The last kilometer had the most obstacles to contend with and NONE of them were going to take it easy on us. There was no more uphill struggles but after Everest we got to run from obstacle to obstacle with very little time to catch our breath in between. Right away we hit Balls to the Wall.
This became my favourite obstacle of the weekend, mainly because it showed me something about myself that I have never, ever known before. I might be the heaviest I have ever been for a Mudder, and yet I had the easiest time moving myself around. Even injured.
This obstacle is a vertical wall, about 15 feet in the air. There is a rope hanging in front of it that you use to climb, putting your feet against the wall and using little boards as toe holds. After you get to the top, you climb over and repeat the process back down. It’s fairly simple sounding and yet I am so very, superbly excited to have done it without hesitating. I was still feeling weak and dizzy, but I love to climb things and I was so sick of skipping obstacles. So I ignored the boys and went to the wall.
I grabbed the rope, barehanded because I never wear gloves for this kind of thing. And without hesitation, I went up, hand over hand, using the toe holds but not using the knots in the rope. I didn’t need to. I made it up to the top of the wall and suddenly LEG CRAMP. I actually sat, straddling this 15 story drop and spoke to my leg for a moment. ‘Don’t, don’t you dare do this right now. I AM GETTING THIS DONE.’ And then I did, I hauled my cramping leg over and climbed back down the other side, once again not needing the knots. And I was down.
My brother skipped it (something he regrets he’s admitted), but my husband did it. He slid down the rope a bit though and commented on how he was glad he had his gloves. Me and my barehands did just fine though.
I’m stronger than I expected and now I have the confidence to know that yes, I can use a rope and my feet to climb a wall.