Temecula Spartan Super - Temecula, California

I haven't ever had the chance to test how far I can run hard, while feeling extremely nauseous.  Apparently it's around 3 miles. 

Coming in to this race faster and stronger than I have ever been, I was ready for a battle.  But I stood at the starting line, stomach churning feeling like a newly pregnant momma. As DC sends us off, I'm feeling like the moderate pace we are holding is fast for me! I knew I was in trouble.
I wasn't physically taxed, I just felt like I needed to stop for a few and lose my lunch.  Maybe I should've - I would've felt better.
The last time I felt like quitting in a race, I was in a particularly gruesome track meet in 9th grade - out of shape and racing the 2 miler for the first time.
I was praying that I turn an ankle or something so that I wouldn't have to face the indignity of pulling out.  Thankfully, my inner Spartan prevailed and I pushed on. 

 I hung with Rose for about 2 miles of the 8 mile race, and then just tried to hang in there at all. I finished the race about 6 min after her(ugh) with the knowledge that I had not ran even close to what I was capable

Despite the popularity of doing 2 races in a weekend, I had never done so. 

This race was key however - a lot was going to be decided, determined, that could affect the rest of my races.

I needed to know that I could win this race, I needed to know I could beat the stiffening competition, and I needed to prove to others that I was a still a threat. 

I went all in for day 2.

Temecula Spartan Sprint

With fire in my belly, I started the 2nd race.  This was about 5 miles, without a lot of the extreme hill climbs from the day before.

We knew which obstacles we would be encountering which was refreshing.  At one point, there was a spot where you can choose to go right (longer way) or left (harder, shorter).  Rose and KK went right, April and I went left.  This way had proved to be better the previous day.  We came out ahead of rose and KK, though Rose caught back up within the last mile.

At around 3 miles, I lost my lead at the barbed wire crawl, which I apparently suck at.  I didn't realize this could make such a difference.  April and Rose got about 50 yds on me.

We climbed up and down the next hill,
and found ourselves - In a parking lot - never a good sign.  We had missed the turn somewhere!! We ran up a trail, and saw KK coming down the mountain that we were supposed to have gone down. 

So now we were 4.

After we battled through the tire flip, wall traverse, inverted wall, Hercules hoist, and log hop, I was a close second behind KK.  We had one more steep mountain to go, and I used this chance to pass her.  It was great until she and Rose sprinted past me on the next downhill to the festival area.

We had 5 obstacles left.
Tractor pull - pull a heavy concrete block up a sandy hill and back down - twice as heavy as normal!  KK was ahead of me and Rose was about 15 sec behind.
I got to the spear throw and was elated because I was at least going to get 2nd.
Except I missed my spear throw
and KK and rose hit theirs.  oy!!!
As I was finishing my final burpee, April nailed her spear throw.  It was going to be a battle to finish.
I was NOT going to let her beat me.
We were neck and neck all the way into the rope climb.  I got up and down it faster than her, hurried out of the mud pit, and ran to the finish.  I saw the fire and gladiators, and I was home free!

Until someone yelled, "wait, go back, you're not done!"  I had not seen the slippery wall and ran right past it.

April finished slightly before me, and I finished in 4th, again.

4th Place 2 days in a row really bites

I am grateful for the 2nd day's race, and that I could leave knowing my ability. Mistakes had killed me that day, but I was capable.   I am looking forward to my showdown in 2 weeks with April Luu, KK Stewart, and Rose Wetzel.