I am a BEAST

Where has time gone?!  I know where ~ I have headed back to work, teaching 4 days a week plus teaching acting one night a week AND my lovely Ryde class Friday nights! Between my career, family and training, I sometimes don't know if I am coming or going!  We are slowly getting into the groove of our new routine and my kids are loving Montessori school!

First day of Montesorri<3

As for training, I am looking forward to the week after Thanksgiving when I can finally get in to Excel three days a week.  The month of September I ended up training 3 times a week but over the course of 2 days which was not ideal but that's what life allowed (strength and ryde Fridays, running Sat/Sun).  I made sure I was eating right and fuelling my body properly through the month of September though I did have a few more coffees than usual:)  I tried my best to keep up with life and training because the Spartan Beast race was quickly approaching.

I am going to start by saying HOLY COW!  This year was by far the most difficult Spartan Beast.  Mentally, physically ~ it was a BEAST!  Here are some facts charted out:
This year
23 km
34 obstacles
4 climbs up Sun Peaks ski mountains (first was from the village to the top! the others varied slightly but still a lot of straight up climbing!)
Time - 5 hours 48 minutes
Failed 3 obstacles = 90 burpees (rope climb, spear throw, zig zag balance beam)

Last year:
21+ km
28 obstacles
2 climbs up Sun Peaks
Time - 4 hours 46 minutes
Failed 3 obstacles = 90 burpees (rope climb, spear throw, traverse wall)

Times varied from 3.5 hours to 10.5 hours.   I was the 110th, 25th female and 12th in my age group for the Elite Beast Results BUT I signed up for the Open Beast so I have emailed them to ask to be moved:)  If I look at the Open Beast Results, it looks like I would be 460 out of 1195 participants male and female and it puts me at the 94th female to come in.  Either way I am just freaking happy that I made it:D

Above: My finishing stats:)
Below: This is the second longest time ~ so there was 1195 participants, 418 females & 777 males.

THE STORY OF MY BEAST

I ran solo again this year ~ I really like the challenge.  When it's just you, out on the course ~ you are the only thing pushing YOU.  I got up at 4:30am and geared up.  I ate a yogurt, berries, granola bowl and drank my electrolyte water. 

I packed lots of water and electrolyte mix to sip on during my drive to Sun Peaks.  I left town and was on my way.  It was a nice, peaceful drive.  I was not as anxious as I have been for the previous two beasts ~ less so because I felt prepared but still anxious because I knew it was a big undertaking and you never know what to truly expect.  I arrive at Sun Peaks at 8:00am and grabbed my race package. 

My heat wasn't until 10:00am so I had time to stretch, put on the final pieces of my gear and check my camel pack & gels (if you ever do a beast, wear knee pads, elbow pads, buffs, and gloves...trust me).  I like going down into the bathroom area below the village centre building.  I called my family to let them know I was just getting ready to go out.  They, of course, wished me good luck and said they loved me:)  I locked up my stuff (which includes a post-beast snack, chocolate milk, water, 3 garbage bags for your car seats and packing your mud soaked gear, cell phone, etc.).  This year I decided to wear my heart rate belt and packed my Polar m400 as well to see my output (check out the cool charts below!).  I headed up to the starting line and did my warm up.  9:30am I took my first gel.  At 10:00am I headed out.  My plan was to run the downs and flats and trudge up the hills.  I also decided not to stop moving unless injured.  The first part of the course hits you like a ton of bricks as you make your way up to the top of Sun Peaks.  This is pure cardio!  I jogged up the trails along the way as I was feeling good.  The obstacles were fun for the most part.  I had to do the 8 foot wall alone as no one was around when I got to it ~ I made it!  Every obstacle I hit that I passed I told myself positive things to keep pushing forward.  

I love running the downhill goat trails where you have to be so focused on where you step ~ dig, dig, dig, left foot, right foot.  It's one of my favourite things about this race.  Many of the obstacles took a lot of focus like the monkey bars.  The most difficult (other than the ones I failed:) are the traverse wall and the parallel bars.  After the second hill climb, I thought okay one more...I can do that.  Then we started to climb again!  My body was not too happy about this and my calves were seizing often.  I stretched them out when I had an obstacle that allowed for it like the mud army crawls.  After the fourth hill, I started making my way down with a light jog to ease my body into actually running.  I remember I heard the music in the village and I was super excited and relieved that I was on my way back.  I have never been able to conquer the rope climb and the spear throw is a crap shoot.  I gave them my best try and accepted the burpees that came my way.  I made my final climb over the last wall and headed for the fire jump, elated that I would soon be done!  

This year I didn't get an epic fire jump photo because this couple was getting engaged so focus went to them:) But I will be forever in their engagement photos! LOL Photobomber!  Check out the lady on the wall;)

Once I came in, I received my medal, my t-shirt and my chocolate milk.  I wish I had people there cheering me on but even though I am alone when I come in, it is such an amazing feeling of accomplishment.  

Heart Rate output (My race lasted 5 hours and 48 minutes ~ the rest is the waiting to go and the delay in being able to turn off my session after the race)

Polar provides awesome analysis of your session!  This has the steps as well!

My heart rates along with my pace (blue) and ascent/descent (grey background).  Trust me, the hills were a lot steeper than those on this graph! 

The route! Tracked using my Polar m400 watch! So cool!  You can get a good idea of the climbs with the map in the background!

A couple more breakdown views of my race:)  Check out that heart rate! Wowza!

I look at where I was five years ago, physically and mentally.  There is no way I would have been able to do what I just did.  I am so amazed at what my body is capable of.  I look at how my body has gone through some incredible things over the last five years from baby number one to getting "in shape" to baby number two and getting even stronger than health issue after health issue last year including an appendectomy.  Now here I am, 32 years old and as strong as I have ever been.  I couldn't run for three years after Marley was born due to my pubic symphysis instability and hip issues and now I can run and I love to run ~ especially trail runs!  There is something so freeing about it and I truly owe it to my training at Excel.  I never knew I was capable of any of this until I started training there.  I am strong.  I am fast.  I am a beast!

REACHED THE TOP! That deserved a thumbs up:)

8 Week Sexy Back Challenge Complete!

It has been a fantastic 8 weeks!  The Sexy Back Challenge just wrapped up last night and it feels good to check that off my list.  First, let me tell you a little bit about this Challenge at Excel.  This was an opportunity for members and non-members to work with a team to pursue health and fitness goals.  Over the course of 8 weeks, participants were to complete two strength and two cardio sessions a week plus complete homework and a weekly challenge/workshop.  Individuals received a point for each of the completed components and could earn bonus points if these sessions were completed as a team (i.e. you all attend a workshop ~ you get a bonus point).  In addition to classes, challenges, homework, we also took a closer look at our nutrition and had assistance calculating what we should do to achieve the goals you wanted (whether it was losing weight, building muscle, toning up, etc.).  Teams were made up of three people.  Tuesday is when we find out who won the challenge.

I will be completely honest with you ~ I desperately needed this boost!  It has been a crazy year with health issues, returning to work in a new position, kids in daycare, ETC! and lifes' stresses put me back a few steps from where I wanted to be in my health.  I completed my first 60 Day Challenge in the Spring of 2013 when Jonah was around 7 months old.  If you want to read more details about it, I blogged about it HERE.  I saw amazing results with this challenge and this was probably the first time I had ever felt really good about where my health and fitness were at in my entire life!  I successfully maintained that weight and level of fitness up until last Fall when things went a little sideways.

As I blogged before I ended up having thing after thing (appendectomy, eye issues, c-diff ~ bacterial infection in my intestines, colds, fatigue, then PRK eye surgery)...appendectomy was August 21, 2014 followed by continuous eye issues from September to April 9th, 2015 when I finally had surgery, C-Diff was December 31 and screwed up my system for about two-three weeks.  Long stories short, I was going through a rough chapter in my life and my health was suffering.  Due to my illnesses and issues I could not train how I liked which led to me feeling down and not being as consistent with my eating as I usually am.  I wouldn't say that my day to day diet went completely off the tracks but I think I made more allowances than I usually do.

Which brings me to April 2015 ~ after my eye surgery was completed it took about one month before I could actually see clearly and life was looking good!  Right after that Excel announced they were going to hold a Sexy Back Challenge and I knew that was exactly what I needed to do to kickstart my journey BACK to health.

Left side are the BEFORE photos ~ Right side are the AFTER photos!

I found a couple of amazing ladies to work with and off we went!  Brooke, Lorrie and I all had similar goals in terms of toning up and weight loss.  Having similar goals really pushed us to support one another and cheer each other on.  I feel I really lucked out that I was able to work with these two:)  Weeks went by and we were very consistent with our training and completing all the necessary components, learning SO MUCH along the way!

Last night was our final challenge and weigh ins/measurements.  Everyone was very successful.  For me I went from 152lbs to 146lbs and trimmed 6 mm from my callipers measurements.  My number is 66 which means I am in Excellent/Optimal Health category!  I am about 3-4 pounds heavier than I was when I finished the 60 Day Challenge a couple of years ago but I have noticed that I am quite a bit more leaner and have more muscle mass than I did two years ago ~ which is cool with me!

Left and bottom right are after 8 weeks Sexy Back Challenge.  Top right is After 60 Day Challenge Spring 2013.
Nothing better than being strong! 

Bottom pictures are from 60 Day Challenge Spring 2013.  Purple shorts are BEFORE & Orange shorts are AFTER 8 week SEXY BACK CHALLENGE!

Now that I have completed this challenge I feel like I have pressed my RESET button and look forward to pushing on from here, ready to take on whatever comes my way!  Having all of these health "challenges" along the way really just emphasizes how great it is when you don't have them.  I feel sooooooo extremely lucky that my vision issues have been corrected (I see 20/20 now with no problems whatsoever).  I have also started running again as my pelvis/hip trouble has almost been alleviated (couldn't run without pain since I was pregnant with my first back in 2011) and that is a freeing feeling.  I really think it is my training that has healed my body ~ building that lean muscle has improved my life greatly.  Even after my appendectomy in August last year I healed relatively quickly and ran the Spartan Beast race weeks after!  Again I think it has to do with the shape I am in!

When is the next Sexy Back Challenge starting up

you ask?!  In October!  And, again, it is open to members and non-members so YOU COULD DO IT TOO!  When you have a team helping you along plus the support of trainers and a nutritionist you have nothing to loss except those few pounds you wish would disappear!  But even if weight loss isn't a goal the Challenge is such a great thing to be a part of to develop that lean muscle, tone up, improve your cardiovascular fitness, improve your mood, make friends, learn about nutrition and so much more!  I hope to see you there!

For more information contact Excel fitness ~ you will be linked up to their site HERE!