Challenge – Badass Dash™

Feeling up to a challenge for my body, I wanted to see if I could do it. Two friends of mine were racing in the Badass Dash™  event (a charity event raising money for Autism Speaks) and had been talking about it for a few months. I talked it over with my trainer and coach and we all felt unanimous, for sure try it!
The Badass Dash™ is (excerpt from their website): “…get ready for the wildest, most fun race this side of insanity. BADASS Dash™  is the ultimate adventure and obstacle course challenge…Each race consists of a 5-7 k course that will boast unconventional, but achievable obstacles that are truly BADASS”
The race was at CHICOPEE SKI RESORT, and offered up 7km and 30 obstacles.
here is the map:

course map

Leading up to the race, I upped my running distance and added in more strength training, made sure I kept up with my isaPro immediately after workouts and always kept hydrated.
Race day was an amazing experience; We arrived and got registered, had enough time to have a shake and apple before the race, took our e+ shots and got into the start-up line.
This is where my anxiety had a bit of an issue; What would this be like? How was this going to end? I kept hearing the words of my trainer;
“You are going to be SO excited at the beginning and feel like you can run 10km no problem that you are going to sprint out the starting line and 5 minutes in your adrenaline will wear off and you are going to have lost all of your energy I have been there, it is common. It is going to be a tough race, but you are going to work hard, and finish. Even if you have to walk more than you think you were going to, even if you have to stop to catch your breath you will finish, and I think that should be your mantra. I will finish no matter what.”
When we left the start gate I had already told the gals I was racing with not to wait for me as I knew they would want to go faster and I was going to pace myself. I think secretly I would have loved the company and help at times. So they jogged ahead as I slowed down, as we started off jogging up one of the ski hills.
I knew I wanted to pace myself and so I walked up 1/2 the hill, then jogged down it, and again for the next hill. When the obstacles came up the first one was the tires, simple enough and kept going through, pacing myself jogging then walking then jogging pushing myself as far as I could go.
Through the race, you saw amazing people and talked to amazing people, all with their own ‘why’. As people passed me I would offer up “keep going you’re doing amazing” or some other form of encouragement and the same happened to me as I passed people.
Some of the toughest parts of this race was in the woods, winding, zig zag through the forest up hill on narrow pathways. In those moments I could not jog up the hill, but I never stopped my pace, I kept my breathing going evenly and had amazing internal conversations. My old body could have never done this, I would think. Look at my stamina, I can actually pick up pace a little and things like that.
The only obstacle I did not complete and chose to do 20 push-ups instead was the tunnels. There was a huge line and I know my fear of enclosed spaces didn’t see me entering that.
Some of the challenges were very hard for one person to do without a team, like the jumpy castle, but there were enough people that I helped over it, finally an amazing couple in tie-dye helped me up over and on we went.
Another tough challenge and the one I feared the most was the rope wall, I didn’t think I could really pull my body up that wall because at times I still feel like I still am my Day 1 body. Well, I grabbed hold of that rope, leaned back and shocked myself. I was up faster than I could blink. I couldn’t believe my strength, even halfway through the race!
Coming through spots and having my mother and my daughter cheering me on was so amazing, so thrilling. I cry now thinking of how happy my daughter was cheering “go go go mommy!”  My mom snapping as many photos and videos as she could.
As we got near the end I had more energy, and was able to really pick up my pace and jog a lot, push my body over the obstacles and finish the race proud.
As I climbed over the mountain of cars and a bus, when I came over the bus and heard my mom screaming my name repeatedly, it was an unbelievable feeling. I did it. I finished.
I loved the race and was instantly in love with these types of events. It was such an amazing feeling to have my body be able to do all of these things and thanks to the amazing Isagenix fuel and nutrients, I’ll be only getting stronger and better!!

poster for event

the gals after the race

results

me after the race

mom and I after the race

daughter proud of my metal

mom happy to see me finish

selfie after the race

after the race pic

before the race