Birthday Challenge!

Getting ready for my Birthday Challenge where I get to suffer for fun!  I'll be 48, so here's what's on the list:

• 24k run (half of 48k cause good golly, that distance is for people like the Lottridges . . . ), so a 15 mile run with Brad as my support. 
• 48 routes to climb at Boulders. 
• 48 times traversing around the pillar at Boulders. 
• 4.8 minute plank hold. 
• 48 push ups. 
• 48 pull ups. 
• 48 squats with the slosh pipe. 
• Hold slosh pipe for 4.8 minutes. 
• Blog for 48 days about something new I learned. 
• Drink 4.8 white Sangrias. 

Last night as I watched the Olympic decathlon event, I was reminded of the time around early 2000 when I read about Alison Dunlap, at the time the worlds best female mountain biker.  Outside magazine published a picture of her after a major race labeling in detail all the bruises, aches, scrapes, and pain she experienced - mostly visible scars and serious owies.  I filed that image away because at the time, I had my first bout of long term elbow tendonitis from rock climbing.  I reluctantly took six months off from climbing, and I felt like that injury was completely debilitating.

That article about Alison and her wrecked body put me in check.   I could no longer describe my elbow pain as debilitating or even "painful" for that matter.  Instead, I took stock of my body and the fact that 99% of it was clearly working well, took one last look at Alison's featured owies, and decided that my capacity to be a bad-ass was within reach in spite of a hurt elbow.  I recovered well from the tendonitis and can't really recall an injury since then that has kept me from climbing or running or training for significant periods of time. 

So when I was watching the athletes compete in the decathlon, I considered the training and kinds of potential injuries those athletes might get and basically told my future self to suck it up.  I'm not injured now - admittedly a little under-motivated, but 100% healthy.  And not that I am anticipating or wishing my body into pain or debilitation from any of my athletic pursuits - I'm just sayin' that in my pursuit of fitness, there are so many athletes to look to for inspiration and strength during my low periods.

As I prepare mentally (just two days away - yikes!) for my annual Birthday Challenge, I'm relying on what I've been coached on, and practiced since I was a kid, then teen, then adult.  That is,

My body can do more than I think it can. 

My mind can push my body to its limit, and

What I can't train for today, I can do tomorrow.  

In my mind, I look at my Birthday Challenge as a microthlon - a mini variation of the decathlon I watched intently, topped off by the many athletes I know of, as friends and in the public world who inspire me to get out there and get it done.