The Game of My Life

written by Kayla Larson
10-19-2003

The pressure was on as soon as I walked into the Forest Lake hockey arena.  The atmosphere in the arena was not a typical hockey arena.  Inside the Plexiglas walls, there were 24 horseshoe courts sectioned off with blue tarp barriers into three pitching areas consisting of 8 courts each.  Each court has a scoreboard and a scorekeeper's chair placed at the center, just out of the pitcher's way.  The arena is filled with laughter, visiting, and constant clanging of horseshoes hitting the stakes.  This is my home every Labor Day weekend.  In 2001, I became the MN Junior Girls State Champion.  Now, in 2002, could I defend my title?

I had to compete against 3 other girls, approximately my same age and same ringer percent.  Since the numbers were down in our class, we used a double round robin format.  We played 6 games to 40 points.  After a couple hours of friendly competition, we awaited the results.  The leader board showed a tie between Colette and I.

Off the court, Colette and I have become good friends throughout the years, but when it comes time to compete, it's all or nothing.  We've competed against each other in local tournaments, past State Tournaments, and two World Tournaments.  For us, the only game that matters is when we match up against each other.  Every time we play each other we hope for our best game, but never as much as we wanted it during this championship deciding game.

After a short break, it was time to start our playoff game.  By this time, everyone else who had been competing on the other courts had finished up their games.  Now, all the spectators had made their way to the bleachers where Colette and I were about to start our game.  The laughter, the visiting, and the clanging of horseshoes hitting the stakes were gone.  An uncomfortable hush filled the arena.

I had never experienced anything like this before.  I was shaking on the inside and probably on the outside, too.  My heart was working overtime as it pounded and pounded inside my chest.  It amazed me that I could even throw the horseshoes my first few throws.  However, everything eventually started to feel normal again.  The crowd slowly faded out of my sight and the only thing I saw was the stake.  I was effortlessly throwing ringer after ringer.  Everything felt so easy and natural.

Finally, I could see my win in sight.  The Girls State Champion was about to be crowned.  I only needed 1 point to win.  I threw two ringers on for 6 points.  The only way I could lose was if Colette covered both of my horseshoes.  She threw her first shoe–missed.  She threw her second shoe–missed!  The crowd exploded with cheers and applause.  I earned my second consecutive State Championship.

Defending my title was very important to me.  The pressure was hard to overcome, but I managed.  You'd have to experience playing in a playoff game to understand how I felt.  It was amazing.  I pitched at the top of my game to defeat Colette and defend my title.

FITNESS: New Workout Playlist

I've been taking advantage of the feature allowing me to do my workout with "no music" and supplying my own playlist.  Up until yesterday I had just used iHeart Radio and put it on a station titled "Caffeinated Country," but after putting my iTunes on shuffle the other day while working around the kitchen, I was reminded of how many upbeat Christian songs I have in my library that make me want to MOVE.  I decided to put together a playlist "Christian Jams" to use during my workouts.  Tested it out last night for my INSANITY: Max Recovery workout, and LOVED it!  I feel like Christian music almost doubles as personal development for me, which I also happen to LOVE!

Here's a look at the playlist if you're interested in changing things up and finding a new groove for your workout time!

Beautiful Ending by BarlowGirl
Boomin' by TobyMac
Bring 'Em Out by Hawk Nelson
Catchafire (Whoopsi-Daisy) by TobyMac
Dear X (You Don't Own Me) by Disciple
Diverse City by TobyMac
Forgiven by Skillet
I Am Yours (feat. Ben Donnelly) by Brinson
I'm Not Alright by Sanctus Real
It's On by Superchick
Joyful Noise by Flame
Let Us Love by Need to Breathe
Live Life Loud by Hawk Nelson
Lose It All by Rush of Fools
Me Against The World by Superchick
NY2LA by Press Play
Second Chances by Stellar Kart
Something To Believe In by FM Static
Something To Say by Matthew West
Stronger by Mandisa
Temporary Fills by Mandisa
The Slam by TobyMac
Where I Belong by Building 429
Who I Am Hates Who I've Been by Relient K

Throw out some of your favorite workout tunes. All genres welcome!

A Champion Player

written by Kayla Larson
10-19-2003

Ever since I can remember, my grandpa has played horseshoe.  He loved the sport so much that he put a court in his backyard so he could practice whenever he wanted.  Then, as I got older, my dad eventually started throwing with him.  My dad played as a boy, but took a break until just recently.  I later found out that two of my uncles also played horseshoe in a league in Brooklyn Park.  All of this exposure to horseshoe sparked my interest and got me to where I am today.

I was about 7 or 8 when I threw my first horseshoe.  Juniors are supposed to throw from 30 feet, but my grandpa and dad let me stand about 20 feet away since I didn't quite have the strength to throw it 30 feet yet.  I was so excited that I got to throw horseshoes just like my dad and grandpa.  Just getting in the clay area was an accomplishment at that point.  As I got older and stronger, I started moving back.

In 1998, I played in my first horseshoe tournament.  The tournament was in Donnelly, MN.  I played against my sister and two boys from Ortonville.  I'm not sure what place I got, but I do know that I had a great time and beat my sister 37-6.  The Donnelly Tournament was the only one I pitched in during 1998, but in 1999 I played in 8 tournaments including my first State Tournament.  I entered the State Tournament in Junior Class D with a 12.15 ringer percent and finished in 3rd place.  I also received the 1999 Minnesota Gopher State Horseshoe Pitchers' Association Rookie of the Year award at the Awards Banquet, which was held the same weekend.

This is one of my all-time favorite pictures!
(L-R) My dad, Al Larson, my sister, Kelsey, me, and my grandpa, Don Larson
It was taken after my sister and I pitched in our first tournament at the Donnelly Threshing Bee.

In 2000, I added 10 more tournaments to my name.  This was my first summer playing on a league.  To make a long story short, the duo of my mom and I managed to come from the bottom and capture the Alexandria Horseshoe League Championship.  This was a very big accomplishment in my book.  At the time, it was probably the most momentous event of my life.  Another first for this year was playing in the World Horseshoe Tournament in Bismarck, ND.  I didn't play that well.  I finished 11 of 16.  It was a really great experience, nevertheless.  I played in the State Tournament again this year, too.  I managed to almost double my ringer percent over the year and entered the 2000 MN State Tournament in Junior Girls Class A with a 24.12 ringer percent and finished in 4th place with a 30.93 ringer percent.

In 2001, my mom and I once again paired up as a team in the Alexandria Horseshoe League and once again captured the Alexandria Horseshoe League Championship.  I pitched in 10 more tournaments throughout the state in 2001, too.  I had 2 highlights in 2001.  I got the opportunity to experience another World Horseshoe Tournament.  This year, the tournament was held in Hibbing, MN.  I wasn't able to pull of any magic on the court once again this year, finishing 11 of 16.  However, I did meet my boyfriend of 2 years now at this tournament.  You never know what prize you might get at a horseshoe tournament!  The State Horseshoe Tournament is the site of my favorite highlight though.  I managed to stay in Junior Girls Class A entering with a 28.88 ringer percent.  I went 5-0 to be crowned the 2001 MN Junior Girls State Champion.  When I was 7 or 8 in the backyard, I never would've dreamt of such a prestigious title.

The last two years, 2002 and 2003, have been pretty quiet with the exception of a couple of things.  Once I got my license and started working, it's been harder to find time for horseshoe tournaments on the weekends.  Both years I continued to play on the Alexandria Horseshoe League, but was teamed up with my boyfriend due to Grandpa's stroke, leaving my dad without a partner.  My mom decided to team up with my dad.  My boyfriend and I finished very near the bottom both years, but enjoyed the socializing every Wednesday night.  In 2002, I only made it to 5 different tournaments.  Of course, I had to go to the State Tournament to try to defend my title.  I managed to go 6-1 finishing with a 49.66 ringer percent to repeat as the Junior Girls State Champion.  I even managed to 3-peat in 2003 at the State Tournament finishing with a 49.64 ringer percent.  Unfortunately, there will not be a 4-peat because this was my last year as a junior and will now have to move up to the Women's Division.  At the 2003 Awards Banquet, I was inducted into the Minnesota Gopher State Horseshoe Pitchers Association Junior Honor Roll Hall of Fame, to out with a bang.

The MGSHPA had a fantastic Junior Director and got the information to my parents and I about a scholarship opportunity available to junior horseshoe pitchers who participate in a sanctioned league.  It is on my bucket list to fill a position that will enable me to motivate and encourage youth to participate in the sport of horseshoes competitively on the national level. 

PHOTO CAPTION: Kayla Larson of Evansville recently was given an award from the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association of America.  She was named a Sanctioned Club Scholar Pitcher for 1999-2000.  The award reads: "Having shown proficiency in the sport of Horseshoe Pitching while still maintaining the highest standard of scholastic ability.  This Award is Presented with Proud Recognition by the NHPA to this Junior Member for achievements in our sport and the classroom."

I am looking forward to many more accomplishments and awards in the Women's Division.  After such a successful junior career, it will be hard to match my previous accomplishments, but I'm up for the challenge!  Who knew that a backyard game could be so fun, yet competitive?

Horseshoes can bring families together

By Jerry LaBrosse
Published in the January-February 2002 edition of the MGSHPA Ringer Digest

As we start out the 2002 horseshoe season, we should reflect on the events of 2001.  Life has changed in America, and people have been drawn closer together in many ways.  Things that are important have come into focus, things like family and friends and people in need.

Your involvement in horseshoes can be a great way to build those things in your life.  I look at families in our organization like the Larsons, Froehlichs, Sandquists, Meads, Albrechts and the list goes on.

These families enjoy horseshoe, traveling to tournaments together and supporting each other.  Horseshoe is the glue that holds some of these families together, and it's really nice to see that.  Ask yourself how many friends you have that came from the horseshoe world.  I know I have many friends that I would have never met had it not been for the game.

Jerry LaBrosse and me in 2004 at my high school awards night.
He was the MGSHPA President at the time.

Jerry and me in 2016 at the State Horseshoe Banquet in Pierz, MN.
Always fun to return home to all the familiar faces of my MN horseshoe family!

Each year you see these friends and also make new ones, and that's what it's all about.

FITNESS + NUTRITION - Wanna Bet?

I'm excited to be hosting a challenge group to give you – my friends and family – a chance to earn a share of the $1-$3 million pot from Beachbody just for sharing your workouts 3x a week and drinking Shakeology 5x a week!

This is a really cool chance to be rewarded for your consistency. And consistency over time is when you feel the best and get results.

"What you do EVERY DAY
matters more than what you do
EVERY ONCE in awhile."

See official rules: http://bit.ly/2b6JSGU

Here's how:

1) Chat with me about your goals for this fall...weight loss? 5k? Gain strength? Find a way to love fitness for yourself?

2) Participate in my fitness online studio with a program that meets your goals, be coached by myself and my team, and be held accountable to others like yourself to workouts and clean eating 5 days a week for 5 weeks minimum. (Sept 5-Oct. 2)

**You'll want to allow 5-7 days for your Shakeology to ship after ordering, and you'll need it starting September 5th to qualify!**

3) Log your workouts and Shakeology in the My Challenge Tracker app.

4) Complete steps 1-3 and WIN your share of the pot with others who do the same.

I'm looking forward to seeing who's willing to take this bet and sweat with me in September!

What do you have to lose?!?

MIND + LIFE - Funky Friday

The norm this summer has been to be at the lake Thursday, therefore waking up at camp on Friday morning.  Not today.  Today I'm finishing packing the camper to head out...hopefully by noonish.  It's definitely more relaxing to be sitting at camp set up during a summer rain shower than trying to get it loaded while trying to make a minimal mess.  Pretty much ready to rock at this point, but I am going to get my workout and a shower in before we leave, which brings me to part II of what I'll call "Funky Friday."

Yesterday was one of my best nutritional days in a week, but I went to bed feeling crummy and woke up feeling like a lead balloon, which is so not the case typically after a "good" day.  BUT my week...not my weekend...was not very pretty.  My trend has been kick ass during the week, feel awesome going in to the weekend, and then be right back where I started the previous week by the end of the weekend. Which I guess is what we'd call maintenance, and is my bare minimum goal for this summer and lake season, but it's still a vicious cycle...maybe if our boat wasn't name "Pour decisions" I'd have better luck...(that's a lame excuse, I know!)

But going back to how I feel this morning...the Insanity workouts are down right TOUGH and I'm sure (hoping) causing extra inflammation and swelling in my body.  I'm trying to push through this little funk today with positive thoughts though.  I've replaying Shaun T's commentary on my head from a podcast I listened to last week about how everyone's results are different and males tend to see quicker results than females. He went on to say that with the female test group participants, some of them were getting so frustrated throughout the process, but then in the last two weeks of the program they dropped anywhere from 10-25 lbs, so he was begging all of the listeners to STICK WITH IT. And that's what I'm going to do.  My body is getting firmer, my muscles are getting stronger, and I'm feeling rejuvenated mentally as well!

Whatever you may be doing, or thinking about doing, remember the results aren't going to happen overnight, and your body may actually respond "negatively" before the magic starts to happen.

AND NUTRITION.  I have no doubt I'd be kickin' tail if I really dialed in my nutrition and followed the meal plan that came with the program...but I'm going to go enjoy another weekend of "pour decisions" and then work my booty off again next week!

Have a great weekend friends!!

FITNESS: Finding Motivation

COME ON Y'ALL, LET'S GOOOOOOOOOO!!!

I don't remember for sure what made me start listening to the Trust & Believe with Shaun T podcast again, but it has been such an amazing source of insight and motivation for me!  I relate to so much of what he says!  And in his words:

"When you talk about fitness DVDs I think that they also can work, but you obviously have to relate to the person who is actually being an instructor on the DVDs or whatever.....  But it all starts with you actually believing that you can actually do it. You have to do the work. Period." (Being Gay Kept Me Fit)

I was doing ChaLEAN Extreme (a workout by my second favorite trainer, Chalene Johnson) when I started listening to Shaun T again, and I knew after listening to a few that I needed him in my fitness life, so I started doing INSANITY via Beachbody on Demand.  I did the initial Fit Test on July 11, and completed the "Day 15" Fit Test today.  If interested, you can see my progress here.

And if you're really keeping up, you'll notice it's been more than 15 days since I started.  We're spoiled with our schedules and lake season typically finds us with several 4 day weekends.  With the intensity of the program, realistically I know I'll have a hard time finding space and time to get the workouts in at camp, so instead I've opted for running or biking at camp.  I had to go in to the workout schedule knowing I wouldn't be able to stick to it "to a T."  If I tried, I'd feel like a failure and give up, I know this much about myself.  I reformatted the schedule in a list format rather than a calendar format so I could do the workouts in order and still complete the whole program though.

 

100% for real, if I left it as a calendar and did it workout by workout, mentally I would feel so behind doing Friday's workout on Tuesday it would discourage me to the point of quitting!

Committing to Insanity is the first step I'm taking to regain control of my Beachbody Coaching business.  Our CEO commented in a podcast on Monday:

"What program are you doing? Start to finish.
I’m talking to you veteran coaches or coaches who have been around awhile and think you can get away with representing the product without being the proof that you’re doing the product. But I’m telling you right now..
People know. People know if you’re for real or not."  -Carl Daikeler

The products work, if I work! And I want people to notice and get just as excited as I am about the results.

Before I wrap this up, I just want to go back to where I started this with relating to your trainer, whether in person or via a fitness program...if you're not "feeling" your workout / routine, FIND one you do, and get the results you want.

My ability to relate with Shaun T goes beyond his workouts...here are just a few examples that come to mind:

"In general, I like working out by myself.  Like I hate, with a capital 'P' Passion, working out with people.  Like I can't stand it.  Like I think it distracts me. ...I don't like planning time to workout with poeple, I like waking up, like sometimes we workout with a group of people, and like, not saying I don't ever hold people up, like sometimes I have to go to the bathroom, you know what I'm saying, pee at the last moment because I'm nervous, or um, you know where there's other people who are like 'I'm finishing something up before I come,' because for me when it's time for me to workout I only have a small space of motivation, like there's a very small window of opportunity for me to feel motivated, and the minute that opportunity goes away I'm like, 'I don't feel working out. I don't feel like working out anymore, and I definitely don't want to workout with a group of people because you guys, I'm waiting for you or you're waiting for me, you know what I'm sayin', so I'm not saying it's their fault, it could be my fault too."

"I like to stay attractive for myself. At the end of the day, I like being fit."

"Why did you let yourself go? Because the honeymoon phase is over?  Well, I still think you need to stay healthy and look good. And I totally think your internal fitness motivation aids in your sexual activity when you are in a relationship because what happens is, it's like a domino effect, when you start to let go of your fitness level, some people, and I say a lot of people, start to become self-conscious of certain things like, 'ah, you know, I'm gaining a little gut" or "I'm starting to get a little saggy in the booty area" or whatever the case may be and then you start obsessing in the mirror and then you stop liking what you're seeing so your spouse is laying next to you and they're sitting there like, 'I wanna do a little something,' and you're like 'NO!' And so, the reality is, while I stay fit the majority of the time, with my hand being hurt, like I, I feel like my upper body looks like jello, and I'm just like oh my god this is horrible, and so it's hard for me to stay sexual because I just like, I want to be...you know, and it really doesn't come down to the way I look, it comes down to the effort that I'm putting in to being fit, and I'm not even going to put that effort in to that part of my body, so I'm like 'ugh!'"

AND, how about some super-exhausted-from-Insanity pictures...