Ultra Race Romania - 2023 Reflections

This is the last of 3 blogs regarding URR and I think it's an important read for the athletes who took part, the volunteers and anyone who is considering signing up for this adventure of a lifetime.
The athletes and volunteers have returned home to their families and they will enjoy telling stories of bear foot prints, bear poo, wild dogs, the stunning scenery and all the experiences they went through in this adventure.  I call it an adventure because it's way more than a race. 
The athletes have completed an extremely tough 7 day adventure and during that time they were "stripped bare".  No luxuries, no showers, no fresh clothes, no make up or hair conditioner, eating freeze dried food and suffering from a calorie deficit every day which means you lose your muscle mass.  It's not for the faint hearted.  But you are treated like "movie stars" with cheering volunteers and photographers taking unlimited pictures of you and giving interviews about your experience to the wonderful Fisheye team.  Facebook receives these images and they go worldwide.  But when the race is over and you've enjoyed some downtime with your fellow competitors life returns to normal.  In my experience that can be a tough time making the adjustment to normal life and going back to work.
Most of us lead a risk free sedentary life.  That's part of the reason we put ourselves into an event like this, to stimulate the "animal" in us and to take risks (calculated) because it makes us feel alive.  But when we go back home it takes a period of adjustment and this is where an opportunity lies.
What did you learn about yourself during the 7 days?  How did you cope with the fear of being in the forest in the dark on your own knowing that there were wild animals about?  How did you handle sharing a tent with 3 strangers who spoke different languages and constantly being with other people with little time for yourself?  Personally speaking it had a profound affect on me after I came through the post race blues which really had me quite down two years ago.  Coming back as a volunteer wasn't as tough but it still required a period of adjustment and Facebook prolongs that experience with everyone sharing their stories.  And quite rightly too, you should be proud of what you have achieved even if you DNF, you still contributed to the adventure and got outside your comfort zone.
Some competitors have races coming up immediately afterwards so this will delay the come down but it will happen.  
This is your chance to see if you need to make changes in your life.  It may confirm you are perfectly happy but it may also confirm that you are not.  If it's the latter then start to analyse what makes you happy and follow that path.  It may be a change of jobs or making a commitment to a relationship or leaving a relationship.  When I was in URR two years ago it made me feel alive and appreciate "real" people more than ever.  As a volunteer it made me realise this is my "happy place" with likeminded individuals in an environment that excited me.  There's no room for posers or bullshit in this arena.  Taking part is too painful so you only get the gritty people who have a love of the out doors.  URR has changed my life significantly. The changes haven't been easy but I realised "we all know the end of this movie and nobody gets out alive" so you might as well enjoy yourself.  I've always said URR is more than a race, it's an adventure so pluck up the courage and follow in the foot steps of Legends who took on the challenge.  I leave you with one final thought - you have one life.  Live it.