Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Day 31: My mouth is out there writing checks I can't cash...

I thought I was going to die. Okay... maybe not die but I did consider what it would cost to bring a helicopter in to rescue me. 


So... I have this friend. And she invited me to go "walk the ridge" behind her house. Please remember that I am from Memphis, Tennessee where we don't really have any "ridges." Well, we have The Oak Ridge Boys but that's a whole different kind of ridge. I accepted her challenge. I even told her I was going to SHOW her how it's done.

Here is where I made my mistakes:

1) Don't throw down the fitness gauntlet on someone who weighs half as much as you do. You won't win.

2) Before getting all big and bad about your abilities, ask your thin friend how often she walks this path. If she tells you "a few times a week I walk/run this path to get to work" BACK AWAY.

3) Check the weather forecast before accepting the challenge. When it's going to be heading to 90 degrees, don't go for a workout in the desert. The heat will be coming from the sun & heating all of the rocks and dirt around you, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO FUNCTION.

4) Typically like your water room temperature? Me too. When you take your water bottle into the desert, the contents become the same temperature as the surrounding conditions. Warm lemon-aide on a WALK THROUGH HELL isn't refreshing.

5) Remember that you are on your thin friend's turf. She's been there/done that. If it were a pie eating contest, I could have kicked her ass.

And some of my favorite quotes that were shared during today's challenge:

Arielle, "we could go on the path to the right but that's the easy way. Turn left."
Arielle, "now RUN on the downward hills."
Arielle, "can you feel that in your legs? Buttocks?"
Arielle, "we're almost to the top... keep going... okay... I'll meet you at the top... you can do it... Amy...?"
Amy, "why is it I just want to lay down and pee on myself? Is that normal?"

With all of that being said, I DID IT. And I'm obviously alive. And I'd do it again, if it wasn't so hot outside.


Arielle said it's an awesome hike when there's snow on the ground. I bet it would be, if I had a sled and some dogs.

7 comments:

Deb said...

I think that it was a very appropriate use of the middle finger. Glad you survived. :)

Rachel Garcia said...

Way to Go!!!!! Better you than me and what were you thinking to do that in the peak heat of the day were you looking to DIE???

Hailey Deeds said...

Hey fitness hotshot, you have inspired me to go to the Y and hit the eliptical for 40 minutes today!! Thank you!!!

natioam said...

It was a great use of the finger. you were just telling the ridge you conquered it. Way to go!

Anonymous said...

Thank for being so real! Congrats on surviving the hike! I'm proud of you!

Rachel

Laurens_Closet said...

I'm so not in love with the cryptic Chinese comments... and I go to Google Translate and they still make no sense... *sigh*

And THANKS for the English ones!! That I can READ!! I realized today that I was supposed to announce the WINNER of the magazine subscription on this entry and I forgot... I'll post the winner on tonight's blog!

Jodi said...

Remind me not to accept a challenge from Arielle! Good for you Amy! I did the ridge behind my house when it was very very muddy. Bad things happen when you have 4+ inches of mud caked on the bottom of your shoes.