WR Training Camp Top 11
1. Gortex: My new best friend. It rained almost every day, making everything nice and damp. Special shout out to my buddy Rich Duquette for introducing me to System 3 Technology. My Tempest three-quarter length rain jacket kept me warm and dry 🙂
2. Showering: Overrated. Every time I was finally able to take a shower, we'd turn around and do some sweat inducing activity (or it would rain which would cause everything to become damp and sticky again anyway).
3. Dryer sheets: Placed them everywhere, and I mean everywhere! I had those bad boys in pockets, my pack, in all corners of my tent, and even kept one in my bra. It was nice to get a whiff of fresh clean laundry every once in a while. And I totally think they kept the mosquitoes away 😉
4. Bags in bags: From now on, I will think about everything I own in terms of it's size and weight. (And if it happens to come with it's own stuff sack, that's a bonus!)
5. Food a plenty! They meant it when they said we would not go hungry at camp. After the first few meals of PBJ and a banana, I quickly discovered we would never be in want. I think the food got better and there was more of it as the week went on.
6. Sleeping arrangements = Squad Bonding! Daily changes in sleeping arrangements helped me get close to teammates, REAL close! So close in fact that toward the end of the week I preferred sleeping with others to being alone in my own tent.
7. Go with the flow: AIM has a very specific way of doing things, and they are completely justified in their methods. I've never felt so prepared for a mission trip. By the last day of training camp, a majority of our team was ready to board a plane for Guatemala!
8. Questions: Got answered, but not in the way you'd think. My recommendation to future Racers, watch and observe what's going on around you. You'll learn so much more than if someone just told you the answer.
9. Leadership: Trust them, they know what they are doing! I am so humbled that I didn't see what they saw ahead of time. In retrospect, I wouldn't have changed a thing.
10. Sleep: Also overrated. Got some, but not much. And if it was a choice between an extra hour of shut eye or worshiping with soon to be family by the campfire… no brainer!
11. FUN! This week challenged me physically, mentally, and spiritually, but overall…
"We've got spirit, yes we do! We've got spirit, Double U!"
