Here We Go Again: Planning, Prep, and Haribo

Ah, August. That magical time of year when the weather’s confused, the calendar’s full, and, apparently, I sign up for another “let’s-see-if-we-survive-this” event. Tradition, it seems, has chosen August as our go-to month for these challenges… though 2027 might break the streak (and my body, who knows?).

We're less than nine weeks out now, and surprise surprise, we're doing it all over again. Better energy, probably a bit of chaos, & hopefully fewer mistakes. Last year’s event was a brand-new beast, full of trial, error, and my focus? Making sure the support crew were taken care of in every way!

This years Support Crew: The Unsung Heroes.

Let me be clear, my crew is everything. I mean, I do the wheeling (or whatever we're calling what I do), but they keep the engine running (figuratively and literally).

Last year, my mantra was: Feed the crew, water the crew, let the crew pee. It’s not exactly Shakespeare, but it works. Breakfast and dinner were sorted, and lunch was a “stop if you can, eat if you must” kind of deal... especially important for the drivers. Passengers, mainly had to point a camera at me every hour and snap a few photos, so snacking definitely wasn’t a crisis. But drivers? Long hours, full responsibility for not only logistics but also my actual life. They need breaks. They need proper food. They need sleep.

The Joy of Early Mornings and… Medication

Another lesson learned from last year: early starts matter. Last time, we started with the best intentions (read: pre-dawn hustle). Then my wifes stint was done and suddenly “early start” meant 9:30am. For me, that’s basically brunch!

Why the early obsession? Well, I have a delightful medication routine that involves nausea, lying on the floor with a vomit bowl, and force-feeding myself Haribo like it’s a miracle cure. This happens every 3 days without fail. So, the earlier I can get it done and recover, the sooner I can get back to the task of preparing for another day of making my body do things it does not want to!

Meet the Dream Team

This year’s crew? Absolute legends.

• My wife is back and will be driving for the first half. She keeps things moving (literally).
• Paul, who was fantastic last time, takes over in the second half. Calm, experienced, and unshakeable.
• Hallie, our newest addition, is all kindness, chill vibes, and fits in like she was always part of the team.

They all know the drill: keep it fun, keep it light, keep it rolling. These are not high-strung maniacs. They’re the kind of people who laugh easily, adapt quickly, and don’t panic when things go a bit sideways (which they always do). And they understand the importance of Positivity and Support, which is AMAZING👏

The Countdown Begins

So here we are: plans locked, crew assembled, countdown ticking. Now it’s just training, training, and more training… and probably some more Haribo!