I had an entirely different blog written and ready to post, but then I realized it wasn't the story I wanted to tell. Yesterday, I was talking to someone about how I've never felt pressured by the perfect lives people show on social media, until I entered the Mongol Derby. Suddenly my timeline was filled with messages from fellow competitors about all the crazy workouts they were doing. I felt, and still feel, like I am not doing enough, not training hard enough and won't be good enough to make it through the first day, let alone finish this race. But after another training session, I opened my Facebook again and saw posts from different friends about the stories behind all the perfect pictures and the different struggles everyone is facing. A fellow rider voiced the exact same thoughts I was having and it made me realize it is okay to have doubts, that I am not the only one and that this race is not about being better than others but about improving myself and to keep going when things get rough.
That's also the reason I haven't written a blog in a while. I felt like the training I was doing wasn't enough and I didn't want others to read it and wonder why on earth I would even attempt this race when I am not fit enough. So this is me, trying to listen to the people around me and staying positive. Because I have gotten a lot fitter, I lost weight, gained muscle and can now run a 6k, something I never thought possible. I remember in high school, when we had to do those running tests and I couldn't even run for a minute at a time. I hated PE and as much as I enjoyed riding and dancing, I never thought I would go to a gym for fun. It feels good though, to be more active. I actually look forward to my training now, after a long day at work doing the most boring job ever.
It's been six months since my arm healed enough for me to start riding again. And in those months I rode less than ever... But I have been training, almost every day. You can't fully prepare for the Derby since there are so many different aspects to it. But I figured I would do as many types of training as I can, to improve my general fitness and get stronger. It was hard at first, I had lost a lot of strength in my arm after my injury and it frustrated me so much that I couldn't even lift a water bucket for my horse. Now I can do pushups again and lift weights. Dancing is still one of the highlights of my week. My group is actually preparing to do a show in June and we're working hard on our dance which is a mix of modern and hiphop. I also run, swim and occasionally try something new, like self defense classes. On the rare moments that I don't have work I ride my own horse or the Icelandic horse I am working with. The owner asked me to take him on trails as he was a little insecure and kept trying to run home or turn around. The first time I rode him, he kept jumping and pawing like a proper Mongolian pony, which made for good practice, but he is actually doing really well now and is a very smooth ride.
There is other stuff I have to focus on now though, like my kit. Since I am only allowed 5kgs of 'luggage' on the horse, I immersed myself in the world of ultra-lightweight hiking gear. The weight limit forces you to only bring essentials. While travelling I have realized that there is not much you really need, so I am interested in seeing how I will feel during the Derby, with less stuff than ever. There are so many different things that go into preparing for this Derby. From visa (which I still have to organize) to navigation skills. I don't have the best sense of direction so I am kind off worried about that part. One of the 'to do' things on my list is taking a GPS course, either that or bribing some of my friends to help me with this. Since I would like to finish the race and not have to pull out because of broken bones, I also want to do some sort of course for that. More on that later, so stay tuned!
