Have you been thinking about doing something that seems just out of your comfort zone? I know I have, it was called Ragnar. I had heard about this 12 person, 3 leg, 200+ mile run and thought about how I might accomplish being part of something this HUGE.
Well one bite at a time so I faced my fears and next thing I knew it was last weekend! DONE! I was the 11th runner on the team, slept very little, cheered for others a bunch, stayed hydrated and ran my three legs as best I could, yes there was some walking up hills but hey, it was in the upper 80’s!
How do you prepare for that big reach? First-just say YES. After that big commitment do a little research, ask a few questions and begin your training. For me I said yes and did a little inquiring about how others had managed this big feat. Funny, but people really will give you good and solid tips. As the date grew nearer I increased my running distance from 3 miles to a variety of 3, 4, 5 and 6. I alternated the distances to help with endurance and added some hills to the run as I heard this was going to be a very hilly venture. Do you ask for advice from others who have accomplished your big reach? Great idea.
I then researched information on how to be best prepared to be a good teammate, very important. Bag your change of gear for quick find when you need to change, bring a towel for shower, add a pad, blanket and pillow for “sleeping” comfort and pack a few protein/carb snacks to share and have at the ready. It is very important to be a team player and that means taking care of your own business and supporting others by pitching in when you can. This may be your big reach but don’t forget it is a team effort and that makes your reach a little more fun.
Attitude is key here. Remember, we are all on the same team to success so encourage, support, cheer and be a good teammate. Accountability is strong when your goal is a big reach so say yes to the challenge, embrace the reach, do your research and enjoy the ride! Your reach out of your comfort zone is most likely different from mine but the tools should line up so go for it, live it, make it possible with the help of others-you can do this!