How it all turned out...

She made it! My girl is officially a Tough Mudder now.

 

You can't buy one of those headbands...You can only earn it.

 

She was full of confidence going in...

 

...and it was a good thing because she had to do stuff like this:

 

...and this...

Caitlin is on the far right...

Tough Mudders is not a competition between teams. You are simply working to finish, and it's all about everyone making it there...Caitlin said that at every point, there is a hand to help you...

With that help, she tops "Walk the Plank", and then has to jump into the water on the other side...

 

 

Jess captioned the above picture: "Ridiculously photogenic running girl"

 

I would have to agree.

 

And thanks to Jess for being the cheering section and photographer on this adventure.

I couldn't bear to think of Cait doing this alone...

And I kinda think she couldn't bear to think of me being there to wail, "My baby! My baby!" as she toughed her way through the course...

So double kudos to Jess! He made us both happy!!!

 

If you want to witness more of Caitlin's animal side, try going to this link for more pictures, and even some video. Jess took video of her doing the Arctic Enema...I'm glad I didn't see it until I knew how it turned out. Brrrrrrr!

 

However, I was witness to this:

 

Caitlin finishing the Bellingham Bay Marathon on Sunday.

 

Yes -- the day after Tough Mudder.

 

And now on Monday, Caitlin thinks that perhaps that wasn't a good idea...you know, to run two half marathons in one weekend -- one with, I say this euphemistically, obstacles...because now she has trouble moving normally, and staying awake...

 

I believe I told her that, but do I say "Itoldyouso"? Nope -- not me...

 

Actually, this story has the happiest of endings -- one in which we were both right! I shouldn't have worried so much about the tests of toughness, and she should have believed me when I said it would take her a long time to recover.

 

I just love it when we are both right! It's just so...equitable.

 

And besides that, I still had $100 to spend on celebrating her accomplishments...

 

Because I'm not going to offer her any money to throw next Saturday's race...Yes, there is one more race in The Trilogy Before Retiring From Long Races. I'm sticking with prayer on that one...

 

It obviously works better than bribery.