Awhile back I happened upon an event called Relay Iowa which is the worlds longest relay race. It starts in western Iowa in Sioux City and finished 339 miles later in Dubuque. It lasts for 3 days and 2 nights. Once I mentioned it, we had a team and we were signed up.
There were a lot of life lessons learned when you pack 8 women in 3 vehicles, tell them to run for 3 days, and to sleep and eat very little.
I.O.W.A Idiots Out Wandering Again
At the start 6am, fresh faced and ready to go.
Funny shirts...
Lessons from the corn fields:
1. Power in numbers
Teams could have up to 12 people and we had 8. Apparently we couldn't find more than 8 people crazy enough to embark on this journey. If only we had more people, we could have actually eaten, slept, and showered. Maybe next time ......
2. Wherever you go...it's a small world
At our first stop I see a girl on another team and I know I recognize her. Once I know she's from Minnesota I ask her if she goes to the 6am boot camp at the gym...sure enough...she does! Small world. But the world gets smaller when Jessie goes back to work and a parent of a kid says "did you run across Iowa because my best friend did and she said she met people from Minnesota" so funny.
3. Iowa is NOT flat.
I don't care what you say but until you run across the state...you don't know. Holy hills.
4. Take your foam roller everywhere
It is acceptable to foam roll on the side of the highway while waiting to run
And stretching on the car
Really? What is she doing?
5. Peeing and pooping outside the car is necessary
But it helps to have a vehicle which creates a nice "stall"
6. It's pretty awesome to hit 100, 200, and 300 miles ran...something I have never experienced. Life is ultimately about new experiences that challenge and stretch you past your limits.
7. Meltdowns are inevitable.
In our race packet they warned us of a stretch of the run where we would question why we were there and our bodies and minds would want to quit. But we thought....not us! We got this. But then somewhere around 180 miles we hit a wall. Panic set in about could we do it would we finish, should we quit, why are we doing this? But we had a team rally, changed our strategy and persevered. With our new attitude we finished the run 2.5 hours ahead of our predicted time. Just like in life, meltdowns are going to happen. But what matters is how you come out of it on the other side.
8. McDonalds has never tasted so good
When you haven't eaten much for almost 2 whole days and you see a breakfast sandwich and a coffee in front of you....you eat it. But without the bun of course :-)
9. Communication is essential.
At one point Jessie and I were the only two on the country road. We had a miscommunication with our team over who was running and who was going to town to eat. But when you're left on a country road you have no choice but to.......run!
10. When you think you can't do it....push on.
There are no words to express finishing this relay. You have to push yourself, stretch yourself, and you might learn something along the way!
