My Muddy Life: Unique Muddy Training

Monday Training = Muddy Training

Most of us know feeling on Monday morning. You’re brewing your coffee. You’re thinking about what’s coming up this week. Maybe you start to think about where to begin.

Then you get a text message that dictates everything from there.

“We’ve got a breach calf. Need help pulling.” – Father-in-law

Ok, maybe not everyone can relate to having to deal with a breach calf on a Monday morning. But I’m sure you’ve all had your Monday morning routine interrupted by an unexpected urgent text or call.

This particular Monday was pretty muddy since we had just gotten some rain, and we had more on the way.

For those that aren’t familiar with what happens when a calf is breach, first off the calf doesn’t usually survive. The goal is to save the mama cow and hope she can carry again. We obviously want to pull the calf alive, but that’s not always possible when they’re breach.

We get the cow in a chute where we can keep her from moving around, and brace her backside so we can pull without her falling on us. From there you have to reach in (yes… in) to get a grip on at least one of the legs of the calf.

Once we’ve got a good enough grip to get a pulling device (rope or something similar) around the leg, we start pulling. When I say pulling, think football team training tug-of-war. Pulling with every ounce of our weight, and every inch we take will be taken back if we don’t keep pulling. After about 45 minutes of THAT, we successfully pulled a living and healthy bull calf.

Now time for a cup of coffee…

Life doesn’t always follow your routine

The whole point of taking on this World’s Toughest Mudder (WTM) challenge, is to demonstrate that no matter how muddy your life is, Life Leaf can help you be better prepared for it.

When an urgent surprise is the first thing that happens to you on a Monday morning, it can throw your whole day off track.

OR you can take it in stride and move forward. Which is obviously easier said than done. That’s where natural remedies come in. When something gets me off track and stressed out, I reach for a B-Relieved softgel. It helps to stabilize my mood and get my mind in a place that helps me get back on track, instead of allowing my frustration to spiral and negatively impact the rest of my day/week.

Much like life, a 50-mile obstacle course race is NOT going to go according to plan. A whole host of things can happen, and some combination of them will happen, to throw our race off track. It’s up to us to respond as best as possible to continue marching towards our goal.

That’s how a breach calf on a Monday morning can fit right into our training for the WTM.

Expect the unexpected. Take it in stride. Keep going.

Road to Recovery Looking Like a Highway

Dalton is taking back ground from ACL surgery in March, and starting to look like he might come back stronger than ever. He’s already broken an 8-minute mile and started pushing a 7-minute mile. Training distance is increasing, over 3 miles now.

If you ever see us getting after it on-campus at TCU, come say hi!

All signs point to a full-strength race in Colorado at the end of July.

Training Progress

Distance ran since training began: 189 miles

Best 1-mile time: 7:06

Best 10k time: 50:35

Elevation gained: 5,449 ft

Aiming for 11 miles in the next 36 hours to hit the 200 mile mark by the end of June. With temps in the triple digits, I have to be smart and keep my running to the darker hours.

My Muddy Life - Muddy Training Run - 6.12.23

My Muddy Life - Muddy Training Run - 6.14.23

My Muddy Life - Muddy Training Run - 6.18.23

My Muddy Life - Muddy Training Run - 6.19.23

My Muddy Life - Muddy Training Run - 6.28.23

A new side mission…

In order to properly prepare for the WTM 2023, I can’t just stick to running. The obstacles are going to be a bigger problem than the 50-mile distance. Now that I’ve gotten myself in better running shape, it’s time to incorporate a consistent strength training routine.

Fortunately enough, my brother-in-law just moved in about 10 minutes away and has a weight set in his garage that he needs a reason to use. He’s also 6’3″ and 150 pounds soaking wet.

I’m going to attempt to get him up to 170 pounds by the end of summer while I simultaneously training for the mudder. No gym membership or personal trainer necessary.

Training with a friend or family member is infinitely better than training on your own, or with someone you don’t know. Training together builds bonds that can’t be built any other way. Another natural remedy for the win.

Feel better today, y’all!