Leading up to the race
In the weeks leading up to the race, I dug into the preparation as much as I could while balancing the rest of my life.
I shifted my upcoming 100 miler to be a 100k so that I could have “enough” recovery time (just 17 days). I poured over the Google Street view of the course - spoiler: it all looked like Mars. I prepped my crew with race info, answered questions, and shared with them my priorities for the race. I made packing lists and acquired supplies. I booked hotels, flights (2 flights to get to Chile and then 1 flight within the country, just to get to the start), and a rental car. I researched cell service and found a Garmin InReach (thanks Katie) to give some peace of mind to my family. I figured out how to get a bike so that Claire could spend some time with me on the course (shout out to Quinton and team Escape). I got lots of love and good luck from my run crew back in NOLA - and some of my favorite coffee from French Truck!
This race might be a solo run but the preparation showed me how far from alone I was on the journey.
I had calls with Ryan from @rad_running each week. We chatted about what support I needed, the progress I had made in planning, and the storytelling that they hoped to do. The biggest thing that stood out to me was the choice that R.A.D made to send two female runners (me and Alex) rather than just one runner with a bigger budget for content. That choice spoke volumes to me about where their priorities were. Not only that, but they seemed as enthusiastic as I was for the adventure.
Before I knew it, we were heading to Chile. Claire and I had 50 lb bags of camping and running gear. Caleb had 18 lbs of vibes, including a pink wig and leopard print pants. “I’m not even really sure what I packed,” he said as we walked out the door.
Most importantly, we were all filled with enthusiasm for what was to come.
There was a language in the world everyone understood…it was the language of enthusiasm, of things accomplished with love and purpose, and as part of a search for something believed in and desired.
-Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
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