Upcoming race: GORUCK Challenge.

On my computer desk is a stack of paper; spreadsheets, printed out calenders and scribbled notes of how I want to spend my weekends between now and the end of 2012.  A schedule of A, B & C races that if I sign up for just half of them, takes me around the country in my first ever planned travel racing season. I'll be able to not only enjoy other locales in this great country but see old friends and meet newer online friends, face to face. 

One problem. I promised Mistress that I wouldn't sign up for any races until I found a new job. We are both a little tired of me staying home after selling the business. Personally, I really miss the energy and investment of hard work. But looking for my next career move is proving to be harder than expected. During this process I have gone from seeing this addendum to our Training Contract* as a stick, to now using it as a carrot. The sooner I know what what I'll be doing and have a schedule for doing it, the sooner I can map out my racing. 

*If you have never heard of our famous Training Contract, I have provided a short explanation at the end of this post.  

Seeing that I have devoted almost every day of the last several weeks to finding a new career, Mistress came to me last night with a Performance Bonus. I could sign up for one race. I immediately rushed to the computer and signed up for the Phoenix GORUCK CHALLENGE. 

Unlike an obstacle race, triathlon or road running race, GORUCK is event that takes a small group of people, two or three dozen per 'class', and over the next 10+ hours and 15+ miles, in an overnight setting in a major metropolitan city, throws you into a collective suffer fest based on military conditioning and intense functional training. It is obstinately to test the strength of their company gear (use of a GORUCK pack is mandatory) but really its a test of your own personal ability to work with others to accomplish a mission while battling your own mental and physical demons to go farther than you think you're possible of doing. 

GORUCK presents a unique challenge in fitness and endurance pursuits and is creating a base of raving fans. It was the one race in 2012 I did not want to miss. I am ecstatic I got the opportunity to participate in my States first GORUCK challenge, thanks to my wife for the Bonus, and you can bet there are more of these on my list of potential 2012 events. 

It's not enough to exist. I am going to live. 

Training Contract: Before training for my first Ironman, Mistress and I spent several weeks developing a contract between us on training allocation versus family life. It was a very heated debate that ranged from how many hours a week I would train to how many days I had to forego morning workouts so she could wake up with me next to her (because that was important to her), she demanded penalties for not completing simple chores she needed done around the house, (loss of training time), I was able to include she could not roll her eyes or have a bad attitude when I told her I would be gone 6-8 hours on a weekend to train, I had to inform her of my training at least a week ahead of time so she could not double book me for a social engagement, (I did this by turning our large bathroom mirror into a dry erase board w/ my entire week of upcoming training, with projected start time, duration, location and partners). It was very much as if a professional athlete was signing a contract with a sports team. If I met certain performance measures as an athlete or husband/father, I was awarded Performance Bonuses, usually something like new gear or guys night out. We both fought for me to succeed at my goal but create the balance she needed to run the house. It worked so well we have managed a version of a Training Contract every year since, though we have built enough trust in each other that its much less formal a document. 

go·ruck noun [verb go + verb ruck] ruck is a noun short for rucksack (aka backpack), it’s also a verb: to ruck is to move with a rucksack, and implies action, energy, and purpose.

#GRHQ