…GORUCK SELECTION: #stillnottrainingforselection…

When life give you lemons, you put a patch on it and attempt to do GORUCK Selection…#041

I decided I wanted to attempt GORUCK Selection after I completed my first GORUCK HCL.  I realized that I could honestly pass GORUCK Selection once I successfully completed the GORUCK HHH.  So I slowly started preparing myself to accomplish this task. I created a plan and worked towards it over the past year.  But sadly, I fell short of accomplishing the feat of passing GORUCK Selection.

How did I feel when I was told that I was no longer a participant in the 2017 GORUCK Selection class…

Unsure…confused…shocked…defeated…

Those are the best words to described how I was feeling as I walked away from the the beach, the class, and the cadre.  My performance had fallen short and there was no one to hold accountable for that except me. So I wiped my tears (yes, it is rare that I do cry so when it does happen it is a pretty big deal), dusted off my ruck, and started making plans for news goals to accomplish.

In the past 5 years, I have done countless events/races.  I have completed all of those events/races.  I completed MOST of those events/races excelling and feeling good about my overall performance. Failure is a word that I am not familiar with, nor am I willing to accept.  So, as I was unable to complete GORUCK Selection I do not see it as a failure.  I see it as a lesson to learn from and grow from. I learned how to completely change and adapt my overall mindset and lifestyle to prepare myself to attempt this event. Life leading up to this event was far from easy, but I pushed “life” aside and kept pushing to prepare for this event.

Yes, I had been training. Yes I had set a plan and was working on it. Yes, I made personal sacrifices so that I would be ready for this event (and I even lost a few “friends” because of my dedication to training for this event). But, what really happened?

Bottom line… I did not TRAIN OR PREPARE ENOUGH. Yes, I had been training and preparing.  But what ELSE could I do to be better prepared for the event? I had continued my “normal” training (with added things to prepare me for requirements of the event such as the PT test).  As I was there in Jacksonville and in the element of GORUCK Selection, I realized that I was not as prepared as I thought I was.

The best part about being there for GORUCK Selection…

Being side by side with two of my best buds. These guys for sure are my event support and are two total BADASSES. We regularly hold each other accountable and pushed each other. We motivated each other while also pushing our own limits to get ready for any event (especially an event like GORUCK Selection).

And this is how we all felt about our progress individually and as a group for the 2017 GORUCK Selection…

No, I can not tell you how to train for a event like GORUCK Selection.

The reality is that EVEYONE has their own strengths and weaknesses. Things that I would consider to be my weakness are things that I will incorporate MORE into my training.  If I were to tell you to do the exact same things that I am doing, that could be counter productive and not beneficial for your success. So my best advice to you (to get ready for ANY event that you want to do)… TRAIN HARDER.   Prepare for all elements and expect the worst.

No, I can not tell you the gear that I used or the clothing that I wore.

Again, what I LIKE may be completely different from what YOU LIKE. I have tested out my gear, my packing techniques, what I wear, and how I prepare for events via doing them repeatedly until I have NO issues with these things. Someone once scoffed at me about how obsessed I am with doing GORUCK events… I laughed at them, smiled, and walked away. Because in reality, this “obsession” is my way of trying to figure out ways to “be comfortable while being uncomfortable” in the heat of a event while also trying to embrace the few things that I will have control over. Some people may see it as an obsession, but I see it as practice and preparation.

Things to think about (for any endurance event):

  • Do you have your foot care under control? What will you do to QUICKLY and EFFECTIVELY fix your feet in the middle of a event that will allow you to keep going?
  • How has your nutrition been leading up to the event? Yes, this also includes hydration
  • Undergarments: are they working with you or against you? Ladies have additional clothing we have to consider and plan for (what type of bra to wear).
  • Chaffing….this is a real thing and can be a HUGE issue. What have you done to help prevent it. BUT, when you do get it, what are you going to do to minimize more injury and pain.
  • HOW BAD DO YOU WANT TO SUCCEED? WHAT WILL YOU DO TO MAKE SURE YOU WILL FINISH?

Having to tell all of my friends and family that I did not complete this event was like a dagger to my heart (and my ego) each time I had to talk about it. Not succeeding in something you train hard for is very humbling but also educational. You learn more about the person you are and appreciate those that are around you to encourage and support you.  You also learn that you are no exception to life’s rules and that you have to work harder than those that are around you to succeed.

Most importantly THANK YOU to my support crew. They support me not only before, during, and after GORUCK events.  They also support me in all aspects of my life. Without my support crew I honestly would not be as successful as I am today (and that includes the people that are also not show in this picture).

So for now… this is the closest I will get to a Selection patch…

Will I attempt GORUCK Selection in 2018?  I guess you will have to wait and see…

#stillnottrainingforselection

 

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