DIRTY GIRL

YOU KNEW it was true!  You KNEW the Mad-Art Teacher was pretty filthy most of the time---------------------
 Say now people- I meant in terms of my hands as a rule!  Let keep it a little cleaner than that for now, shall we??

So last October or so, I had heard about this Dirty Girl Run,
which was is a 5K run and obstacle course.  It is to benefit Breast Cancer Research and is sponsored through the Susan G. Komen foundation, and I am here to tell you that they put on quite a good party!!  Preparations were begun last fall for this as I registered myself and Sarah-Jane for this event.  Sarah-Jane is an athletic girl, and was quite a good sport to put up with me for this.  Back in October this was a step out of the box experience.  First of all to even dream that I could run 3 miles was amazing (let's be clear right now, because of my knee and lack of training, I did not run the whole thing) and to imagine what kind of obstacle course this could be was pretty scary and daunting. I was NOT in any sort of shape to do that last fall, so this and the canoe trip were definitely driving forces behind my working out.  The working out eventually took on a life of its own, so this was all a really amazing transformation for me physically and mentally!

This is one of my phone pix- I of course found an awesome cloud formation while there

We began getting the emails about the event earlier this summer when the run series kicked off and got under way around the country.  It looked fun, slightly scary and very exciting.  People dress up for these kinds of things, so I made a mental note to pick up some supplies for shirt making..... in my usual procrastinating way,  I picked that stuff up the day before!  We made our own Tshirts and added a scarf and a purple boa!  Next year (oh yes, there could very well be a next year) we want to do tutus or tiaras and socks and we will definitely remember our towels..... but that is part of the story for later.

Before the race, at Greg and Sarah's place

At the race, watching the end

Sarah at the finish line

This race was full of positive energy and excitement.  The weather was fantastic!  It wasn't too hot, it was sunny, it was gorgeous!  The people were so excited and the atmosphere was charged with positive vibes.  Crazy outfits were everywhere!  There was music and BEER!  The beer comes at the end.

Starting line

Off we go

Still clean and cute!

First obstacle

There were a few obstacles that were available for spectators to see at the beginning and the end of the course.  The majority of the event is beyond the vision of people who were not running.  I have a theory about this, I am guessing that everyone does better when they are not being watched.  You can do what you need to with out being encouraged, discouraged, judged, recorded or laughed at.  The ladies on the course were all one big temporary family.  There were high fives and atta girls and all around a lot of laughing and some serious lack of grace and self-conciousness!  I am planning to get a picture of the one obstacle that for me was a major accomplishment- the rope climb.  

First big obstacle on the course

The rope climb was one of those traditional obstacles that you might think of when imagining a course like this.  It was on a metal frame, was at least 15 feet high, and was like a rope ladder.  You had to climb up, hoist  yourself over and then let yourself down on the other side.  For someone who is scared to death of heights, this was major!  I had no fears about the physical side of this, I was easily able to get up that obstacle, it was that transition at the top that was so scary.  I over came it!!!  The fear is not gone, but I proved that I could do it!  whew!!!!

That is Sarah climbing over the top, I am about half way up

Here I am going over the top!

Delirium had set in!

There was a definite area where the clean and happy go in and the dirty and delirious come out!  Here is the place where the change occurs!  The people going in will encounter tires, tunnels, walls to climb over, ropes to go up, mud holes to crawl through, people spraying you with hoses (big hoses!) spiderwebby areas, haybales to climb, and other amazing and dirty things to go through.  Plus a lot of running

Of course there were the dirtiest parts left for last!  

Sarah crawling under the  longest, muddiest, rockiest obstacle

She made it!

Running up the hill to the last obstacle

Getting to the finish line!

And of course we slid in the mud!  Who the heck wouldn't???

At the finish line!!

 Where is my beer????

 So, the end of the race- the clean up- was just about as interesting as the race itself!  We unceremoniously were shown to the animal bathing area of the fairgrounds, where of course no cameras were seen, to hose ourselves off!!  It was hilarious.  Then we got to change in the cattle barn!  It was funny to see the look on people's faces when they realized where they were!  We of course reshowered later- as the clean up process was incomplete at best.  And it does help to take along a TOWEL!!!!  Which of course we did not.

Oh here it is!!!

This is what my clothes looked like the next day before I shoved them into a bag and took them home.

3 washings later they were as good as n.....  well, they are usable, except maybe not the shirt.  And the jury is still out on the socks.

It was an amazing, transformative event.  And we just may be back next year!  I wonder what will be the next new thing the Mad-Art Teacher will do???  Stay tuned!

Until next time, find your joy right outside of your comfort zone!  And be a joy giver!