Fear Factor: Eating Cockroaches

Last Sunday I needed a long run so I started early. Not really having an exact plan on how many miles I was going to run didn't really bother me. Knowing that the temperatures were planning on getting towards the 90 degree mark didn't really even bother me. Actually nothing that morning bothered me. I had 2 people meeting me for my run and I  had enough time to run and come home to pack for Camp. So excited to go hang out with almost 150 junior and senior high kids inspired me to 16 miles that morning.

I really look forward to being a counselor for camp. Probably because I do not have to be an adult during that time! I get to have dirt between my toes and yell at the top of my lungs. I get to be 15 again and laugh, cry, play, and eat like crap. I get to giggle, listen to "girl talk", dance and sing.

But in all that fun I still had to RUN. That meant running at 6am with maybe 5 hours of sleep. Sleep on a 4 inch plastic mattress and mosquitos buzzing around you. My bed was the size of my sons crib when he was a baby! Rather than falling asleep to your favorite tunes like you did when you were a kid I found myself surrounded by giggling girls wide awake till after midnight.

The mornings were ROUGH. Ugh, it took everything in me to crawl out of that stupid bed to gear up for my runs. Knowing that it would be hard to gather myself to run I was thrilled to hear when someone wanted to run with me. ACCOUNTABILITY!

Monday I ran 5 miles alone and came back to camp to pick up "Kathy" to finish out my 9 miler. It was terribly hot and humid. "Kathy" is doing Tough Mudder the Saturday she gets back from camp!
The camp is located in a extremely hilly area. This was not an easy run by any means. "Kathy" at one point had to stop and bent over to vomit.

Monday was a very busy day. We went to the beach for the day and this was so exhausting. 4 hours with about 70 junior high kids. There was a group of kids that were banding together with our Youth Pastor Jeremiah and one of our leaders "Amber" to secretly take me out. "Amber" was very suspicious with her smile and the group of girls that were shadowing her. They were like a school of fish ..sneaky conniving fish. I quickly sensed the mission to get me under the water. The water was dark and murky and I did NOT want to go under no matter what. Suddenly the girls started grabbing my legs and arms. They were jumping out at me trying to knock me down. In defense I just began picking the girls up and throwing them one at a time through the air. The Feisty Mexican  came out and the FIGHT was on. More girls banded together and I saw the other leaders all laughing at me. They knew of this mission. Running through the water I continued tossing the girls away from me until my toes hit the sand and I was safe.
To look at me I look like a pipsqueak but when provoked I  unleash the beast! The leaders were cracking up on the beach watching the attack.
That evening after being water logged and sun burnt we ate dinner and headed to the chapel. Every evening to get the kids excited we have group games. These games usually involves eating something nasty. Over the years they have eaten Balut eggs, McDonalds meal made into a shake, a dozen Oreos and Milk until you puked and this year....It was Cockroaches and worms.
With the background music blasting our Youth Pastor was screaming into a microphone "And for this years CHALLENGE...WHO Wants to See ANITA EAT A COCKROACH??"
WHAT???? Are you Kidding me. Nothing like feeling the pressure. These roaches were 3 inches long. My legs were shaking as I stood in the middle of 2 kids who also were on stage to eat these insects. As I held it in my fingers I looked to my right and the kid next to me was pinching his and pushing it to the back of his mouth. Grabbing both the kids I quickly tossed the cockroach into my mouth. It must have known its death was near as it was moving all around in my mouth. I was so scared to chomp my teeth together. Still gripping these two kids I found myself jumping frantically in the air and biting down on the exoskeleton of this disgusting creature. I felt the shell break open and the insides explode in my mouth, it was warm and oozing. "Get it down, get it DOWN." I told
myself. After swallowing the last of the cockroaches' remains I opened my mouth and stuck out my tongue. I DID IT!! The nastiest thing I have ever done. Ok. Actually being kissed by Willard Wares in 7th grade was worse than even eating a cockroach!

Exhaustion was settling in. Tuesday Morning I slept in till 6:30am. I was meeting a CC student for a 3 miler at 6:45. We had a light rain on us during out run. Unlike Monday where I was able to see deer next to me, This morning we got to run with a turkey instead.

Tuesday after our run we had breakfast and chapel. I had been asked to speak on ENDURANCE to the kids that morning. I was very nervous however I was also excited.
I spoke for 20 minutes on Endurance and running the Race of Life. At times we laughed and other times we cried.

 I was hugged and kissed many times by the kids. They are amazing. I left Austin up there and came home for Alec.  I came home from camp after lunch to a 3 pm client at the salon. I miss the kids already so very much.

But today I was blessed to do my 8 miler with "Lauren". I have been running with her now for 3 weeks. "Lauren" is one of the CC kids I was the privilege to help coach. She is a magnificent runner full of potential.

Rundown:
Distance: 8
Time: 1:12
Paces 8:59


I am still exhausted and so very sore. I have scratches and bruises up and down my legs. My entire body feels like it has been tenderized.
Enough of my whining, I wouldn't change a thing!

Anita