Mental Preparation
Tricks for getting yourself centered for the 12 races to come
On paper, Force Blue shouldn’t work. In a world defined by division, there’s no reason to think that pairing veterans who have no previous experience in conservation with scientists who have dedicated their lives to it would succeed. Yet, it does. After nearly a decade with this unlikely mash-up, it’s clear that what allows our teams to mesh is a shared ability to appreciate suffering as a “function of life rather than a glitch.”
Sitting under a punishing sun in an open-air boat for 12 hours looking for dolphins that aren’t there is remarkably similar to standing watch in a desert. Both groups find joy in pushing that rock up the hill, again and again, because they understand the bigger picture and feel a camaraderie that can only come from suffering with people you love and respect.
I’m taking that lesson with me to the start of every race. This is going to suck. And that’s not only okay—it’s a fundamental part of the undertaking. For much of it, I will have friends there with me, all heading for the same finish line with the same larger goal in mind. And when I’m alone, J and that blue marble will be there with me.