The Frozen Chosin Few.

http://www.facebook.com/sereperformance

   I certainly do apologize for being out of touch with you guys.  I have been scrambling to prepare for my next event.  I do not recall a time in my life where so much money has flown out of my bank account in just a short period of time.  That, in conjunction with the holidays, has left me counting pennies just as it has for you and your shopping endeavors.  I have quite an unexpected surprise for you guys.  But first, check out what one Spartan Racer did to show his support for Spartan Race HQ.  He created a wicked-awesome video that gives me chills every time I watch it.  Check it out:

Cool, huh?  Motivated?  Let’s get on with it.

Around early December after my event in Tough Mudder event in Tampa, a new type of event was brought across my computer screen on Facebook.  The owner of AdventureRun.net, Paul DiMarino, found a new challenge known as S.E.R.E. Performance and posted about it.  The website, http://www.sereperformance.com, displayed very little information about their events.  When I first looked under their “S.E.R.E. Events” tab, each event simply gave a Lat/Long grid and a time for the event to start.  Oh wonderful.  I could already see that this was going to be a very unique challenge.  I took the first grid coordinate and plugged it into Google.  It dropped a pin in downtown Washington D.C.  The date: January 27^th.  What time?  It starts at 2200 (10:00 PM).  So I have a location and a time.  I then asked myself, “what, pray tell, is this event all about?”  I began to search the website.  It’s very well constructed and very intuitive.  I clicked on their “About S.E.R.E” tab.  It simply stated: 

“S.E.R.E. Challenge is like no other. Our focus is survival through self-reliance. Emphasis on team will be obvious as nobody can survive alone but individual accountability is paramount. ALL will be tested physically and mentally.”

Very well.  I further learned that they offer four different levels: Basic, Advanced, Elite, and Xtream Survival Challenge.  Oh, how lovely.  I checked back to the previous page.  The event in D.C. was a Basic level event.  Back to the info page.  What can I expect for the Basic level challenge?   

“A 12+ hour urban mission based adventure that will test you physically and mentally.  The focus is on team building and individual performance in the areas of strength, endurance and agility – This is a “fun” but not for everyone challenge. Survival is paramount in all S.E.R.E. challenges and you learn the basics here.  The hardest part of S.E.R.E. basic is signing up but you are required to know how to have fun in the extreme ways you are looking for.  More information will be emailed to Challenge participants prior to the challenge date. However, for planning purposes the challenge will start on Friday January 27 at a Rally Point in Washington DC beginning at 10 pm.  Plan for 12+ hours of fun but always be prepared for more.”

 

 

That is it.  No other information provided.  Furthermore, the class in D.C. is the first of its kind.  So I was essentially signing up for something that no one has done before.  A few of us jumped at the chance.  It really didn’t take much for me to take the leap.  If you offer challenge and a taste of something I’ve never experienced, I am your Huckleberry.  After about ten of us signed up, a fellow member decided to start a private group on Facebook so we could collectively communicate.   One piece of information was missing:  “What the fuck do we bring to this shindig?”  A day later, the powers-to-be, posted that a gear list would be displayed on Facebook for approximately five minutes and then removed.  Most of us were already nervous; this just through gas on that little fire.  We quickly organized a few people to watch the S.E.R.E. Performance Facebook page overnight.  Sure enough, the gear list was posted and taken down at around 0200 EST.  A gal from the group snagged the gear list from the post with a quick copy and paste action.  Only one problem… the gear list was posted in Mandarin Chinese.  Luckily, it was easily translated through Google.  
 

So it was set.  I now knew where to be, what time to be there, and what I needed to bring.  I am currently signed up for S.E.R.E. Class 001B.  I am very nervous but very excited as well.  We have been dubbed as “The Frozen Chosin Few.”  We are simply a small group of forty people who dared take the leap into the unknown.  The challenge group “S.E.R.E. Performance” was founded by a Marine named "Actual" from "Over the Rainbow" and is the lead cadre at this event… or so I believe.  I really do not and will not know much until I get there and complete the event. 

 (I didn't do anything to this photo. That apparently just happens when you try to take a picture of him. Strange...) 

 

As far as gear is concerned, I have spent well over $1k for gear.  A new ruck (military backpack), cold weather gear, new shoes, and other assorted gear that was required were all purchases that recently occurred.  I am fairly certain that I will be using this gear in the future for other challenges so I don’t feel as if it will be a waste.  

 
 

My workouts have increased dramatically; both in intensity and time.  Some of my future team mates are very well known in the Adventure/Obstacle race community as well as the GORUCK community.  I very quickly evolved into the “little fish” in the group as folks signed up.  I certainly do not want to be the weak link.  That, I think, is my biggest concern. This looming thought forced me to get up on my latest Sunday off.  I loaded up my Mystery Ranch 3DAP (Three Day Assault Pack) with all of the gear that I will be carrying and I decided to go for a little trek.  I picked a starting point on Camp Lejeune, had Jessica drop me off, and I ran/hiked back home.  I did a binary rotation between a fast walk at 3.5 mph for ten minutes and a slow run at 5.5 mph for five minutes.  The total distance was just over 12 miles and the ruck itself weighed in at just less than 57 lbs.  Details on where I went and how fast/slow are below if you click the link :  


http://runkeeper.com/user/IVIanOnTheIVIove/activity/65511660.  

  

I’m not going to lie, I am a hurtin’ puppy dog today but I plan on doing the same thing next Sunday only with a longer distance ( If you care to join me, just shoot me an email).  It should be interesting.  I will keep you updated in the form of one additional post before the event. 

  

I have been receiving a lot of emails and messages about this blog; mostly from people that I do not even know on a personal basis.  If you have been spreading the word about my efforts, thank you.  But I am merely writing this blog to connect the dots for you; my personal friends and family. 

  
 

I’m sorry to be so short but I must get back to work!  Thanks for reading and following!