11/15 06:00
Agile 8-1 + 4x10 pushups
62min treadmill run/walk 4.2m
Definitely running on tired legs.
11/16 13:00
Spartan Super 8m, 3hrs
- Burpees 15 x 6
- Hurt and sick
Not a good experience this time around.
The good:
- First half of the race felt strong. There were a few monkey-bar-type obstacles where I felt like my hanging/swinging has really improved.
- No cramps. I was determined not to cramp, so I ended up walking most of the back half.
The bad:
- First obstacle I missed was a ring swing with a transition to a rope swing. Ring swings, I can do... rope swings, not so much. I made it to the last rope, then my grip gave out - so I paid 95% of the energy cost for doing the obstacle, then paid the energy cost for burpees. Need to work on rope/towel hanging.
- Second obstacle I missed was the "olympus", which is sort of a bouldering wall with no foot holds. I think they made it harder + longer this year, I've completed this before. I made it about 80% of the way - again, paying most of the energy cost for doing the obstacle - then fell. More burpees. Need to work grip endurance (re-gripping multiple times in succession).
- Then I missed the spear throw. I haven't practiced it all year, and just completely missed the target. Have to keep up skill practice. More burpees.
- After 90 burpees, my pecs were wiped out. So on the twister, another obstacle I've completed before, I strained my pec (and, of course, fell). Couldn't do any more obstacles that required hanging or pulling with one arm after that. Couldn't even do burpees, it hurt to get in plank position. So I ended up skipping two other obstacles. Need to improve strength endurance.
- About an hour after the race was over, my body started shutting down. Basically got flu symptoms - nausea, vomiting, alternating between chills and sweats. So, instead of going out for a nice dinner with my wife and my brother, I spent the evening draped over the side of the bathtub, wishing I was dead. I'm guess this was due to not enough fuel - I had breakfast a little before 9, and didn't eat lunch. There was nothing in my stomach, I was throwing up pretty much nothing but water.
So, here I am on the second day afterwards. Pec strain doesn't seem too bad, I'm not in any acute pain or having any range of motion limitations, just need to let it rest for a while. My legs actually feel surprisingly good - my shins are a little sore, but no quad/hamstring soreness. I was able to eat normally yesterday, though my stomach still seems a little sensitive.
All in all, not a positive experience - actually has made me a little gun-shy about signing up for another (throwing up sucks!!!). But at the same time, with a few adjustments and some more training in the right areas, I feel like this could have been a really good race for me, based on how the first half felt. Based on how my legs feel, I probably could have run more if my body wasn't in the process of shutting down. Who knows, maybe the whole race would have gone differently.
Live to fight/run/puke another day, I guess.