At the beginning of this summer I had the chance to
participate in my fifth Mudstash race. The Mudstash is hosted by a ski slope in
Southeast Indiana and is sponsored by 24 Hour Fitness. This event has become
something I look forward to every year as it was the first big thing I did to
help create the new Amy after leaving the painful experience of my marriage.
There is a special event held the night before the Mudstash called the Bash
Before the Stash. They raise money and give all the proceeds to Safe Passage,
the incredible shelter that assisted me in creating my new life. I am so
grateful to the many people and organizations who support Safe Passage and make
it possible for this shelter to continue to serve our community.
With each Mudstash I have had a different experience and
learned something new about myself. In all the previous events there has always
been someone that I know running with me. This year was different. Because of
other things going on the same day, I was not able to find anyone to go with
me. It was also the same day as my nephew’s high school graduation and he was
the valedictorian so I didn’t want to miss supporting him on his special day. I
contemplated not going but just couldn’t allow a year to pass without making
this symbolic run through the mud and obstacles. I ended up deciding to run in
the first noncompetitive heat and then rush back to the school to get to the
graduation. It was going to be close but it felt like something that I needed
to do.
My mom ended up in town that day so I asked her to come with
me to support and cheer me on. She agreed so early Saturday morning she made
the forty-five minute drive with me to Perfect North Slopes. I was feeling a
bit anxious that there would be no one with me that I knew but at the same time
felt like this could give me a chance to really see what I could do. I never
get a timing device when I do this race. I have always been more concerned with
making sure everyone in my group feels supported and can make it to the end, no
matter how long it takes.
When my start time neared I gathered with the other racers
at the start line. There was a man there giving instructions about the course.
What he said made a huge impact on my mind. He announced, “This is not necessarily
a race. There are many obstacles but if you cannot make it over an obstacle
you can always go around it. Remember, there is always an easier way.”
As the airhorn sounded and we all raced off to face our
first mud pit, his words repeated in my mind. “This is not necessarily a race…
There is always an easier way.” This phrase went through my mind over and over
and over as I climbed hills, waded through waist deep mud, climbed walls, swung
on ropes, crawled through pipes, and many other demanding and challenging
obstacles.
I thought about how this event was not only important to me,
but was also very symbolic of life. Life is not a race. We all go about it at a
different speed that works for us. We don’t need to compare ourselves to
others. There is no timetable. We can take as much or as little time as we need
with each obstacle we face. Also, when an obstacle is so overwhelming, there is
always an easier way. We just have to find it.
There was another amazing thing that happened during this
year’s event. I am not in very good physical condition. I don’t work out and
don’t take the best care of myself. Even though I don’t train to do this event
I still make myself attempt every obstacle. I have never been capable of
completing every obstacle. I might hang onto a rope then drop off and walk
because I can’t climb it. But at least I try. This year I was doing really well
with completing the obstacles. Then I got to one that I didn’t think I could
do. There is a long horizontal bar that you have to jump up to grab on to.
After that you are supposed to shimmy across it to a log and jump up onto rings
then swing across the rings to the other side. Last year I could barely even
jump up and grab onto the bar where I quickly lost my grip and fell into the
mud below. This year I stood on the platform and looked across the obstacle.
The man’s voice came into my head, “There is always an easier way.” I knew that
I could just walk around the obstacle and there would be no penalty but
something inside of me said, “You need to try!”
I jumped up and grabbed the horizontal bar. I didn’t lose my
grip! I decided to try to shimmy across, not sure I could do it. I made it
halfway across and there was a chain holding the bar up that I had to get my
hands around. I focused and pushed myself to pass over the chain. I made it! I
kept going and made it all the way to the log where you can rest before getting
on the rings. I stopped for a moment, in shock that I had made it this far. I looked up
at the rings and remembered previous times of attempting rings. I had never succeeded
in swinging between rings and grabbing a new ring to swing forward to another
ring. I had always lost my grip after the first one. Should I get down and walk
around? What if I fell off and the people around me saw me fail? I just couldn’t
let myself go past without trying.
Reaching up, I jumped and caught hold of the ring. Fear went
through me and I considered just dropping down into the mud. Instead I began to
swing myself, focusing on the next ring to grab. I reached out and grabbed the
next one, then the next. Before I knew it, I was across and jumping down on the
other side of the obstacle. I literally jumped in the air and shouted in
excitement. I did it! Then I felt self conscious because there was no one
around that I knew so I hurried on to the next obstacle. :)
I could not believe that I had completed that obstacle! Even
though I felt so out of shape and incapable I was stronger than I was a year
ago! I was so full of energy and excitement! It felt so amazing!
Before long I came to my biggest nemesis: monkey bars. By
this time my arms felt dead. I had no strength left. But I jumped up there and
gave it a try. The second monkey bar rotated as I grabbed it and I fell into
the mud below. This year I was not able to do the monkey bars but that was
okay. When I was not capable of completing the task, there was an easier way. I
walked through the mud and kept going on to the next obstacle. And I was okay
with that. I did the best I could.
When you near the end of the Mudstash, there is a long
waterslide that goes down the hill. I stood at the top of the waterslide and
looked down at the ski lodge. Sitting there where I could see her was my mom as
well as a very dear friend who I didn’t know was going to come watch me. I was
so filled with joy to see these two women! Knowing they were there gave me so
much strength and so much hope. I was supported. I was loved.
I finished the last of the obstacles with these two women
following along on the sidelines, cheering for me and smiling whenever I looked
their way. My soul was so filled with joy! As I crawled through the last mud
pit, my whole body was so extremely tired that I just wasn’t sure I could keep
going, but my cheerleaders gave me strength. I crossed the finish line and we
all rejoiced together. I was nice enough to shower before giving each of them a
hug. :)
Over the next few days I contemplated the event and the
words that were spoken before starting, “This is not necessarily a race… There
is always an easier way.” Comparing this to regular life, I wondered to myself,
what is that easier way? For me, the easier way is Jesus Christ. He is the one
that shows an alternate path when we can’t move forward. He is the one that
supports us and strengthens us when we try to get over an obstacle. But that
doesn’t mean that the path is easy. It is far from easy. Following Christ can
be very hard and challenging. So how could I compare Him to the “easier way?”
For me, I cannot get through something unless I feel there is some reason for experiencing it. I need to know why and I need to have a purpose for myself. We
don’t always have the answers to those questions but for me, having Christ at
the center gives me purpose and fills me with hope. Having Christ assist me on the path brings peace
and comfort. And the eternal perspective gained by being close to Christ can
even answer the question, “why?” So Christ really is the easier way because without
Him I have no purpose or goal.
The lessons from the Mudstash continue to influence my life.
It brings a feeling of great accomplishment to my soul every time that I
participate. Even when it doesn’t feel like much has changed, I am getting
stronger each year. I can do things that I never thought possible. And though I
may have to run the course alone at times, there are always those who love me
cheering from the sidelines and giving me strength. All of these experiences
help give me purpose and I am left feeling that I can keep going. And next year
I just may be strong enough to make it across those monkey bars!
