Serious Weekend Workout
What a weekend! I tackled two exhausting events at the same time: the living room flooring and the Warrior Dash. Both quite a big deal and both rather physically demanding.
First, the Warrior Dash. What an experience! I signed up for it back in September or October, as something to motivate me to jump right back into exercise after I had S. The goal was to give me a deadline that forced me to start jogging again. It worked. I'm officially jogging again, even if I'm nowhere near my pre-pregnancy Ragnarian distances.
Anyway, I was excited that it was my turn this year. I actually talked my husband into doing it last year, purchased my spot, and ended up selling it to someone else when the surprise pregnancy dictated a change of plans. But I didn't have to cheer from the sidelines this year!
It was tough. Terence stayed with me-- I have an injured shoulder from overdoing the swimming and I was worried there would be obstacles I wouldn't be able to get myself up. It was a valid fear! The second obstacle we came to was a twenty foot high wood board that you had to walk up at an angle, pulling yourself up using a rope. Fortunately, my shoulder hung in there, even for the later obstacle where I had to pull myself up a straight vertical wall using a rope, with only teeny little toeholds to help.
The most unexpected obstacle was one called "Hard Rain." You wade through a pool of water about 2-3 feet deep and then climb up these slats while a torrent of water pours down from above. It was icy cold and impossible to see through. Then when you got to the top, you had to slide down a wooden board. Doesn't feel so nice on your skin. Trying to save as much of my body as possible, I tried to slide down crouching and ended up sprawled in the mud at the bottom. Terence managed to land on his feet though and being a gentleman, pulled me to my feet. :-)
The last stretch of the race included a jump over two rows of fire (fun!) and then a crawl under barbed wire through a mud pit. The mud pit was brutal. I could barely keep my face out of the mud, I was exhausted, and now I know from firsthand experience why the phrase "it was like moving through mud" is supposed to describe slow, tortuous movement.
Second, the living room floor. I actually started this Friday morning. I got about half the living room done, and I could have left it at that, but I was worried about the kids wrecking the adhesive strips on the unfinished edge. So Saturday afternoon, after a shower and a short nap, I tackled the rest of the project. Let me tell you, that is one serious workout! I put about 6 hours on Friday and 8 hours on Saturday. That's a LOT of squatting. I was wearing kneepads to save my knees a bit, but it was still an endless run of "up, down, up, down" as I went back and forth for new planks and my tools. But my body held up through it and I finished the laying all the planks Saturday night.
I'm so excited about my new floor!! It looks nice and should be much easier to clean than our cheap carpet was. Just a few more things to finish (baseboards, transitions) and I can officially say I've completed my first major DIY project.
Sunday morning I could feel all the muscles that had taken serious abuse over the past two days. My poor legs weren't happy with me (they still aren't). But look at what I accomplished! Sore legs are a price I don't mind paying.
First, the Warrior Dash. What an experience! I signed up for it back in September or October, as something to motivate me to jump right back into exercise after I had S. The goal was to give me a deadline that forced me to start jogging again. It worked. I'm officially jogging again, even if I'm nowhere near my pre-pregnancy Ragnarian distances.
Anyway, I was excited that it was my turn this year. I actually talked my husband into doing it last year, purchased my spot, and ended up selling it to someone else when the surprise pregnancy dictated a change of plans. But I didn't have to cheer from the sidelines this year!
It was tough. Terence stayed with me-- I have an injured shoulder from overdoing the swimming and I was worried there would be obstacles I wouldn't be able to get myself up. It was a valid fear! The second obstacle we came to was a twenty foot high wood board that you had to walk up at an angle, pulling yourself up using a rope. Fortunately, my shoulder hung in there, even for the later obstacle where I had to pull myself up a straight vertical wall using a rope, with only teeny little toeholds to help.
The most unexpected obstacle was one called "Hard Rain." You wade through a pool of water about 2-3 feet deep and then climb up these slats while a torrent of water pours down from above. It was icy cold and impossible to see through. Then when you got to the top, you had to slide down a wooden board. Doesn't feel so nice on your skin. Trying to save as much of my body as possible, I tried to slide down crouching and ended up sprawled in the mud at the bottom. Terence managed to land on his feet though and being a gentleman, pulled me to my feet. :-)
The last stretch of the race included a jump over two rows of fire (fun!) and then a crawl under barbed wire through a mud pit. The mud pit was brutal. I could barely keep my face out of the mud, I was exhausted, and now I know from firsthand experience why the phrase "it was like moving through mud" is supposed to describe slow, tortuous movement.
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| Finished and wearing our medals! |
Second, the living room floor. I actually started this Friday morning. I got about half the living room done, and I could have left it at that, but I was worried about the kids wrecking the adhesive strips on the unfinished edge. So Saturday afternoon, after a shower and a short nap, I tackled the rest of the project. Let me tell you, that is one serious workout! I put about 6 hours on Friday and 8 hours on Saturday. That's a LOT of squatting. I was wearing kneepads to save my knees a bit, but it was still an endless run of "up, down, up, down" as I went back and forth for new planks and my tools. But my body held up through it and I finished the laying all the planks Saturday night.
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| M models the new living room floor. |
Sunday morning I could feel all the muscles that had taken serious abuse over the past two days. My poor legs weren't happy with me (they still aren't). But look at what I accomplished! Sore legs are a price I don't mind paying.
Comments
I love the floors!