…Badass Women: Carmela Pine…

Name: Carmela

Age: 40

Instagram Handle: carmaonfire

Occupation: teacher

How  many events have you done? : 35 ish…

First GORUCK Event: Cadre Reunion– July 4, 2013 DC 044 Light

Events coming up: St. Patty’s L- Pittsburgh, Bataan DC Challenge, Triple L- DC

 

What brought you to your first GORUCK Event? My brother. I was in a shitty place in my personal life and had started this “Year of Yes”  . He had just done his first challenge and was like, “Hey, you should try this”. So I shadowed his first light, thought it looked terrible and then was mad that I didn’t do it myself. So I turned around and signed up for the 4th of July light in DC.

Why do you keep coming back? I thought I was going to be a one and doner.  But there are two things that keep me coming back. 1) I’m a classic over thinker.  I worry about a lot of things. I’m scared of a lot of things. GORUCK forces me out of my own head and it forces me outside of my comfort zone.  It puts me in the present and makes me make decisions in the moment. I can’t over think there– I just have to do.I need that in my life. 2) The people.  I was a college athlete and I’ve always been part of a team. When I graduated from college, I really missed the “team” aspect of my life- these people who had the same shared experiences.  GORUCK gave me that back, and added to it in ways I didn’t imagine. I’ve met some of my greatest friends and motivators through these events.

What do you appreciate about being a woman in the GORUCK community? That there are so many incredible women in the community that are supportive of each other and that it’s always been more about what you can do, vs what you look like.  

What is challenging about being a woman in the GORUCK community? One of the things that is challenging is the “boys club” mindset– over the internet and sometimes in person.  I feel very fortunate to be surrounded by the GORUCK men that respect me as a teammate and human, but I know that’s not always the case.

Favorite training exercise /event gear/rituals…etc  that you want to share?

Favorite Event Snack- Twizzlers and Swedish Fish, Favorite.

Training– Rucking with my friends.. Anywhere and all over the DMV and PA area–I especially love Battlefield rucks and overnight rucks in DC.

I always have my Mama Stump bag (from All-Women’s 001), a laminated photo of Army Staff Sgt Jeremie S. Border, a buff and a windbreaker.

Advice for other women? Don’t be afraid to try– try everything. Carry everything.. Even if it’s only for 30 seconds. Don’t wait for someone to come get you, go up and tell someone you want to carry whatever it is.   There’s a place for all of us at an event you just have to take it.

Any GRT women that you admire or love to be on a team with? Steph McGrew, Sara Bagala, Lisa Stephenson, Kay Rosen, Rachel Beard, Kristen Ohlsen, Meghan Howland. The entire Charlie Company of the All-Women’s 001 Challenge in Miami.

Any memorable stories with you and another GRT  you want to share? There’s so many it’s hard to come up with just one… but I will never forget Alex telling me to “Go do some of that yoga stuff you’re so fond of” when I tried to explain that my legs didn’t work after my first heavy and telling me that we could just “Go to the start of the challenge.. And see how I feel” to get me to the challenge portion of my HCL… he knew I wouldn’t leave once I got there.