My First Ultramarathon?! – Part 6 (The Scariest Obstacle In The Beast)

October 18, 2014

Aurora hanging off the back of the wall at Spartan Beast 2014Picking up from last time

I don’t know what this obstacle’s called, but basically, there’s a log close to the ground that you step up on. Then you have to go to a log that’s higher up and farther away. It’s not close enough to you to just reach out and land on it. You have to use momentum and jump.

And then if somehow you make it to that middle level, you have to go up yet another one to a log that’s even higher up (I’m thinking 7 feet or more, since that last one is taller than everyone I saw there). Yet again, you have to use momentum!

On top of it all, these logs are sort of wet from all the mud (and from some rain).

I saw a woman try to jump from one to another. Her momentum either didn’t get her quite all the way there, or maybe it worked against her if it was too much that sent her forward and back… Either way, whatever happened, she fell backward and landed on the ground.

It made a huge thump when we heard her body and/or head just totally hit the ground.

I thought it was scary. Almost immediately, someone yelled out, “She’s fine! She’s fine! She just got the air knocked out of her.”

Uh, how do you know that, sir? I haven’t heard her speak or seen her get up yet. Is she fine?

Thankfully, she did get up. But it was still scary and jarring.

I ended up having two guys helping, letting me step on them between logs.

The night before the race, even though I planned my sleeping schedule pretty well, and left myself plenty of time to sleep… I just kept staying up. I think I was maybe slightly nervous about this whole trifecta-in-a-day thing. Or maybe I just wasn’t totally on Ohio time yet. Whatever the case, I just got a couple of hours of sleep – and I could totally tell it in this obstacle.

I was shaking a bit, and I think my voice sounded kinda whiny as I was all, “Are you sure I’m not hurting you?” “Are you sure you’ve got me?” …

You know how you get a little less rational and a little more emotional when your tired? I tried not to be that way in general during the race, but I totally felt it here!

Even sounding a little whiny, and being a little too scared, the guys were so helpful and patient, and I made it on to the next obstacles.

And this is where I’ll pick up next time.

I'd love to hear from you! So whaddya say?