I signed up for Impi Challenge 2011

SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did the obstacle course last year for the first time and had an absolute blast. So when the entries opened again, I jumped at the chance to enter.

Now I’m suddenly wondering… Last year I’d been seeing a personal trainer, I was lifting weights and running regularly. This year, well… I haven’t been.

You know what this means!

Well, better late than never…

I need to put this in black and white so people can remind me about it!

In 2011 I want to:

1. Run the 5km time trial in 25 minutes
2. Run a 10km race in 55 minutes
3. Run a half marathon in under 2 hours

I’m wheat intolerant… I know it’s one of the fashionable things to be these days but I’ve tested it and I really am I went completely wheat free for a month once and I really did notice a difference. But the crap I went through to stay that way was not worth it compared to the difference in my health.

So what I decided  was that I should just be as good as possible. I sometimes wish I was actually severally intolerant/allergic because then I would definitely not cheat. But I’m not, I just know when I’ve eaten what I shouldn’t and vow once again to be as good as possible.

This last week was exactly that situation. I have been eating really badly and over indulging (thank you Festive Season) and decided on Tuesday that the rest of the week was going to be completely wheat free. I had forgotten just how difficult that truly was.

Wednesday: Chicken wrap for dinner

Thursday: Burger for dinner

Friday: Pastry (soooooo worth it! This dinner was absolutely amazing!)

Saturday: Bread (I love a cheese sandwich)

So not exactly as good as I could be…

The thing I forgot was to plan ahead and bring food with me to things or eat before I go out. It is difficult to go wheat free and you think well, most restaurants and shops now have wheat free options, but have you seen how much more those cost?!?

So the lesson has now been re-learnt and I hope that this post will help me to actually commit to the whole regime. And no, that doesn’t mean I’m dieting!

Remember, the word diet actually encompasses all food you eat and shouldn't be thought of as a dirty word!

And before you laugh… I really am! I have a finishers photo to prove it, so

The Impi Challenge is an insane, hectic, challenging obstacle course… and I finished it! It was a course about 15km long and includes 12 (I think) obstacles to climb over, crawl through, jump off and the list goes on. It was CRAZY and crazy fun I wasn’t really sure what I was getting myself into when my friend told me I had better sign up. She did it last year and was going to do it again, so I thought it can’t be that bad… Now I’m completely hooked on this kinda crazy! I can’t wait to do the race again next year!

I think the best thing about the day was the sense of comeraderie. I have to say a huge thank you to the guys who helped me over some of the bigger obstacles. I nearly kicked one poor knight in shining armour in the head as he tried to catch me when I fell off a post. I would have loved to buy him a beer! There were also a whole lot of crazies who were dressed up. I don’t know if I could have done it in costume… maybe next time.

For more pictures and info check out http://www.impichallenge.co.za

The Warriors

Oh and this post was also a to the people who gave me lip for not camping at Daisies and for not being tough!

It has now been 8 weeks since I started my new regime… Previously I wrote about changing my frame of mind and hoping that it would all stick. I was only one week into the program and I had no idea if I would really keep at it. But I did And I couldn’t be happier!

In two months I have seen such a dramatic change in so much:

• I broke half an hour at my running club’s 5km time trial. I haven’t done this in years I don’t think.
• I can run at a good pace for an hour without much discomfort or much stern talking to myself to keep myself motivated.
• I can do all the roll ups in a pilates class without my feet coming off the ground.
• I can touch my toes!!!!! (I have short hamstrings so that for me is a big deal)
• My waist has come back
• I can fit into clothes I haven’t worn in ages! Seriously, by the time summer rolls around properly I will have a whole new wardrobe without buying a thing!

Sorry if you don’t want to read all this “hooray for wonderful me” stuff… but right now I am taking a moment to enjoy what I have achieved There are not that many times in life when you really can feel proud of yourself so I urge you all to take a moment too and acknowledge something you have done that is good and worthy of a moment of self-congratulating. It feels pretty good!

Right, patting myself on the back is done, now the real challenge starts… I can’t afford to keep the trainer right now so I will be going it alone. I have a feeling that I will keep it up though, the visible rewards are just too good Wish me luck!