Adventure Race? What?!

It is two days before my Adventure Race. I am sure most of you are wondering why it’s such a big deal to me. Almost everyone has the same question for me when I tell them I am doing this race. “Why in the world would you do that?” I have asked myself that question many times in this year-long process. It started a few years ago when I felt like my life was falling apart. My husband was very sick. I had a daughter who awakened me every night multiple times with night terrors. I was overweight and tired all the time. I was in survival mode. Late one night I was up watching TV because I was too anxious to sleep. I turned it to the National Geographic Channel. The Eco Challenge (the Adventure Race of all Adventure Races) was on. There was a team of women scaling the Alps, white water rafting and biking across Italy for a week. My heart started beating quickly in my chest with excitement. Then I thought about how weak I had become. I didn’t have control over anything anymore. I knew in that moment that I couldn’t control my circumstances. So I pleaded with God. Lord, please make me strong. I realized that with God’s help that there was something I had control over! My body! I spent the next six months changing the way I ate which in turn gave me the energy I needed to crawl out of my bed and to exercise. I started to dream of the day I could do an Adventure Race. I started my research and found one of the best Adventure Racing organizations is in Virginia and that they host multiple races each year. I set a goal that I would complete my first Adventure Race before I turned 40 (I was 36 at the time). But I knew I couldn’t do it alone. I communicated my goal to my husband, Dad and brothers. All of them immediately jumped on board encouraging me. Mo even bought me a compass, headlamp and other gear for Christmas last year to fuel my dream. Thanks honey! I will attempt my first race on Saturday with the dream team of my Dad, Chris and Jason. 15-20 miles of mountain biking, 5-7 miles of canoeing (with our bikes in the canoe), 5-10 miles of trail running and orienteering/navigating the whole thing. Our only goal is to finish. Now you can ask me again, “Why in the world would you do that?” The short answer, “Because I never thought I could!”