When people find out about my obstacle course racing addiction, they often ask which obstacle is the most difficult I have had to face. The answer to that is so easy, but unexpected. The toughest obstacle is the voice inside my head that says “You are not good enough”, “You can’t do this”, and “Just give up”. If you are a runner, you have heard it and know exactly what the voice sounds like, and know how that voice haunts you. I have spent every day training to make my body stronger, just to be able to quiet that voice. The voice is still there, it comes out in a moment of weakness, exhaustion, and fatigue. It can never be out run, out climbed, or out muscled but it can be proved wrong. It took me 27 long years to find something I can say I am passionate about. Obstacle course racing has strengthened me physically, built me emotionally, enhanced my relationships, increased my confidence and improved my life. It has taught me how to set, meet, and exceed goals. It gives me something to look forward to. I got engaged this past year and when asked by a bridal consultant if I was considering preserving my dress, I laughed and said I would rather destroy it in a mud run. She laughed too, because she thought I was kidding. The women I were with laughed and said “That’s so you!” They are right, it is me. OCR is more than just a sport. It is a lifestyle.
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