Spartan . . . Back at it in 2021!

The 2020 Spartan Race Season was cancelled due to . . . well, you know . . . COVID! But, it would have been cancelled for me whether COVID was here or not!

2020 was one of the hardest years for me mentally, physically and emotionally . . .

January 2020 I had a pretty severe encounter with a rock in lower zig zags on the White Salmon. I flipped over, smacked my elbow and hit my face . . . rolled up . . . made it down the rest of the run . . . but, was in the worst pain I had experienced in awhile. I badly bruised my elbow {no fractures thank goodness} and had a concussion {which I struggled with for a few months afterwards}.

February 2020 I was the sickest I have been in a long time. I remember posting on FB that I rarely get sick and I was OUT for 2 weeks . . . COVID? Who knows . . . but, it was awful.

March 2020 . . . well the stresses of COVID surfaced. I was faced with many tough decisions that mostly affected the success or demise of my fitness business. I had many days of tears and anxiety. BUT, just kept trekking on.

April 2020 I broke my paddle in Lower Zig Zag, which ended in a swim . . . no injuries . . . but frustration nonetheless.

May 2020 . . . due to COVID . . . we were restricted from doing a lot of "social activities". So, my husband and I did a LOT of landscaping ~ hauling wheel barrels full of dirt, rock, gravel ~ for days and days and days. THAT . . . along with landing FLAT off a few drops . . . I severely injured my back.

AND that my friends . . . that back injury . . . was the end of it all!

For the next 10 months I experienced daily aching in my pelvis; I couldn't stand OR sit very long; I couldn't run AT ALL; I was in constant pain; and, mentally and physically I was BROKEN.

I've NEVER been one to give up . . . NOPE . . . NEVER! When faced with a challenge (though I may complain), I ALWAYS buckle down, focus and never give up . . . EVER! I can truly say that this drive I have, is what allowed me to rehab back to 'pain-free', normal, 'Heather Herbeck' activity again.

What people don't realize a lot of time is that they give up too soon. I went to see a physical therapist, my chiropractor AND I hired a coach to start getting me into Spartan training shape. It was a lot of (excuse my language) fucking work. And NOT fun work . . . but, the little rehab exercises that you have to do in order to get your body functioning & firing properly again that feel lame when you do them . . . haha. Day in and day out . . . I would do what was scheduled to be done . . . whether I wanted to or not! Because I wanted 'IT' so badly!!!!

15 months later . . . YES, 15 month . . . {See, I didn't give up}

The back is really NOT an issue anymore. Yeah, sometimes it flares up . . . but that is kind of expected with all of the activity that I do. I can RUN . . . I can JUMP . . . I can KAYAK . . . I can MT BIKE . . . I can do EVERYTHING I did prior to my injury . . . without pain . . . and MORE!

This brings me back to our Spartan races . . . in 2021 . . . there was no way I would have been able to complete ANY of the races . . . let alone the Tri-fecta {three races} that we had signed up for in 2020. If there was one positive thing that I can take away from "2020 COVID" year, it would be that I was able to take a step back; work on rehabbing my injuries; and, come out stronger in 2021.

We just completed our FIRST Spartan race of the 2021 season. It's been two years since we've completed one . . . This particular race was a sprint {5k with 20 obstacles}. My goal for the 2021 Spartan Season is to dial in ALL the obstacles. I feel confident that I will reach this goal by the end of our season . . .

Participating in the Spartan Races is just another activity that my husband and I love to do together. We are not necessarily competing for fastest time . . . instead to complete ALL obstacles, push ourselves and have fun! And, while I'm on the subject of my husband, a BIG THANKS for his support and putting up with {on some days} an emotional mess of frustration, anxiety and tears! I love this man!

But, if you know me . . . I always check out my results . . . haha! Not bad for the 2020 training year being 'rehab', slowly getting back into being able to run pain-free and not really 'competing'.

Time: 1:03:16

Distance: 5K

Overall: 457/2719

Gender: 51/996

Age: 2/74