Tough Mudder Training - Team Green Beach Edition
Just got back from the beach with some of the most inspiring and awesome people I know. All Hulk! With the exception of Mike (all the way on the left) but we live together, so he’s Hulk by default ;). I WAS looking forward to seeing some Team Black represented, but that’s ok, Team Green wanted it more today ;).
My alarm went off at 6:45am and I thought “No… Seriously? This can’t be right…” and sure enough, it was right. I did the “what functions?” test. Lifted my arms… “Shoulders, chest, and back are fried. Check.” Lifted my legs… “Psoas, butt, quads, hamstrings, calves, and knees are obliterated. Check.” Squeezed my stomach… “Abs and obliques are non existent. Check.” There was not a fiber on me that didn’t SCREAM “Please sir, for the love of god, PLEASE stay home today.” I’ve run the total of a marathon this week after having not run in 7 years. Mudder training on Friday was the TOUGHEST one yet (FYI This Friday is going to be an hour and prepare for your world to be ROCKED if you’re hoppin’ in!). My own personal workouts had somehow stepped themselves up a notch and I was left this morning with the realization of “I can barely move… We’re going to do an insane beach workout?” Then… I got up. Put my shorts on. Turned some jams on, and got ready. Know how long that doubt of “How am I going to be able to do this today???” lasted? About the amount of time it took me to stand up… This is the good life baby!
Seriously, what better what to spend a Sunday morning than with people you love, doing something you love, in the best environment ever (beach baby… I’m in love…), preparing for one of the most insane things you’ve ever done in your life? Boy howdy was it insane… video to come ;).
Let me just break it down though “pre” video… We got to the beach, took off our shirts, and SPRINTED for that water. What did we do beforehand? The CHANT baby! There were 6 of us but we made that Chant sing like we had a Hulk army RARIN’ to scare that beach! With no “toe test” we hit that water HARD. Head first. I’ve gotta say… I’ve never felt adrenaline surge up so instantaneously and intensely before. It was needed. Why? Because we had to run back to the beach to do Push rolls! Push up, barrel roll left, push up, barrel roll right, push up, barrel roll left… You get the idea. 2 minutes of that followed IMMEDIATELY by about a mile and a half beach coast run. Were we done? No way! WE ARE HULK!
The double dipped fun ride cream dream was what was next… Sand Dune? Yup. Able bodies? Got ’em. Steep sandy incline that looks about 20 yards long but FEELS like 2 miles? That was there too… DUNE SPRINTS!! It was like Satan crafted this exercise for his subjects who led ESPECIALLY bad lives. I thought we were good people until today… 1 sprint was challenging, but fun. Good work! It only took one more sprint to slap us right upside the head and say “remember oxygen? Good, because that’s all it’s going to be… a memory.” We did 5. I know that doesn’t sound like much, but we did them BACK to BACK with minimal rest in between. I DARE you to say to ANY of those Hulksters there this morning that “that wasn’t THAT bad.” You’ll get a Bobbi Deanne Rivera backhand to the dome-piece talkin’ that mess! Thank God for Cory Lacey… I led the charge HAPPILY the 1st 4, but the 5th one… Oh boy. Now, for those of you who have worked out with me, I pride myself on my leadership role and will ALWAYS grab your hand if you need a help up and a push. I recognize and embrace the shape I am in. Rarely do I need to be led. That 5th sprint… Cory took off like a bat out of hell (fitting for the earlier analogy). In that moment, I needed to be led. Thank you Cory, for filling that role when most people assume I’m infallible. Even lions need to be shown how to roar on occasions where maybe the vocal chords are a little frazzled.
We polished this blast of a workout with some sand agility work, light cool downs, and pushups until our chests and shoulders wanted to pop. Oh yeah, all the while repeatedly hopping in that scrumptious beach water.
Life is beautiful.
– Hulk
PS A couple videos to wet your Hulk appetite. Find out about the Shovel AND what goes on in the House of Hulk!
iamhulk 