So let’s talk about training camp. 10 days in July (at least for me) in Georgia. It was hot and very very humid and…
…there was no detailed schedule.
Now for those of you who know me, you know that I like to know what is going to happen each day in detail. This did not happen. There was a vague schedule and every time I tried to find out more from our squad leaders the answer was the same every time, a shrug with, “we don’t know.” By the second day, I had figured out that they knew as much as we did and there was no point in asking any more. While the planner in me screamed out for more details, I decided that this experience would be worth the cost of details and by the end of camp the sacrifice of details was well worth the cost.
Instead of being bound to a schedule I was free to get to know 48 wonderful people who had all come together with the same purpose from all across the country. I was able to laugh and cry with my squad-mates, learn their life stories stories, and share mine. Through games, team building activities and just time spent chilling on the porch we bonded over stories, jokes and our shared excitement to be part of this adventure. I learned so much, not just about others, but about myself as well.
Now, for those of you future racers combing the web looking for information on what these 10 days will hold for you let me offer you a few tips from what I learned during my time at training camp.
1. Expectation – Going into training camp you will have expectation. I did and so does everyone else who prepares for this intense 10 days. Whatever you have expectations about will probably not be what it turns out to be, so try to get rid of as many of your expectations as you can.
2. Showers – There is no bathhouse. There is a wooden hut with 8 “shower stalls” and a 5 gallon bucket that you have to fill with water. I hate to break it to you, but you will be hot, sweaty and dirty before the hour is out.
3. Baby Wipes – Baby wipes were a life saver. Bring some, just do it, you will not regret it. I used them everyday and they are the best invention ever.
4. Tents – Bring one. Expect (I know an expectation) to set it up and take it down everyday. I know this is home, but don’t get too settled. Also, you will not always be sleeping in it. There are many different sleeping scenarios and they do not always include your tent. Enjoy!
5. The 2 mile hike – I know this seems like a long walk with your heavy pack, but trust me it is not that bad. I walked with 4 or 5 other squad mates and we encouraged each other. There is so much to complain about, but I honestly don’t remember the aches or pains. What I do remember is the cool breeze, praising God for it and the time talking with my squad mates. So it is up to you on how you want to spend this time. (Since I am not a guy, I can not say what happened on the two day man hike, but from what I heard it was amazing)
6. Holy Spirit – Come ready to learn, take notes and do a lot of self-evaluating. The teaching throughout the 10 days was amazing and full of conviction. I learned so much about myself and where my walk with God was. I learned how to hear the voice of God and even discern if it was His voice or not. So much happened and much of it I don’t know how to even put into words.
7. Phones – Turn it off for the next 10 days. It is so worth it. Being able to focus 100% on the people around you without any distractions is so worth it and it even helps you prepare for the next 11 months. I turned mine on a couple of times to coordinate with a friend who was picking me up from camp, but most of the time it sat in the bottom of my bag, turned off. I can not explain how freeing it was to not be tethered to it.
I hope some of these tips help you in your preparations for training camp and I hope yours is as wonderful as mine was. The 10 days spent in Georgia were some of the best days of my life and I can not wait to spend the next 11 months with these amazing people.
Love
~B
