the edge, 

and good once i get going.

i have cliff jumped 

largest being about 10ft.

don't care for it.

usually i stand there staring at the water wondering why this is fun for people.

that brings me to how i'm feeling about sunday.

on sunday i'm doing Tough Mudder.

THIS. SUNDAY!

**insert scream mixed of fear and excitement**

the route was posted for us to see.

dan and i went through the event with the kids.

checking out each obstacle.

some of them consist of: 

mud. 

(mud mile).

tunnels. 

(boa constrictor)

barbed wire.

(kiss of mud)

electrical shock.

(electric eel)

hay bales.

(bale bonds)

log carry.

(hold your wood)

teammate carry.

(warrior carry)

some of them are crazy, and i wonder why i signed up for this..as do many other people.

however...

the ones that make me nauseous..

the ones that make me wonder why i'm doing this are:

Balls to the Wall  

This is definitely not the rope climb that you remember from elementary school gym class. This monster of an obstacle will have you scaling 15’ up in the air, using only a muddy rope and a slick muddy wall to kick off of. Once you reach the top you must turn around and work up the courage to descend the rope on the other side. Mudders that don’t have a rope, like to train by alternating between pull ups and chin ups.

see pictures here

Walk the Plank

Test your fear of heights and cold all in one with our 15+ foot high jump into freezing water. Mudders℠ like to display their fancy diving skills (or belly-flops) at this obstacle. Don’t spend too much time pondering your leap – Marines at the top of the platform will chew you out, or worse, push you into the freezing depths below.

see pictures here

i'm afraid of heights.

these will be the biggest challenge for me.

that's why i have a team though.

the five of us will get each other through.

i'll be praying a lot..

a lot!

how am i when i think about Tough Mudder on Sunday?

i'm FINE

freaked out, insecure, neurotic and emotional

(thank you Italian Job for the definition)