I've discovered that its good to dream, because without dreams, we have nothing to strive for. Nothing to force us out of that rut that we so easily find ourselves slumping into, and nothing to force us to go out of our comfort zone.
But like with many things in life, having the dream is one thing, but turning that dream into a reality, is another matter all together! Those who know me well, will know that an all-girls team has been something that has been tugging on my mind for quite some time, and this year, I decided that instead of spending another year procrastinating, it was time to grab the proverbial bull by the horns!
Now came the 1st real challenge....finding the girls! It's hard enough putting a normal mixed team together, and girls especially, are generally in short supply, which is why they are rather tongue in check considered part of the compulsory equipment list! Finding team mates is just not as simple as it seems...not everyone is cut out for adventure racing!
Recruiting my regular racing partner Janine was probably the easiest! A bit like tossing a bone out into the Garden and telling your pet Jack Russel to go fetch! :) Janine is just one of those super awesome people who tackles everything in life with a Cheshire Cat smile, and the tenacity of a hyena! (Sorry Janine!) :)
Next up on the recruitment list was Vanessa.......who when I saw her obviously seasoned running legs, I must admit, scared the living daylights out of me! Luckily for us though, she seemed to consider us a worthy proposition and after not much consideration, was in! Luckily my inability to shut up was only revealed to her after she signed on the dotted line!
Suddenly, the dream was becoming very much a reality!
The word four is not only a difficult word to spell, with many different variations, and many different meanings, it is also a difficult number to master when learning to write, as I am discovering trying to teach my son! And so, in keeping with all this 'difficulty', finding our fourth member proved to be exactly that.......difficult!
Convincing someone who has never done an adventure race, that it is something that you think they will enjoy, and be good at is no easy task! It goes something like this......
You will race through beautiful pristine wilderness areas, ride through rolling grasslands, and natural forests. Hike up mountains with views like no other, and gape at waterfalls like you've only ever dreamed of.........and then, probably because I actually like the person I am trying to convince, concience takes over and I feel compelled to reveal the not so glamorous side of adventure racing.............and more truthfully, one of the real driving forces behind this sport......personal challenge and the mental strength required to get to the finish line.........it goes something like this........
So.......we will race nonstop for however long it will take to cover the +-500km, probably 5-6 days. You won't sleep in a bed during that time, in fact you'll probably only sleep about 5-7 hrs, and any sleep you do get, will be wherever you find yourself at the time......in a bush, in a drain, or in a goat dropping flea infested shed, somewhere in the middle of nowhere. You might be wet and muddy for the entire race, your feet will probably peel, and you may lose all your toe nails. You'll develop chaffe and blisters in places you never knew existed. You'll probably also have to throw your race top away after the race, or wash it numerous times to get rid of 5 days of racing in it sweaty smell. You might get lost, you might run out of food, and you might have to close your eyes and nose whilst you drink stagnant water from a puddle or dam which has not only cattle poo floating in it but something that died a few days ago.
Generally the response is.....'why on earth would I want to do that to myself?'
I only have one answer......because we are 'privileged' enough to be able to!
Jenny clearly only heard the first part of my explanation. You know, the bit about the nice views and beautiful waterfalls! It didnt take much to convince her......and I'm grateful in her trust as she certainly brings sunshine to the already wonderful bunch of girls!
And so we were no longer 2, or 3, but a full and complete four!
I am in no doubt that my team mates are stronger than me.....which is why I hold the map, at least they can't leave me behind! :)
