I wrote an article, much earlier in the year, about how I’d gone from running small races on a casual basis, to my first year of running trail ultras, and that I would ultimately be doing a Survival race in Texas in October. The survival race is Fuego Y Agua Survival Race Hunter Gatherer, a 100k unsupported race that is meant to be incredibly challenging. (More about what we’re in for here.)
It’s now October, and I am writing this on a plane en route to Austin Texas to meet up with a couple of survival race veterans, John Taylor and Shannon Hulme, at which point we will head to ground zero – Camp Eagle near Rock Springs Texas. The event is run by Josue Stephens and the crew at Fuego Y Agua events, and based on previous experience (as a spectactor) in Nicaragua this past February, just getting our race numbers on Friday will likely be a mini event in itself. In Nicaragua, the survival racers there were told to show up for packet pickup on the local beach. Once there were then instructed “See that boat out there,” which was about ½ mile out, “your bibs are on it, go get em.” Our instructions are to show up on Friday with our knives. Should be interesting!
I am going to keep this brief. I will leave a discussion about my training this year, working through some injuries, etc., for another post, except to say that I feel that race or no race, the training has paid huge dividends in my life. Heath, happiness, energy, eating habits, and being a better role model for my kids. It has been a great year.
Do I feel ready? Mmmmm… Hard to say at this point. But there will be races after this one, and I am determined to give it everything I have, take in the experience, and get better for the next one. After this weekend is over I will savor the ups and downs, nurse my wounds (I expect they will be spiritual AND physical), and start planning for what 2014 will bring.
I expect that it will be the most challenging thing I’ve done to date, that it will be a lot of fun, and that I will enjoy hanging out with some incredible people.
See you on the other side!
