You know when you sign up to do something in the future that seems like a really good idea?  And then, as the thing gets closer, you start to worry that maybe, perhaps, it wasn’t such a good idea? You get a little nervous, anxious.  All the preparation you had planned to do never happened, and all of a sudden, it is here. And you aren’t ready.

This was what happened to me with Mudderella.

Yes, I know it is upside down. Call it #irony

I signed up last spring, and I was pretty excited. I was going to spend the summer exercising and getting prepared and I was going to look GREAT in my workout gear.

Summer days went by, and the workout plan just didn’t happen. I wasn’t getting fit, I wasn’t getting strong and I certainly wasn’t emotionally or physically ready to partake in a 9km obstacle course.

Last week the nerves really started to hit. Mudderella was days away, and I was freaking out. My husband would look at me and laugh, telling me there was NO way I was going to be able to do this event.  I was scared, my tummy was in knots and I was majorly regretting signing up.

But I went. And on the morning of the event, as we stood on the cold, windy slope of BlackComb mountain, daintily trying to step AROUND the mud puddles, our entire team felt the same.

What on earth were we doing here?  Were we INSANE?  We must be insane?

But, we donned our bibs, and hustled our bodies up to the starting line.  And that’s when I noticed something.

Surrounding us were hundreds (thousands in the entire event) women of varying ages and fitness levels, and all of them were smiling.  The energy around us was extraordinary.  They were there with groups of girl friends and family. They were sports teams and soccer moms, knitting clubs and co-workers. They wore matching sports gear, and crazy costumes.

They were stomping the ground, warming the bodies next to them, ready to take the challenge.

And as were were standing at the starting line, that was the first moment that I thought that maybe, just maybe, I could actually do this.

See, it’s not that I am unfit. It is that I am 41, and in the past few years I have been feeling so much of the OLD creeping in.  I am not a marathon runner, or a hard core biker. I try to do my 30 minutes of activity each day, but some days it doesn’t really count. Yes, I may haul hay bales, and carrying 40lbs of chicken feed around, but my cardio is weak.

The horn went, the gates opened, and we began our climb.

Our goal was to enjoy the event, not charge through it.  We set expectations of walking, and talking with each other, and staying together as a group.  We wanted to support others, and keep smiling.

That was all well and good until we had to climb 3km UP Blackcomb mountain!  100% the HARDEST part of the entire event, and the moment when I realized how weak my cardio actually was.

But, even as we climbed, there was support around us.  Teams were cheering on their members, there were rest stops and zero expectation of SPEEDING UP the hill.  It was an obstacle to overcome, and you had thousands of women around you, encouraging you to do it.

Once we (finally) topped the mountain, the downhill roll was filled with the Mudderella themed obstacles.  They were fun, and muddy and completely manageable.  In fact, they could have been harder (says the farmer girl who loves to get dirty and use her muscles)  My lungs were tested on the climb, but my strength and agility could have been further challenged by the obstacles.

We laughed. We had mud fights. We chased each other down the trails with “mud balls”.  At the halfway point I was great, and I knew I would be successful.

We finished as the same group we started with, albeit a little sweatier and muddier.  We climbed the final rope ladder, and screamed as we slid down the massive (vertically heart stopping) slide into a deep pool of cold and muddy water.  We laughed and hugged, not just to celebrate but also to share warmth!

We ended cold, happy, and confident in ourselves.

Thankfully Mudderella did not live up to the fear I had put on it.  At no point did I ever feel like I couldn’t complete a challenge. I always felt welcomed, supported and that the event was for fun and community.

We cracked our celebratory beer, grabbed our bags and headed back to the hotel for hot showers, red wine and greasy appetizers.  Our bodies were stiff, but not broken, and our friendship was further bonded by the challenge.

Mudderella is an every woman event. It is a girls weekend activity, that will challenge you but not destroy you. It is a reason to escape to Whistler with friends, book massages, laugh, and eat.  My fear was unfounded. . .  and I hope I remember that when I sign up again for next year!

Check out Mudderella events near you, and don’t be scared… just sign up! If I can do it, you can do it too.

“I participated in an Influencer Campaign on behalf of Influence Central for Mudderella. I received complimentary admission to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.”