IMPI Challenge

Some friends and I recently signed up to do the IMPI (Zulu for “warrior”) challenge http://www.impichallenge.co.za/ in Hartbeesport Dam, South Africa. The race took place on September 29, 2013 and was 13km (8 miles) with 20 obstacles. We took the weekend and drove down and had a fun time hanging out. On the morning of the race, we woke up and started getting our “cheetah” outfits/faces on. We were officially the “cheetah girls” and by our opinion had the best outfits there.

We began the running our race at 9am. The challenges were some of the most difficult things I have had to ever do physically. They consisted of army crawling under barb wire, jumping 30 feet into a murky lake, climbing up and over a 30 foot rope net, sliding down numerous mud slides, and climbing two 15 foot walls. Unfortunately at one point in the race, a sign was up from the previous day that we followed that took us on the even harder path (this was the wrong way). SO we got lost for about 1 1/2 hours and had to complete some incredibly had challenges that we didn’t have to. All in all, the race took us 4 hours and 45 minutes  and about 18 km total. Believe me, this body is not meant to run and exercise and do challenges for that long. As I lay here on the couch typing trying not to use many of my sore muscles, I look back on that day with many fond memories. It was completed with friends and it was well beyond anything I thought I could ever do. I am thankful for this experience and once I can move again we will start training for the next race!

What great friends (from left to right): Rachel, Torie, Allison, Kasey, Kaitlyn, Amanda.  Torie and I are both moms and in our mid 30’s. These other girls are all in their early to mid 20’s, so it was hard to keep up with them. The four other girls are working with the orphan care ministry about an hour south of the capital of Botswana.

Getting our cheetah faces on

We sure do look tough right? This was the before picture.

Below: Daren Davis (our cluster leader) and his daughter Peyton also joined us on the run. Daren unfortunately broke a rib on about obstacle #3, but he was tough enough to complete the race.

Below: Some of our course below with some obstacles

4 hours and 45 minutes later we finally finished. An amazing time with some amazing friends!!