I am a world race training camp (TC) refugee. TC is an 8 day training in which world racers come together to meet the members of their squad and begin to prepare for the 11 month adventure they are about to embark on. While camp is both fun and exciting, it is also an emotional, mental and physical WAR ZONE.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is a severe anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to any event that results in psychological trauma. This event may involve the threat of death to one['s OLD] self or to [witnessing] someone else [die to their old self. Whether it be their] physical, sexual, or psychological integrity, it is overwhelming and effects the individual's ability to cope (Wikipedia).
Ok, so I may (or may not) be being dramatic ^^^^ BUT, we were expected to be vulnerable, emotionally spilling out deepest sources of pain. Challenged mentally to both give & receive critical criticism and positive feedback. In addition, we were tested physically by sacrificing routine hours of sleep, partaking in strenuous exercise and surviving off of food lacking preferred quality AND quantity.
Just when I thought I would never escape camp, the 8 days had passed and I found myself packing my tent in the 50 degree morning weather for the last time. I said goodbye to the strangers I now call family, and piled into the car; Atlanta International Airport bound!
Again I state, I am a world race training camp refugee. These are all the PTSD side effects I experienced in one day of leaving camp and traveling back home to California:
1) Upon preparing my plane carry on, I found myself over thinking each item. "Should I pack a change of clothes? What if my bag gets 'lost in Africa.' Naw, I'll just pack a change of underwear and socks JUST to be sure…maybe I should pack my spork in case utensils aren't provided..and what's left of my trailmix, and my toothbrush?" #paranoid
2) We piled 5 people into a 5 seat car, (we each got a seat? #shock) …in addition to our 5 backpacks, 5 sleeping bags, and 5 carryons #standard.
3) We stopped at starbucks, If you told me we were in heaven I would've believed you #overjoyed …I started to reach for the spork I packed when I realized stir sticks were provided…enough for everyone? I watched every person ahead of me take a stick, use it once and throw it away #wasteful
4) After spending the night on a school bus with my 47 teammates AND all our gear, my plane seat was #paradise. I sat down, rested my head against the plane window and passed out before take off and without putting the armrest down between me and the passenger next to me. #personalspace?
5) I woke up in #fear to the captain's voiceover, frantically sorting out how I got to where I was and where I was going. #confused
6) As the plane began to take off the beautiful Georgia trees started to grow smaller. I couldn't help but think they resembled delicious green heads of broccoli. #starved #vegetarianprobs
7) As I reached above my head to turn the AC on, I realized I had showered 2 times in the last 8 days #hygiene?
8) When I got home my brother purposefully hid the entire bag of chocolate chip cookies up in his room. My teammates would've gone through great measures to evenly divide 1 cookie into 8 pieces so that each of us could enjoy 1 bite. #cultureshock
Subscribe if you enjoyed reading this dramatic blog! More on training camp to come!
