Voted the second most scenic relay race in the country and with a tag line quoting "All Others Just a Warm Up" I would have to agree that the BRR lived up to it's name. I don't think we truly understood what we were getting into. Some had an idea, but for all of us the experience became a discovering journey into who we really are. When you think you can't do something and then end up pulling it off - It's a feeling that you can't recreate every day. It's something where you have your eyes set on something for so long and all along the way pushing physically, mentally and emotionally. In a word, we "Crushed" it out there. In doing so every one's life changed.
You may ask how did we change? I mean really? A life changing event are you serious dude? Well what I have to say to that is how couldn't it have been. We realized this past weekend that we weren't just running, we were proving. Proving to ourselves that we can be better. Proving that we can put ourselves in a situation where it may not go according to the plan. Proving we can look fear in the face without extreme confidence and tackle it. We proved not only that we should be more confident in the challenges we take on, but that we have eleven other people in our lives with the same mentality. The same mentality that we can use running as a tool to be better people. We can be a part of something to prove to ourselves and others that any challenge is surmountable as long as you're willing to try. We can set out with a goal and achieve it. These are the things that sum up what life is all about. Proving things to ourselves and discovering a more confident mentality with everything that we do.
Most races a person is completely on their own, but as you can tell when the gun went off Friday morning we stayed together the entire time. I noticed a difference in the other teams out there and it had to do with the level of support. It wasn't as strong as what we had. We cheered for everyone. We pushed each other. We all yelled "Nice Job Runner" even to the other teams. It got to the point where this was just what you did every time someone came by the van.
For the first 12 legs both vans stayed together and as the hours/miles progressed this same feeling held throughout even though Van A went to get some quick omelette's after their final leg :). The coolest part is everyone thought about everyone. It was a selfless trip. There's not many of those. We had 12 people committed to the same outcome. The outcome had to do with seeing one another finish. Seeing one another compete and complete. And above all being completely proud of one another at every single moment. I told our group that this would be an uncomfortable experience even slightly miserable, but what I didn't tell them is that they would be supported, encouraged and pushed with empathy throughout the entire weekend. That was a surprise. I've said before. There's magic in misery.
For the first 12 legs both vans stayed together and as the hours/miles progressed this same feeling held throughout even though Van A went to get some quick omelette's after their final leg :). The coolest part is everyone thought about everyone. It was a selfless trip. There's not many of those. We had 12 people committed to the same outcome. The outcome had to do with seeing one another finish. Seeing one another compete and complete. And above all being completely proud of one another at every single moment. I told our group that this would be an uncomfortable experience even slightly miserable, but what I didn't tell them is that they would be supported, encouraged and pushed with empathy throughout the entire weekend. That was a surprise. I've said before. There's magic in misery.
How about the highlights? We started at 6:30am on Thursday September 5th. Being the Coach, I was excited, nervous and grateful. Excited to run the most scenic mountains on the East Coast and excited to share an incredible experience. The sharing would be in the memories we would develop and for the moments that will forever canvas our minds. When you organize something like this your only hope is that everything simply goes according to plan. What I'm most grateful for is my plans had nothing to do with what happened. Expectations were blown.
How do I know my expectations were blown? Well it could have started with the whole team in smiles as Anne Lawless went into our "Fall From the Hips" drill generating a nice lean which launched her out on the first leg of the race as if she was shooting out a Cannon. It also could have been when I was Flying down the hilly trails at a disgusting pace and at the very ended up feeling like I needed to throw my hat into Van 2. We can't forget about Mary Mezera's "Spirit Fingers" every time she heard our team cheer or the moment Sarah turned to Jen and expressed that she "Just ate the mountain goat hills for breakfast." I don't think we'll ever forget Morgan's dance moves, excessive profanity and big time courage for tackling the event with little training and last minute notice. The dude never running more than a 5, went right ahead and busted out 17+miles with a smile. His energy was special. He was a nice addition. We also can't forget about good old David Chesworth, running off course in the middle of the night scooping up an extra 4miles. The good news is he PRd his 10K along the way. What about Suzan Weber? Coming from hardly running to PR'ing her mile under 13minutes, to managing her knee osteoarthritis and completing one of the toughest mountain goat legs with flying colors. Yeah that was special too. The last pieces no one will ever forget would have to be Kaitlen's consistent yoga poses every time she had the chance to get out of the van and Lindsay's disgusting leg completely down hill on trails winding for nearly 8miles. Somehow she did it with a smile.
Above all, the ending said it all for me. When I heard that Miki literally ran up Mount Mitchell on the second to last leg of the race, kept a smile and still came running hard into the last transition. I could tell expectations were blown. It was completed for me though when I saw "the dance" on the last leg with Team Captain Lynn. Absolutely crushing down the remaining hills, Lynn and I rolled by at sub 8min pace witnessing a special energy. After 34 1/2 hours, lots of almond butter, no sleep we saw our teammates again. It was like seeing them for the first time. As if it were the start of the race. They had energy. They had spirit. Its pretty much indescribable. What I do know is that is was sincere. Sincere in the fact that it was over. We had completed what we thought we could not do. We had done it together. That's what makes something an experience. Experiences come down to moments that are indescribable. These moments remain in our heads. You want to know the coolest part of all? It's only a matter of time until we capture this feeling again. Each day provides us with an opportunity. Life changing experiences are there. Don't ignore them.
No comments:
Post a Comment