Bonded by Mud

06/18/201712/25/20172 Comments

Randy, Trevor & Kelsey

Tough Mudder Full, Whistler Olympic Park
12+ Miles
19 Obstacles
12,300 Participants From Around the World
Bib #374707

I eagerly entered the corral at the starting line. The MC gave the crowd a pep talk about how the mentality of Tough Mudder isn’t how fast you can cross the finish line, but rather about pushing yourself and accomplishing something extraordinary. “It’s not about medals,” he said, “it’s about camaraderie.” That’s why IF you complete a Tough Mudder challenge, you receive a coveted finisher headband and T-shirt, not a medal.

I was at the Tough Mudder solo, but I hoped to come across a kind comrade or two for help at obstacles I physically couldn’t do by myself. I never expected it to happen at the second obstacle! The Hero Carry requires a teammate to carry you for a set distance; switch and then have you carry them. A guy with a wild mohawk said he didn’t have a partner. He instantly scooped me up in his arms and carried me, then at the switching point, we linked arms to the end of the obstacle. As we ran to the next obstacle, he introduced himself as Randy. It turned out that he was doing the Tough Mudder as part of a trio with his best friends Trevor and Kelsey. Our teamwork continued and by the third obstacle, Kelsey turned to me and said, “welcome to our team!” That’s how I ended up being adopted as the fourth member of their group.

I was sweating from the physical exertion, but oddly, I also had goosebumps and my teeth were chattering. I’m not sure why I was surprised that a challenge I was doing on Whistler Mountain in Canada was cold!?! It was a mental trip seeing snow on the ground at various points of the course. As Kelsey and I rounded one of the corners Randy pelted us with a snowball!

When we approached the first water obstacle Kelsey advised me to take off my shirt so I would have something fairly dry to put back on. I thought it’s a short sleeve shirt, it can’t possibly make a difference, but I took her advice. She said “hand your shirt to him” and pointed to a man on the side. I was like OOOK, here’s my shirt stranger. We successfully completed the obstacle, got our shirts, and put them back on (it did in fact help and make a difference). Kelsey said, “Oh, by the way, that’s my dad.” I said, “well, this is the most interesting way I have ever met someone’s parent!” Her parents were along the course at certain points as spectators to support her.

The temperature became cooler as time passed and the frigid water obstacles proved to be the most challenging I had ever faced. Unfortunately, I failed three of the water obstacles, which bummed me out. They didn’t count against me in the challenge, but I was very disappointed in myself. I never trudged through so much mud in my life. During one of the stretches of running, I came across a sneaker casualty. Apparently, someone had lost their sneaker in the mud and kept going! There’s definitely a reason why the word mud is part of the name. I ripped my leggings and collected several brush burns and bruises. Randy positively referred to them as our “accomplishment tattoos”.

In Spartan races, it’s a tradition to jump over a fire pit of flames as the last obstacle. Equally scary, Tough Mudder tradition ends with maneuvering through live electrical wires over water pits. It’s called Electroshock Therapy. I proudly made it to the end and earned a coveted orange finisher headband and shirt. Kelsey’s parents were there to congratulate us. Her mom came to my rescue and handed Kelsey a foil-like wrap to put around me. I never thought a thin silver sheet could feel so warm. I looked like a giant baked potato, but I didn’t care.

Just like the MC said, the challenge was indeed about camaraderie. I am grateful that I made three new friends who literally lent me a hand several times along the way, and cheered me on as one of their own. Thank you, Kelsey, Randy and Trevor!

The Tough Mudder Full was my second big healthy comeback goal for 2017 and my first Tough Mudder event ever. My aim was to finish the challenge in under four hours. I am proud to share that my trio and I completed it in a little over 3 hours and I am now an official Tough Mudder Legionnaire!

The third big healthy comeback goal I set for the year is six weeks away. I hope you will continue to follow my adventures as I attempt my first triathlon, the VA Momentum SUPTri in Bridgewater, VA, on July 29!

Since the age of eight, I have continuously been presented with challenges in which I needed to be fearless to overcome. That’s how I came up with the theme of living a fearless life for my adventure blog. Each time I felt like I couldn’t make it through yet another life test, I learned that I am stronger than I thought, especially with the loyal support of others.

THANK YOU to my family, friends, community and business sponsors OrthoVirginia, Westfields Dental and Flyte Fitness for continuing to believe in me!

OrthoVirginia Westfields Dental

Unexpected Inspiration

04/07/201704/10/2017Leave a comment

Power Your Happy

My good friend Chhayal randomly sent me a book in the mail because she was thinking of me. Yes, I am lucky to have such a friend! The book she gave me titled Power Your Happy by Lisa Sugar is autographed. Bonus! I have a treasured autographed books collection. I know, e-books are convenient, etc., but there’s something special about a hardcover book. I scanned the teaser on the back of the book and was intrigued to start reading it. I began with the Introduction and related to the content so strongly, that I was unable to put the book down! 2016 was a bummer of a year, to say the least having two significant surgeries. Friends recommended a variety of uplifting books for me to read, but I just wasn’t in the mood or open to sunshine and rainbows subject matter. I am not sure if it was the topic of the book, timing or a combination, but I am very happy that I didn’t set it aside. Lisa’s words sparked a fire in me! I readjusted both my personal and career goals, and I now have a fresh outlook and plans for how to achieve these new goals. I didn’t want to mark the book with a highlighter since it’s autographed, so I tabbed all my favorite parts. As you can see from the photo, there are A LOT of tabs!

I recommend you buy and read Power Your Happy, but here are a few excerpts…

“…what you find yourself doing in your spare time is the passion you should pursue. Don’t decide what you want to do with your life; let your life tell you what your path is.”
[This statement helped to take the pressure off the question family and friends frequently ask me — what is my dream job? — by shifting my focus on my passions as a guide to the answer instead of an overwhelming black hole of possibilities.]

“S*** happens — to everyone! You don’t deserve special treatment because you are having a bad day. … It’s how you grow from these catastrophes, big and small, that shape you into who you become.”
[Reading this tough love statement helped me snap out of my pity party.]

“May we walk forward with compassion in our hearts and may we replace jealously with joy. And at the end of the day, always remember that all that you need is vision to see where you are going, strength to get you there, and faith that you will end up exactly where you deserve to be.” – Ian McAndrew, Lisa’s SoulCycle instructor

‘Burst’ing With Talent

03/15/201703/15/2017Leave a comment

Photo by Kelohimography (2017)

My friend Jaxon made a bold move to follow his passion and change careers from working in a cube to working behind a camera. I participated in the fitness section of his portfolio. It was a blast! Photos by Kelohimography

“Don’t let a win go to your head, or a loss go to your heart. Keep the faith and trust in the process, put the work in and your time will come.” – Brooks Laich (my fav athlete because of his talent as a hockey player and his life values)

Thank You for Rooting for Me

01/31/201708/08/2017Leave a comment

I am sad to share that the Spartan organization contacted me to say that Spartan Race Cuba for March is canceled.

cuba

I have been training hard for months, even on days when I was in pain recovering from my surgeries and felt like I physically couldn’t do it. Every time I am out training I do my best to give 110%, drawing motivation from the incredible people who have been supporting me along the way.

I am not sure I believe the reason their government gave Spartan, especially given the current state of our nation. Politics aside, I did what I know best when faced with things out of my control, and adjusted my goals … again.

Here is my new race schedule for 2017… (Note to My Financial Donors: The registration and travel are booked for these races, so they are a definite go!)

40th Anniversary TD Five Boro Bike Tour
May 7, NYC

On the first Sunday in May, 32,000 cyclists from around the world come together to ride 40 miles through every borough of NYC on streets closed off to cars. It is the largest charitable bike ride in the US, with proceeds funding New York’s free bike education programs.

Tough Mudder Whistler
June 17, Whistler, BC

Whistler, BC, is very special to me because it is where I worked in 2010 for the Paralympic Winter Games. It was a life-changing experience, and I cannot wait to return to the area!

VA Momentun SUPTri
July 29, Bridgewater, VA

A unique multi-sport event that replaces the traditional swim portion of a Tri race with Stand Up Paddleboarding! The Tri starts with a one-mile paddleboard section in the North River in Bridgewater, followed by a 19-mile bike through the countryside, and finishes with a technical four-mile run on hilly terrain at the Valley Pike Farm Market.

I will continue to train and keep you updated along the way as I tackle these goals!

I am VERY GRATEFUL to my financial sponsors like OrthoVirginia, Rita Rich, Jenny Hogan, Alicia Kenney, Robert Brown, Gina Galli, Linda Barefoot, Marisa Palumbo, Beverly Marsters, Gigi Guzman, Tonya Harris, Angela Manning and Lito Velandria; and my product sponsor Flyte Fitness. I am also thankful to those who reached out to me in written support. ALL OF YOU ROCK! My GoFundMe account is open for anyone who would still like to make a donation to me toward the other two races.

Determination and Gratitude

12/09/201612/19/2016Leave a comment

2016, to say the least, was a year filled with medical drama for me. I underwent major surgery in February and was looking forward to recovery so that I could stay on track with my goal to participate in the Spartan Hawaii Trifecta in August. Six months later I was nearing recovery and got into a bicycle accident. I broke my wrist, along with major road rash and bruises. My years of training for and participating in the Spartan Hawaii Trifecta in August were officially dashed.

Through my bicycle accident, I was connected with Dr. Laino, an accomplished hand surgeon at OrthoVirginia. He implanted a permanent titanium plate and five screws in my wrist. Then, like the passing of an Olympic baton, Karen Popovich, an amazing physical therapist, took over my care in thrice-weekly PT sessions. She provided me with consistent mental and physical support that resulted in me thriving at a positive rate.

Recovering from two significant surgeries within months of each other can take an emotional toll on a person. I went through a brief period of self-pity until my friend Jenny gave me some tough love reminding me that my situation wasn’t permanent, and for that reason, I should feel lucky. I quickly adjusted my defeatism mentality and set new goals for 2017. I became fueled with a desire to reasonably beat the recovery periods for the surgeries and come out on the other end equally strong, if not, stronger. I read an email that Spartan was holding a once-in-a-lifetime race event in Cuba on March 18, 2017, open to only 1,000 participants. The opportunity intrigued me for many reasons. The March date seemed like a reasonable amount of time for me to prepare and aim to get back in challenge race mode. I submitted my application for the sprint and I am happy to share that I made the cut as one of the 1,000 racers! I shared my good news with Dr. Laino and Karen and asked for their medical approval, which they provided.

Next, I have to secure benefactors to cover the more than $3,500 in race expenses (race registration, airfare, hotel, etc.). I started a GoFundMe account and my friends have been very supportive (special shout-outs to Rita, Jenny and Alicia). I also need the help of business-level sponsors. I thought about how OrthoVirginia had a key role in building me back up after my accident and what a great sponsor they would make, so I reached out to them for support. Their director of marketing just notified me that they will be making a contribution! I am very grateful to OrthoVirginia and I look forward to them being part of my race experience in Cuba.

I have reached about $1,000 of my fundraising goal so far. If you or a business you know of are willing to join OrthoVirginia in sponsoring me, please contact me at galOTgo or you can make a direct donation through my GoFundMe account https://www.gofundme.com/galotgo.

I hope to make my friends and sponsors proud in March. More importantly, I am determined to show that when life presents you with challenge after challenge, you may need to keep readjusting your goals, BUT never give up on them!

SPONSORS: Contact me to have your company’s name and logo added!

Cast of Characters

07/12/201609/02/20163 Comments

My original unsigned cast.

My CAT scan.

Top of my signed cast.

Bottom of my signed cast.

I was riding along carefree on my bicycle, when suddenly an expansion joint caused by a tree root appeared. Next thing I knew, I was catapulted in the air and came crashing down on gravel. I couldn’t move. Eric and Justin, two college kids who witnessed the incident, came to my rescue. They scooped me up, and put me and my mangled bike into a woman’s van. Gigi, the woman, drove me to an urgent care facility nearby and signed me in. The nurse tended to the bloody road rash that covered the right side of my body from shoulder to knee. She gave me a shot for pain, cleaned me up, put my right arm in a brace, gave me a list of orthopedic doctors to contact, and turned me over to my friend and emergency contact Jenny.

Eric and Justin sent a joint text. “Good luck, Kimberly! Eric and Justin are here for you. We’ll be thinking of you and hope you get well soon!”

Gigi sent a text also. “Stay strong and cycle on (once you can!).” When I told her that I had broken a bone, she said she wasn’t surprised because she saw that my arm was maimed, but she didn’t want to freak me out and tell me since I was in shock at the time.

I was very fortunate to come across amazing strangers with big hearts. I will never forget their acts of kindness. Gigi even texted me the following day and offered to drive me to my doctor appointments. Truly remarkable people!

The next afternoon I went to an orthopedist at Reston Hospital, had X-rays taken and after the July 4 holiday had a CAT scan. All the results conclusively confirmed that I broke off the corner of my right wrist! The nurse wrapped my wrist and lower arm in a waterproof cast (I chose Wonder Woman red of course).

My friend Melissa asked if she could sign my cast in an effort to cheer me up. At that point, the cast graffiti tour began! Members of my community all got in on it — from my friends, to the local Starbucks crew, employees at my favorite bank branch, running group buddies and more.

Here are some of the fun messages that people wrote:

Oops. – Melissa (*this one will always be extra special to me because it’s the first signature on my first, and hopefully last, cast)
Chewy on the inside. – Brett
Love the fashion statement. – Arthur
Feel better – Starbucks family (the morning crew at my neighborhood Starbucks)
APC (the initials of my 83-years-young Starbucks bud Art)
Get better soon! + latte cup drawing – Cheryl
Feel better – Mehreen (my fav lead teller at CapitalOne)
💛 – Jhanira (branch manager at my CapitalOne)
You’re hard core! – Erika (from my Pacers fun run crew)
#foreveryrun (guy from my Pacers fun run crew)
Heal fast! – Loretta (from my Pacers fun run crew)
Get well Spartan. – KB aka Katrena
🙂 – Marcia
Love ya – Jane
More burpees – Leia
Get well soon! – Michael
Love ya – Jenny (one of my BFFs)
Stay strong! – Colin (my trainer)

I am having surgery tomorrow to get six screws and a metal plate attached to my right wrist to properly repair it. Whenever I start to feel nervous about the procedure, I look at the messages and drawings on the cast. They bring me comfort that everything is going to be alright.

What’s SUP? (Stand-Up Paddle Boarding)

06/11/201606/14/20162 Comments

Steve our patient instructor.

Jenny crusin’ hardcore.

My board.

Jenny pausing for a zen moment.

Stand-Up Paddle Boarding Lesson With Surf Reston
Instructor: Steve
Class: 2 hours
Location: Lake Anne, Reston, Va.
http://www.surfreston.com/

My best friend Jenny knows me well; she booked paddle boarding lessons for us for my birthday! We arrived at Lake Anne and met our instructor Steve, a chill and encouraging dude, along with eight other class participants. Steve spent about 15 minutes at the start of the lesson teaching us about our equipment. He explained that we should use the handle (aka soap dish) in the center of our board as a marker on where to stand.

We also learned about the three strokes:

Forward Stroke used for moving forward; catch (the water), power (pull the paddle through) and recovery (back to the front and repeat on the other side) (CPR)
Stop Stroke used for stopping; also known as the reverse sweep
Sweep Stroke used for turning your board around

Fun Facts: SUP is a slang term used by boarders that stands for Stand-Up Paddle Boarding. The end of the paddle is shaped at an angle to mimic a swimmer’s hand and cut through the water!

Ready for our adventure, we launched off the shore of the lake kneeling on our boards with our paddles across the front of us – from that point we were supposed to slowly stand. It was a hot, sunny and VERY windy day. About five minutes into being on the water before standing, I headed right into a massive shrubbery section on the side of the lake. All good, nothing to see people, I shouted! (I was happy that Jenny didn’t have access to a camera. 😀 ) I quickly recovered, stood and paddled away for the remaining hour+. It was more fun than I ever expected and an amazing abs and arms workout. I cannot wait to return and do it again, especially since Surf Reston offers a discount for repeat business and yoga paddle boarding classes. You cannot bring your phone with you while you’re boarding in case you fall in the lake, but Steve took photos for everyone and posted them on Flickr.

I have an evolving bucket list, which is how my Gal on the Go blog originated. I say evolving because there are some items on the list that I knew about when I created it, and some activities that I was unaware of and added along the way … like when I was “co-pilot” of a plane in Vermont and paddle boarding in my area. The paddle boarding lesson was a day I will never forget; a shared life experience with a friend is priceless and what Gal on the Go is all about!

Power of Positivity

06/04/201606/06/2016Leave a comment

My boyfriend who was mean and dismissive is now out of my life, as Bono eloquently put it, “What you don’t have you don’t need it now.” I joined a fitness Meetup group to keep busy, which has resulted in friendships with amazing people who have all added joy to my life. We gather every Saturday morning at the Reston Town Center. Our fearless leader Irina always brings enthusiasm and provides us with a kick butt workout. One Saturday, she had us run the stairs of the five garages, and when we reached the top of each garage we paused to appreciate the beautiful views of Reston and take silly pictures. Another Saturday, she had us alternate single and double steps up seven flights of stairs in variation for 40 minutes with a loop run every time we reached the rooftop. There is genuine camaraderie among the group, which consists of individuals at all fitness levels. Members look out for each other during the workouts and yell “you go girl” or “you can do it.” We share photos of our time together at the end of each Meetup and Irina adds inspirational fitness quotes to them. A fun way to spend mornings!

Crossword Challenge: Part 2

05/06/201605/10/2016Leave a comment

Brick by Brick Crossword

It was indeed a challenge, but on Thursday evening I finally completed the Brick by Brick crossword puzzle Art assigned to me! It isn’t pretty, as you can see from the photo. I now understand why he strongly suggested I use pencil. I couldn’t wait to bring the puzzle to Art the next morning. I enthusiastically handed it over to him. He reviewed it with a stern expression, looked up at me, smiled and said “good job kid, now do the one on the other side of the page.” Much respect. I said OK Art. And so the crossword challenge continues…

Starbucks Morning Motley Crew

01/29/201603/12/2016Leave a comment

Mike and I (I am now a proud honorary motley crew member!)

My office shut down this week due to the Blizzard of ’16 and I’ve been walking to Starbucks every morning to hang out. My friends tease that I should have gotten a job there to support my latte habit. During my mornings at Starbucks, I befriended a group led by seasoned gentlemen who meet there daily Monday through Friday in the range of 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Art, the founder and eldest member of the group, is 83 years young and has been coming to this Starbucks every morning for more than 10 years since his wife passed away. He spent 20 years serving in the army, retired as a colonel and moved on to a second career working as a procurement officer at a bank where he then also retired. Art was married for 50 years and hails from a generation he said that is “modest”, which is why he asked to not be photographed. He feels that the values of the younger generations are lost. Back in the day Art said, when you needed work done, you could count on someone to give you a fair price and a handshake was your word of honor. Not the case today, he said, where multiple bids are placed and endless contract pages are drafted, reviewed and signed for a job to be done. The things that bring Art the most enjoyment every day are doing The Washington Post Daily Crossword and reading the trivia blurbs in the corner pages of USA TODAY.

Mike has been a member of the crew for eight years. He’s a very busy man, as part owner of 28 Popeyes in the VA/MD/DC area. He has lived in Northern Virginia his entire life and witnessed a lot of changes. Mike shared a story of when he was little and there was a similar blizzard. In addition to the snow removal problem, he said heating the school so kids could return was a big challenge. They had coal fed radiators at the time, which was a lot of work for the janitors. He said that school in Centreville still exists today, but has been modernized and is now a school for troubled teens. Mike also shared that the coolest job he ever had was before the Bicentennial when the company he worked for was tasked with installing air conditioning in the Washington Monument. During the job, he and one of his buddies wrote their names and the date inside the peak of the monument. Mike said it cost $1 million to do the renovation work at that time in 1976. He said he’ll never forget the 898 steps because him and his crew had to remove each step to sandblast them clean, as an insurance man sat in his car every day monitoring the work being done.

Craig, a sweet and soft-spoken man, wears a signature blue plaid jacket and enjoys a tall coffee straight-up while sitting reserved on the side.

Other members of the Starbucks morning motley crew include: Tom and Connie, a couple, who are both retired police officers; Bob, a friendly car salesman; and Sharon, a real estate professional in her late 30s, who joins the group on Fridays and is the youngest of the bunch.

It’s been a privilege getting to know everyone. ‪I’m happy that with the winter storm also came new friendships. I’m back to work at my office and miss those entertaining mornings with the crew. As Art poetically stated … “When one comes, one has to go.”

Gal on the Go

Be Curious | Be Kind | Be Bold

Category: friends