Guest Posting:
How Ladimax And Warrior Dash
Helped Me Find My Focus!
By: Ruthie Reid Rodgers
I was nervous. I was excited to participate in Warrior Dash, I was thrilled to meet Rene, Nicole and Suzette after months of chatting and participating in Ladimax Lifestyle online…but I was nervous.I was nervous about meeting new people, nervous about getting there on time, nervous about my own personal anxieties surfacing and paralyzing me. It had been months of dealing with little to big drama’s on the home front and long term illness, so I reasoned that I had excuses to stay home if need be. But as I wrestled with old fears and voices from the past, there was this part of me who said “Don’t you want to see who you are by the end of the day?? Who and what kind of woman can evolve from this event??”
I barely slept the night before, because of all of my personal expectations and a tad amount of worry, but despite 4 - 5 hours sleep and almost 3 hours of driving ahead of me, I was determined to make it there, determined to meet my new friends and determined to do Warrior Dash, even if it was at a snail’s pace.
Related: Ladimax Sports and Fitness Made Me A Warrior!
When I got to Warrior Dash, I was jaw dropped at how many people were leaving but also, how many more potential Warrior’s were arriving!
We did the check in, bag drop and lined up at the starting point, laughing, talking and snapping pics…we were in the very front of our group, ready to race…but the volunteers were telling us we couldn’t go yet because of “race times”. As they were DETAINING us, about a near 100 people were racing on by and going under the tape. Diplomatic Rene was asking the teen volunteers what was going on and trying to make sense of what the delay was and Nicole, I and Suzette are muttering among ourselves, why can’t we go?? Nicole says “Let’s just run!” so heck, we did! We heard some cursing from the teen volunteers and Rene says “KEEP RUNNING!!!” Bawhahaha! Talk about a thrilling way to get our competitive spirit going!
As our stronger athletes Rene & Nicole pushed ahead, Suzette and I started walking and talking, getting to know each other in real time. Suzette and I felt that we weren’t ready physically, so we took the day at face value…but then we saw our first obstacle, a rough looking 45 degree angle of plywood with maybe 1 inch juts sticking out for leverage. You use only your hands and feet to pull your self over it. Suzette and I nervously laughed and said, should we do it? We both agreed, let’s at least try! So try we did!
Ruthie headed over!
As the rain came down harder in the 50′ degree winter weather, we climbed over a big, red jungle gym made of wood…slippery wood because of the rain and muddy participants who went before us. I went up half way but started climbing down, I got a little dizzy. But my buddy Suzette says “That’s okay Ruthie, just put it on your list for next year”. I found that as we participated in the event and dealt with the obstacles, Suzette and I tuned into each other’s wave lengths as team mates and friends. We looked out for each other in a protective, sisterly way. Even the majority of the participants looked out for you, asked how are you doing? Do you need anything? And even a cute one was trying to help me get over my first obstacle, haha!
“Nuff said.
As Suzette and I moseyed up the trail, I was content to go at my snails pace, till I saw this sign “If your Ex could see you now”….spark, spark went the flame. Now I knew I had something to prove, to myself first and to the ghost of “You can’t do anything right“. As Suzette and I came upon this huge 40 ft tall climbing thing, I said to myself “Wow, I dunno…I’m heavy, what if I fall off and get hurt, what if, what if, what if?” And there was Suzette saying to me in her sweet, encouraging way, “Let’s see what we can do”. A woman with a torn ACL that was recovering was doing it…SO WHY CAN’T I?
I watched the people in the crowd…their were uber skinnies, heavier folks, young teens, oldies and even families participating together. I said to myself “If they can do it, so can you, Ruth”.
I grappled the wet, knotted rope and started climbing, “Hey, I’m doing it!” As I neared the top, I felt my weight and gravity pulling against my body and the rope slipped in my hands about 12 inches, but I hunkered down and said “You can’t go down, it’ll hurt worse, go forward!” I got over the other side and watched my partner Suzette take that wall like a Warrior. We got our feet on the grounded and celebrated with hugs…and then I started crying in awe.”Suzette, I climbed THAT, I did THAT…I DID IT! We did it!!!”Now, it was on…game on!!!
The race made me face challenges I hadn’t done before
We ran through the mud puddles that were knee high, climbed through mud tunnels under ground, climbed elevated rope tunnels, crawled over mud mountains, jumped over fire, walked over muddy planks with ice water jets spraying us and usually spraying in the face! Crawled in the mud under barbed wire and climbed up scaffolding and slide down giant slides into mud pools of ice water! We were exhilarated!!! Full of energy and endorphin’s!
UP AND OVER!
AND DOWN on the Goliath Slide!
We went through the finish line, shouting victory, receiving our Warrior Dash medals.
We caught up with our teammates Nicole and Rene and we ecstatically shouted and screamed with our victories! Rene and Nicole both were super surprised to see delicate Diva Ruthie covered with mud from head to toe. I wish I had a picture of Rene and Nicole’s faces when they saw me, lol. I remember thinking, “They’re proud of me. Wait.. I’M PROUD OF ME!”
Suzette, our trainer Nicole and me
Nicole asked Suzette and I how did it go, what helped you accomplish the obstacles and I summed it up for me like this:
We had to focus. There was loud noise, crowds, crowds pushing past you, not truly concerned for your safety, your success. Harsh elements making your journey slower or dangerous. Personal fears of all kinds. Having the option to take the easy route or go straight through the fire. As you know, each step had to be calculated, each distraction blocked out, and pure focus honed in. Not caring whether some one was in front of me or behind me…but focused on myself, to succeed.
Dirty.. but happy!
And that was my take away, in order to succeed with my personal goals and achieve my health goals, I have to stay focused with what’s ahead, eyes forward, not backwards. When I climbed the big red wood jungle gym and got dizzy, it’s because I LOOKED DOWN! But when I climbed over the huge 40 foot vertical rope thing, I kept my head up and eyes forward, not once looking to the side or down.
I learned that day that I can do and deal with anything, goals can be met. Deadlines can be met. Illness and anxiety can’t stop me, IF I DON’T LET IT. Who has the power to succeed? Me. Who gives me the power to succeed? Me. I can let myself fail or I can let myself win…it’s all up to me. Not my surroundings, not my circumstances. Do what I can with where I am at RIGHT NOW.
And guess what? I know I can do anything because I showered twice at the end with an ice cold water hose…and survived it!
No. More. Excuses.
Ruthie Rodgers is a former Caretaker working on her second act. She’s the mother of 3 grown sons and now defining her identity as a strong, single woman. Ruthie enjoys singing, travel and time shared with friends. After completing her first Warrior Dash, she now adds competitor to her list of accolades!
Ruthie you are amazing and fearless now. Your journey is powerful and very inspiring.