GORUCK Take 2: Never Quit and Have No Regrets

My second GORUCK Challenge is now in the books.  St. Patrick's Day Custom Challenge Class 936 to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  I have so many thoughts I'm not sure where to start. Each GRC is different and each class is special.  For me, each experience teaches different lessons, or to be more specific takes lessons I've learned before in life and drives them home.  For my first challenge, GRC 792 those lessons were "Winning hearts and minds" and "It can always be worse". You can read about that here...  For this class, GRC 936 the lessons were "Never Quit" and "Live life with no regrets".  More on those later.

If you're a regular reader, you'll remember that two of my kids, Logan and Julianne were coming to shadow this.  I agreed to get them to Chicago if they raised at least $150 each for LLS.  If you're a new reader feel free to get caught up about that here...  Between the three of us, we managed to raise over $500 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society above and beyond the registration fee.  It was a great experience to have them there shadowing, and they were both rock stars!  They pushed through the cold, the sleepless night, all the miles, always willing to do anything they were asked, and all the while watching the challenge class and learning that they are stronger than they ever thought they were.  I was incredibly proud of them both,  especially when Cadre John aka "Big Daddy" presented them with GORUCK Shadow Company patches I had bought them.

Logan and Julianne after the Challenge

GRC 936 started at the Chicago Fire Academy at 1:00 am with a start temperature of about 33 degrees, and it only got colder from there dropping down to about 26 just before dawn.  As is custom, I won't talk a lot about what this Challenge entailed, except to say Big Daddy brought the pain.  I have a new respect for four count flutter kicks, concrete parking stops are HEAVY, goose poop and freezing mud is not fun to play in, and I've never before had the chance to low crawl and roll around in snow and sand back to back.  Good Livin'!

This class as a whole inspired me, but there are a few people who stand out.  I won't mention any names, but if you read this, and you'd like to take credit for your inspiration, please comment down below.

To the woman who almost quit early on and didn't: We've all been there and felt what you felt.  That you dug deep and gutted it out and ended up suffering the pain of Big Daddy instead the pain of regret was amazing.  You reminded me that we have to get outside of our comfort zone to make the magic happen.  You did it.  You never quit, and you're GRT.

To my fellow over 40 GORUCK "master":  Thanks for being there.  I often feel old in situations like this, and wonder why I push my 44 year old body to the limit.  You reminded me it's because I can.  "To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift." Let's keep leading the way for the younger generation.

To the woman in her 20's that carried me in the parade (literally carried me):  You give me hope for the future,  we often hear discouraging things about the "millenials", but if you are any indication there's nothing to worry about.  Strong in body and mind, you make others want to be like you. And I agree with someone else who said after watching you, I did my 20's all wrong!

To my singing partner who didn't even know if she should start the challenge because of injury, but did it anyway: Just like in St. Louis, you remind me to never judge anyone by their size.  How you carry the heavy shit you do is beyond me, but when I grow up, I wanna be like you!

Finally, even though I said I wasn't going to mention any names, Patrick Jessee:  You kicked cancer's ass and came back stronger.  You protect the public as a firefighter and paramedic and have never backed away from a challenge.  You are a true hero, and I'm proud to call you a friend and humbled that you consider me one.

Now for the lessons...

Never Quit.  This class finished with a 100% pass rate.  We started together and we finished together.  Even when things were cold, dark, and hard.  Even when those demons got into our heads and made us question it, we beat them back.  We met, marched with and had our class picture taken with at least three cancer survivors.  Patrick, who I've already mentioned, and the boy and girl of the year for LLS.  Frankie, who lost his sight as a result of this disease, and Piper, who suffered and endured over 700 chemo treatments.  They never quit.  There is always good on the other side of bad.  Sometimes we just have to "embrace the suck".

GRC 936 with Piper and Frankie

Live life with no regrets.  We are owed nothing.  We have no idea how much time we are given on this earth.  Make the most of every day.  I saw it lived in the cancer survivors, and with every member of class 936.  If we wait for the perfect time to do what we dream of, we may never get the chance.  Lorrin L. Lee said it this way. " Your life is your message to the world. Make it inspiring."

A last thank you to Cadre "Big Daddy" John.  Excellent job and incredible challenge.  Much respect for you and what you do.  The story you shared in the frozen mud made us all want to be better Americans.  In one emotional story, you drove home both lessons.  The Marine you lost never quit, and I'm sure had no regrets.  His message, and yours are inspiring.

And to the entire GORUCK Community, until next time...