Monday, July 15, 2013

The Big Adventure

Wow, time flies when you're having fun!

It's almost unbelievable to me that I head to Europe this week. Back in March, July felt so far away in the future, now it's here! First stop is London and then I head to Iceland for “The Big Adventure” – so much has been going through my mind as I've been training and preparing for this event, it almost feels like a lifetime of contemplation has been condensed into a few months of intense training. I look forward to the adventure and whatever will come after it. I have thought a lot about how fabulously unpredictable life is, when I was younger I never imagined I would be living the life I live today. What a magical journey!

I still don't for one second take for granted just how lucky I have been to experience so much awesomeness during the last 4 months. Besides the Joshua Tree road trip and hanging in the Headlands and Bolinas, I made it out to Muir Woods twice, I’ve been up near Auburn a handful of times, I spent an amazing week in Kauai and I have immersed myself in the sights and sounds of San Francisco and it's surrounding areas.

Many hours have been spent running and hiking in the Marin Headlands, sometimes on my own, sometimes with friends – it is true that the more you spend time in one place the more intimately you get to know it – there are so many gems in the Headlands. The birds, the plant life, the rare sight of a bobcat or coyote, the little lizards that scurry away in the heat, even the wind has it’s own unique sound as it comes over the valley from the ocean. I’ve observed how the valley changed as it moved into summer. This is life in the slow lane.

It seems quite incredible just how much I've managed to slow down since March and also how much more simple life feels - I continue to feel more "unbundled" from my old corporate life every week. So much so, that some days I dream about a life lived far away in the woods where I could write and tinker all day but in reality, I don't think that is something I will be able to achieve on my own in the near future – Without setting any limitations on myself, I just don't like the idea of being isolated. I am a social being and I do anticipate having a partner in life who has similar values and dreams to mine; besides, I am driven to succeed and I fear that besides the isolation, I may get bored in the woods after some time. Having said that knows what the long term future holds ... I am open to any possibility right now and I have been surprised before - after all, I never had a plan to live in San Francisco and here I am 8 years later, happy and healthy... dare I say, thriving?

So, in a couple of days I leave for London and for "The Big Adventure" ... it's going to be so good to see old friends in London ... it's always a little serendipitous, London was home for a long time and is close to my heart ... It’s nice to know I have no appointments to keep while I am there, this is purely a leisure (pleasure) trip. I also look forward to (once again) immersing myself in nature and the elements while I am in Iceland.

I was asked recently why I am doing this crazy race – who runs 250km in wind and rain across a part of Iceland? The only answer I can come up with is “BECAUSE I CAN!” ... How many of us in this lifetime have the opportunity to push ourselves way outside of our comfort zone to see what is on the other side? I am pretty sure I will come back home exhausted but with a pocketful of unparalleled experience. Who needs another reason than that?
"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Security does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than exposure." Helen Keller

To follow the race on the Racing the Planet web site, here are some links:
Home page
News and Updates
My blog page on RTP

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