Am I tough enough???

Well, it's official...I will be competing in the "Tough Mudder" on May 2nd...
What is the Tough Mudder you ask?
"Tough Mudder is the TOUGHEST one day event on the planet. This is not your average mud run or boring spirit-crushing road race. Our 7 mile obstacle courses are designed by British Special Forces to test all-round toughness, strength, stamina, fitness, camaraderie and mental grit. Forget about your race time, simply completing the event is a badge of honor. Not everyone will finish, but those who do make it to our post-race party will have truly earned the right to call themselves a Tough Mudder."
It's a 7 mile course with 17 obstacles...everything from straw covered fields soaked in kerosene full of flames up to 4 feet high, under water tunnels, quad-ripping switchbacks and more. Click here to see the course and obstacle descriptions.
Crazy? Maybe. Am I excited? Yes!
So far in our group there are 12 of us committed, only 3 girls including me, one nicknamed "House of Pain" - she is an Instructor at Seal Team, tiny but tough and I am happy to be racing with her.
There is also a costume contest so I am thinking of going ultra girly and pretending to be surprised when I realize I am going to get dirty...I am taking suggestions for my outfit but I am thinking a special pink and white ensemble, although I know it will never come clean after, but what the heck, you only live once, right?
I knew I wanted to do this race the moment I saw the website. And the fact that very few women do it made me want to do it even more.
I don't care if I am last, that isn't what it's about for me. I am not worried about being nervous - I am nervous before every race - I will get through it.
Just the mere thought of being out there, being scared and pushing myself to my limits excites me beyond belief. There have been so many times in my past that I didn't do something because of a fear of failure and since I have become active and found myself, I decided that I no longer want to let those fears hold me back.
To quote Molly Sheridan in this month's Women's Running magazine "I believe we humans have incredible bodies, and most of us have never tapped into what we are capable of achieving." Wow! It's true. I discovered that twice about myself in 2009...first when I completed my first Half IronMan in September and again, with two of my best friends, when I completed the JFK 50 Miler in November.
These experiences have made me realize I can do more, I can push harder, I can, I can, I can!
So although I may not break any speed records on May 2nd, I will give all of my heart, soul and sweat to experience something spectacular and create another memory in my "I did it" book!
Wish me luck!
Run safe, run happy!
-d