Things I learned at G2G Ultra 2023 – Mental (Part 2) The mental side of the G2G Ultra is a huge part to completing the race. There were times during bad training day that I questioned what the heck I was doing and if I could do it. But I was able to get by those moments and remember my “WHY” – I enjoy trying Hard Things, Challenging and Pushing Myself and wanted some Adventure. As the start of the race neared my confidence was pretty high (with the exception of a pre-race butterfly’s). I had trained hard, tested my gear and felt prepared ready to go. My plan was to take each day in small bites and only think about getting to the next checkpoint, not think about the total mileage we hade to complete that day or for the week. There were times that the bites got smaller when the terrain we had to cross became challenging (steep climb, deep sand, bushwhacking) and I would only worry about getting this tough section.

The only time I felt like I struggled mentally was the last stretch at the end of stage 2. About the last 6 miles (10k) looked like it was going to be a breeze and we would finish on hard packed forest road into camp. But not long after leaving the last checkpoint the forest road was overgrown by Russian Thistle that we had to wade through. Also we could see the camp off in the distance, but it never seemed to get closer. Fortunately at the last checkpoint I had met up with another racer (Aude Gribauval) and we battled through and lifted each other up through that tough section and made it to camp. Partnering up with other racers during difficult sections happened quite a few times during the week. After that difficult section I never felt overwhelmed the rest of the week and stayed in the moment. In fact, I honestly was happy to be exactly where I was at any given moment. Know your “Why”. Why are there? Find your people – the ones you can help, and can help you through the difficult sections. Look up and enjoy the beauty that surrounds you. Appreciate the volunteers, medical and supporting staff – they make a huge difference as you roll through the checkpoints and come into camp.