Go Play Dirty!!

Look at that smile! Eu-pho-ri-a!! Yes! Grinning ear to ear while crawling through that sticky, stinky mud at the world famous  Camp Pendleton Mud Run. (And what the photo doesn't show, to my utter disappointment, are the marines screaming in our faces. shoot! That was the best part! haha)  

This particular race has been around for 20 years and is by far the most organized, most fun, and hardest run I've ever done. Why? Because it's run by the marines... Semper Fi! I take a little pride being a little Devil Dog brat myself:) My dad was a marine colonel, and we often ran the fire breaks in the hills of Camp Pendleton. Good old fashion bonding time with dad. I loved every minute!

So back to the smile.... I've truly never had so much fun running a race. Yeah, it was hard! So freaking hard! But, I had fun! That's right. Fitness can be fun. It can be rewarding even with the challenges that come with it. I talk a lot about "enduring," "commitment," "persistance," "motivation," "mind over matter," blah, blah, blah...

Although those qualities are important, finding pleasure and enjoyment in the pursuit of excellence should also matter. So, would it be the worst thing if getting from point A to point B were actually fun? I admit riding a stationary bike or running on a treadmill (without teaching a class) is "enduring" for me. Don't exactly get tickled pink over it. And that's OK. Sometimes you have to do things you're not super jazzed about. BUT I think it's such a sweet bonus when you can find something that excites you, while it drives and pushes you to be better.

Be open to change. Try new things. Get messy. Get muddy:) And DON'T take yourself too seriously. If you fall and make a fool of yourself, laugh it off. We've ALL been there. Trust me. (One day when I'm brave enough I will share my fun little "stories" of public humiliation. As horrific and shocking as they are, I survived! haha) The pursuit of health and fitness can be a wonderful eye opening, rewarding, and FUN experience!

And if you ever get a chance, do the Camp Pendleton Mud Run, do it! It fills up fast...usually in one day. Registration generally opens the 1st of January. It is so FUN! Go play dirty!