I’m one of those people who relish being a back-of-the-pack participant.

I see every run, every walk, every experience as something making me stronger. Not only for later that day, but for the next day, the next week, the next month. I finally taught myself how to love the journey rather than pushing myself for pace and competing so hard that my body becomes broken.

As someone who has finally found that peace, along with a lot of other people who love to share stories and connect and enjoy the journey together, I thought it might be helpful to share a few things that have helped me through Racing the Planet experiences and made them absolutely extraordinary for me personally.

Each time I race I collect a few lists. One is things I am so thankful for, so I don’t forget and can share a little gratitude. Another is things I would do differently or add to what I bring. This has been supremely helpful because the clarity you get on a race is like no other.

I had to drop out after completing Stage 4 in Finland due to a death in the family and the need to return home immediately. But those four stages provided me exactly what I was seeking. Although I’ve never spoken with a monk who has done such a thing, I liken the endless days of hours of walking and running to a weeklong fast or meditation retreat. At the beginning it is a pity party. You know not your strength and can only think of quitting. The voices are overwhelming in your head and extremely redundant. May I add: boring. It was by the morning of Stage 4 that I broke through that and found the nirvana that I had newly discovered in previous races, not knowing it was a side benefit.

A big tip for those doing this for the first time: get yourself out there for 7+ hours of walking and running before the race. You need to know where your brain will go during such extreme sessions. And note that we change along the way. My first races were in complete silence. This time I found audiobooks and some uplifting music to help me through the later miles of the day. More as a celebration and gasoline than as escape. It was a different way to experience it and I’m so glad I had it available to me.