Way Back Wednesday

Tomorrow, Laura and I leave for Florida, with our husbands in tow, for our next (and biggest) running adventure. I can't believe how fast time has flown by since we decided to complete the Glass Slipper Challenge at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. We started packing a couple of days ago and last night, as my husband, Riku, was trying to figure out how to get everything for the trip in our two carry on suitcases, I watched as he held up a red, yellow, black, and white tulle running skirt and had a flashback to one of the first races Laura and I did together.

In the fall of 2013, when Laura and I decided to start signing up for 5K races in our area, we got really excited when we found a really close race location for a race that was geared toward women - the Diva Dash 5K Obstacle Course. That's right, after signing up for our first race, an inaugural color-themed 5K in Hagerstown, Maryland, we immediately signed up for another race, just a week later, at Crumland Farm in Frederick, Maryland. And not just a 5K run, an obstacle course too.

We decided to make matching costumes for this race as they were encouraged by the race coordinators. So after supper the night before the race, we went shopping for supplies, and headed to my parent's house to do some crafting before bed. We made shirts and running tutus, opting to highlight our Maryland pride by using tulle in the colors of the Maryland flag - red, yellow, black, and white.




In the morning, we headed to the designated parking area to take a shuttle bus to the course. There were so many ladies in the lot with brightly colored tutus and socks and other crazy costumes. The weather was a bit dreary and we were worried about rain, but we hopped on the bus and made our way to the farm.

After checking in, getting our bibs, and just hanging out together, we watched the waves of runners take off through the starting line happily. It was really nice to be running with a bunch of other women and I somehow felt more comfortable. Pretty soon, it was our turn to start.

The course was a little rough since the working farm also doubles as one of those horror parks during Halloween and hosts other activities when they aren't harvesting too.  At one point near the beginning of the race the ground was covered with leftover bits of what looked like marble counter tops or quarried granite, but I loved how level it was. Just a few rolling slopes, but nothing too terrible.

Just a little ways in we started to reach the obstacles. There were about 15 or so throughout the 5K course. Some were really easy, like running through a bunch of suspended bouncing balls and jumping across hay bales. There were other obstacles, though, that were much more challenging. Climbing up and over a massive wall proved pretty frightening for anyone afraid of heights and walking across a rope bridge suspended between metal bars was how I nailed my shin enough to give myself a knot the size of a grapefruit. It was so much fun though! Folks were cheering each other on and showing their support - not just other runners, but those at each obstacle and aid station as well as complete strangers out cheering along the course.

We noticed a lot of teams where one person would scope out the best way to do the obstacle and then let the others know how to do it quickly and safely. If people needed help, they got it, and if you really didn't feel comfortable completing an obstacle, it was okay to skip them! Laura and I took turns going through the obstacles so that we could cheer each other on.

Near the end of the race, I noticed an obstacle that really freaked me out - running up one side of a see-saw and down the other. The see-saw seemed incredibly high. I saw women going up slowly and then watched as the see-saw tipped the other direction with their weight on it and they ran down the opposite side to the ground. I didn't think I could do that. I was really scared! As I watched, I noticed, however, that there were men at this obstacle taking hands with the women and talking them over the see-saw, helping them get their balance, and reassuring them along the way. When the woman in front of me was finished, the man who had helped her turned to me and said, "Don't worry. I got you," before smiling brightly and reaching out his hand.

I got halfway up the see-saw with a tight grip on the man's hand and was just about feeling comfortable when it started to tip forward with my weight. My tight grip became a vice grip and I panicked, but the man told me to, "Just run down!" and before I knew it I was on the ground. I jumped up and gave him the biggest hug ever. Laura had already finished the obstacle and was watching me, "You did it, babe!" I smiled broadly and we jogged to the finish line.

We took photos in our costumes, red-faced and sweaty, then grabbed our swag and headed to the bus. The Diva Dash was finished and it was time to go home. We stopped for MTO's at Sheetz (made to order subs from one of our favorite places) and then went back to my parent's to tell them all about the race. It was a fun day and thankfully, the rain held off until after we finished. Another 5K was in the bag and we even PRd - not by much, but hey, a PR is a PR!

That's all for now, I've got to lead one more Ash Wednesday worship service before heading home to pack up some last minute things for the trip - including my Maryland flag colored running tutu, the same one from the Diva Dash, that matches the one in Laura's suitcase too.

Are you ready for us, Disney? Because we are ready for you!