1.Do all you can to BE PREPARED—then realize there are just some situations that you can NEVER be fully prepared for.
2.When you have questions—refer to the BIBLE, it tells ALL. Also, it is a bonus when you or someone around you has read it a number of times and can quote it verbatim.
3.Seize The Moment: Sleep when you can, Eat when you can, Drink when it is offered and Visit a Honey Bucket when available--these opportunities may become few and far between.
4. Laugh, Cry, then Laugh some more!
5. Realize that sometimes there are just more important things than personal hygeine, although deoderant is always required.
6. You will always feel a little better about the tasks in front of you after a little food, a little rest, and a trip to the Honey Bucket. If all of that fails--try a Coke slurpee!
7. Surround yourself with the BEST people. Teamwork is REQUIRED! Include in your team: An ORGANIZATIONAL WIZARD--someone who knows where you are, where you need to be and how to get you there; a CHEERLEADER--someone who will cheer you on and tell you how great you are doing (even when you are sucking wind); a HERO--someone that makes YOU want to become better just by watching them perform; a TRASH TALKER--someone that can get you psyched to PUNISH your next trial; a COACH--someone who can navigate you through the rough spots; a BEST FRIEND--someone who knows exactly what you are feeling (most likely because they are/have been feeling it too) and knows exactly what to say/do to help you get through it (even if those words go something like: "you really don't have a choice--you have to finish" or "do you want me to give you something to cry about?") . The ABSOLUTE BEST TEAM MEMBERS rotate through ALL these roles effortlessly depending on the needs of their team.
8. Appreciate your SUPPORT SYSTEM. The race is not worth running without these people.
9. Make the best of a bad situation-- this is more than making the Honey Buckets like your HOME AWAY FROM HOME--it is also cheerfully(?) conquering the muddy, wet, muscle crushing mountain that stands in your way.
10. ENJOY your surroundings. Even if the surroundings come to you at 3:00 am.
11. PUsh yourself--you will be suprised how far/long/hard you can go.
12. Celebrate the small things--even those can be challenging.
13. Some of the VERY best "fill-ins" are right in front of your eyes.
14. Endure to the end. The finish line is SO WORTH IT!
Ragnar was an experience, one that I cannot fully give justice to. It was harder than I thought it would be--but having said that it was also so much sweeter than I thought it would be. So many details that I hope not to forget, but at the same time so impossible to write about.
Fun Memories: "Hey Janet, YOu are doing AWESOME.", Jollie Ranchers, Immodium, Spaghetti, sleeping bags on trimmed lawn, "Dig Deep and when you find it--dig deeper", "I have to go to the Honey Bucket", "I made that mountain my *itch!", "Ride that donkey", "Runner 571....571....where are you 571?!" "I am soo over this!" Pancakes, changing sports bra in gas station parking lot, 3 freakin hours AHEAD of our schedule, "Water or Gaterade?", heave/hurl then run, never catching that girl, makin whoopy.....
Would I do it again?..........OF COURSE!!!
