It's hard to believe that the Summer of OCR ended only a few weeks ago. Even harder to believe that it was only six weeks long. Seemed a lot longer! So many things happened during those weeks and it was a whirlwind of traveling, course building and racing. As with anything I do, I always try to learn from the experience to make the next time even better...it's an engineer thing I guess...just have to try and improve everything!
The first thing I found was that a race each week was a grueling schedule. Not just the fact that between traveling to the next event, working the builds and then racing, there was almost no time to write!! Add on to that injuries...illness...general wear and tear...no recuperation time/rest/training time and I suddenly had a whole new appreciation for professional athletes. And props to the elite racers who go at this regularly...even
doing multiple laps or back to back days of racing. Obviously I'm still doing
something seriously wrong, besides just being old!
Compounding that, most of the places I camped had no Internet service or very limited service. One didn't even have cell service. Hence, every week seemed to put me more in the hole with my writing as well as normal communications. And just staying on top of OCR activity proved to be difficult.
What I did want to continue was the incredible experience of meeting so many different people and having some truly life changing experiences. Nor did I want to lose the insights and 'schooling' I was getting on what it really takes to put on a worthwhile OCR event. Anyone can slap a few obstacles together, mark a trail and charge a lot of money to get in. But it takes special people to make it exciting, challenging...and safe at the same time. Meeting and working with these people...that is my mission!!
My initial plans had been to head out west for the Spartan Race World Championship, along with the World's Toughest Mudder and several other Spartan races and Tough Mudders. In the end though, I had to ratchet that back a bit and stay on the east coast. Nagging injuries, the final stages of 'swamp fever' and unexpectedly (but not surprisingly) having to give up my place all contributed to the decision. Gives a whole new meaning to the lyrics from that old Janis Joplin song..."freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose". But I digress...
So, my new plans will be concentrated in the greater Atlanta and Nashville areas for a couple of Spartans, another BattleFrog and my first Savage Race. With the scheduling of these races I was also able to not only space them out every other week, but because of this generally centralized area, I'm able to stay in a 'normal' house during the off weeks...yeehaa!! Provided of course that I behave myself....no promises there but I'll do my best.
After these I should be heading back towards Florida again for a few more races...where the weather should be more conductive to OCR'ing than skiing. Then...well...who knows exactly. One thing for certain...in the coming weeks and months there will be change...the one constant in this universe!! That should make for some interesting reading I'm sure....to be continued...
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