Methodist University Obstacle Course

David and I are signed up for the Brave Soldier Challenge.  I am so excited about it.  

And a little nervous.  I haven't climbed a rope or crossed monkey bars since elementary school.  That's why I'm excited, because I have to actually train for it.  

The loose log roll. 

Once I signed up, I set out to find a rope and monkey bars.  A friend from the running club told me about an ROTC course behind Methodist University, which had a rope, monkey bars and many other obstacles.  

Saturday morning I ran 7 miles.  I signed up for a 10k, then parked really far away from the packet pick up.  I came home, showered, and then felt like it would a good idea to go tackle this course before Hannah's Awana's game practice.  

Not the most thought out plan.  I was pretty exhausted.  But the course was SO MUCH FUN!!!  And REALLY HARD!  I consider myself to be very physically fit.  I like pushing myself to pain in my workouts.  This course made me feel weak.  

The rope climb.  So hard.  

Although, David taught me a foot technique that will make climbing it much easier.  It'll make it all about my legs, instead of my arms.  

Hannah wanted to try.  From now on, we're going to spend a little time with her, teaching her how to do some of the obstacles too.  

The monkey bars.  They were slightly intimidating, but I did finally make it about halfway.  

Military hurdles.  I was better at this than anything else.  I bruised the heck out of my knee caps.  And I fell on my butt once.  

Burns from trying to tackle the vertical wall.  There's no photo of the vertical wall here, but it's about 9 feet high with a small wood step up in front of it.  For this, I have to work on my jump.  I couldn't get my shoulders over the top of the wall.  At the wall, I also learned that my running shoes were not proper foot wear for climbing a wall.  

So I'll just have to get better.  That starts tonight.  I'm meeting David there after work.  I hope to get out there 3 times a week every week in between now and the Brave Soldier Challenge.  And after the challenge, I'm going to keep it on my workout rotation.  

Progression photo's to follow.