Transformers! From left to right; Jamie Bywater, Jessice LaVenter, Tammey L. “T-2000” Clark, Cara “Unicorn” Jones, Kelly Dawson, and Rick “The Mad Canadian” Dawson
2 things I want to talk about with this post. The Organs R’ Us Marmot sponsored Transformers team of beasts running a 199 mile relay literally the very second I write this AND my personal letter to myself in regards to my expectations and fears of this transformation challenge that lay before us.
The Transformers
Like I said, this very second there are some Hulkster rocking out a 199 mile relay run. Known as “The longest party in California,” this 199 mile beast-a-thon starts in Calistoga and ends in Santa Cruz. Each runner will have 3 legs each consisting of 3-8 miles apiece and they will be running through 36 cities, 7 counties, national parks & over the golden gate bridge. Jamie & Jessica will have the pleasure of running in the middle of the night! Cara and Tammey have the “very hard” legs of the relay. Kelly and Rick are in charge of the van and without Kelly, Hulk would not be participating in such grand fashion. She organized and sorted the details for the team as well as working for Marmot, the company sponsoring the Hulksters and Marmot employees running the relay together. Jessica also deserves a shout out, organizing and implementing a Zumba fundraiser that raised $600 in a matter of 2 hours for the Hulk powered Marmot crew!
Funds raised benefit Organs R’ Us. Founded in 1996 Organs R’ Us promotes organ donation through athletics. With 110 thousand Americans on the waiting list for organ donors, this is a cause worth applauding.
I just wanted to give a big Hulk shout out and AhhhOOOOOOO to this group of amazing individuals. If you’re new to Hulk, be sure to look to ANY of these individuals if you need an example of how to lead with love.
My Letter
The reason I’m writing this is to give you an example of the honesty I hope you give yourself as well as showcase the seriousness in which I hope you are taking this “homework.” As a reminder, I have asked all of you on Hulk to write a letter to yourselves explicitly detailing your hopes, expectations, fears, and anxieties you have going in to this challenge that is due by the time of your first boot camp (May 8th, 9th, or 10th depending on which team you are on.) I want you to write it from the perspective that you are addressing your FUTURE self. Write from the point of view that are talking to a companion who you wish nothing but the best for, but need to express your fears and worries to for fear of bottling it up and not being able to fully submerge yourself into this experience. This is meant to show you the difference in how you feel in the beginning of the challenge to being able to read it like a time capsule at the END of Hulk X when you will be a completely different person. Consider it a before and after photo of your heart and soul.
Dear Josh,
Fancy seeing you here… Come around often? Well, here we are again. This is your 10th challenge yet it feels like the 50th and 1st all at once. You’d think it would be old hat by now but I’ll be damned if this isn’t the scariest one yet. I mean, this is the biggest thing you’ve ever done. There are a lot of people counting on you to not let them down, and even though that’s a really scary thought, I admire you for taking the plunge and moving forward. For a long time now I know you’ve been battling with the fear that the higher you climb the further you fall, but look at this as your opportunity to prove that fear wrong. It’s ok to be afraid to let people down, because that fear grounds you even when your head is in the clouds. You always say, all good things carry nerves behind it so the fact that you ARE nervous means you’re doing it right! Plus, look on the bright side… You’re going into this one being adapted to the physical strain it takes to run the 3 teams. Your voice doesn’t hurt anymore nor does it get lost. Your stamina is used to the rigors of the 6 boot camps in a row and that was your biggest fear LAST TIME. I mean, that turned out fine, right? You were POSITIVE you were going to drop from exhaustion and lose your voice but not only did you not come close, but you emerged STRONGER! How rad was that? It was like a fit test for mind, body, soul, and Hulk and you did the equivalent of tripling your plank time. Self high five!! *SLAP!* My point is you faced your fears last time and those fears were laughable and the very thing that forged your most recent coat of armor, so you can be damn sure the same thing is going to happen this time. Remember, you’ve got the support of Hulk Food Group too. Ever since that started you’ve really been doing well with your emotions in regards to food, and I’m proud of you there, too. It’ll be a life long journey, we know that… but to constantly seek better tools to work on self improvement, not perfection, is something not often sought after yet often looked up to. That’s where it comes full circle… You get the results people don’t get by doing the work people don’t do.
When this thing is all said and done, I hope that you are able to change the perception of at least 1 person. Aw, who are we fooling, you want more than that… Before you always said that as long as ONE PERSON gets their brain and heart reformatted then this challenge was a success. You’ve gotten a little greedy now, but that’s ok because at least you’re not fooling yourself. I hope that ALL the new Hulksters (and veterans alike) get a defibrillator to the cranium. It’s ok to hope for that because I know you’re going to work your ass off for it. Besides, there will always be chants, sound offs, shovels to paint, banners to hang, songs to pick out, rages to yell, T-shirts to make, tears to shed, sweat to pour, hugs to give, hugs to get, secrets shared, shoulders to lean on, and hearts to heal so even if you’re not able to get to everybody this time… You’ve got a life time of “AhhhhOOOOOOOO”ing to do. Keep that head up baby… Fears make you stronger when you Hulk smash through them. Iron forges iron. Do what you love, because in the end there is only one thing stronger than all the armies on Earth, and that’s an idea whose time has come. You can’t POSSIBLY fail because of that man! You know why?
Because everyone in the Hulk Nation all have the same idea…
Love,
The old you
Lastly HulkamaniaX, I’ve got some very important videos for those of you not able to make it to orientation. One is of the new “Hulk Rage” and the other is of the slightly tweaked new chant for this go around. I fully expect you to study up. I DON’T expect perfection on either, but I will settle nothing less than your full heart and soul poured into every Hulk Rage, chant, sound off, dig call, and any other call out that requires tenacity and beastliness. You have been warned.
– Rebel Hulk
iamhulk 