the time is nigh........

 Whilst enjoying a glass of wine with friends and some lighthearted banter, the subject of norms and paradigms came up. How we got there I can't quite remember, but it was interesting to say the least!  I mean.....how does one define normal...?
I guess the answer to that depends on the social paradigm wherein you were raised and spend your life! I was raised by parents who made sure that spare time and weekends were spent exploring, if the road came to an end, and one could drive no further, out came the hiking boots....there was no such thing as not being able to carry on just because the road ended!

The issue of paradigms was highlighted again when a good friend asked how our team training camp had gone.  After getting about a third of the way through the first day, I was asked incredulously, all of this in one day? I looked at him quizzically.....was he being serious? Well, actually, no, I replied! It was about 9:30 in the morning by the time we got there! The reply, when it came, was: 'you're nuts!'

And so, the moment that we girls and 30 odd other teams have been waiting for....is apon us. I won't lie, the thought of it terrifies me somewhat. Having spent the last three weeks practicing a "forced taper and rest" due to being sick, I'm hoping that my mental strength will carry me through those now to be guaranteed Dark moments....you know....when everything hurts so much you just want to GIVE UP!

For me, I have come such a long way mentally, emotionally, spiritually and to a certain degree physically. Ive always loved being outdoors, but it was different.  This said, I do believe that the way I was brought up has certainly helped me develop into the person that I am today.

This is to be my third 500km + adventure. We all come away from these races changed (not only physically......reduction in belt size, with pants hanging down around your ankles!) but you learn so much about yourself, paradigms are tested, they shift and one discovers the strength and will of the human spirit. The test is not against the other teams or competitors, the test is against your own mind, body and soul!

Although I am probably more nervous going into this race than any of my previous adventures, I cannot wait to get out there and spend time with my amazing team mates and I am sure we are going to have the adventure of a life time!  We will smile, we will laugh...we'll no doubt scowl, get grumpy and at times, want to cry!
We'll see views that many others will never get the chance to. It will be a time to reflect on life and the PRIVILEGE we have to live it the way we do!


PRIVILEGE: (noun) a special right given to one person or group

the entertainer......

Life is so much better when you have good company, good food and of course good music! Throw in some fresh air, beautiful views and one finds oneself in a state of absolute bliss (yes there probably will be some blisters in there somewhere too!)

So whilst looking for a replacement for the ever smiling Jenny (not an easy task) we happened across a very interesting young lady.  The fact that she was into food and sang seemed to prickle my interest more than the fact that she could actually ride a bike AND navigate! :)  Maybe now I would have a team mate who actually appreciated my rendition of Koos Kombuis's "Almal wil 'n huisie by die see he" at 2am (although my trump card of really bad jokes would be kept secret until she had signed the dotted line!).  I've also failed to tell her about Janine and Vanessa's inability to stop or my inability to shut up!

Like with any other slightly wacky adventurous person, it didn't take Ansa long to nod her head in acceptance. We are super stoked to have her with us, and cannot wait to not only sample her delicious flatbreads, but also to hear her sing in those dark hours when the sleep monster comes visiting!

twists and turns of life....

Nothing in life is ever just plain sailing. I like to think of life as a vast ocean. Its a smorgasboard of life activity and has many different moods, which are depicted not only by the many currents, but also by the weather! Some days we are treated to a beautiful turquoise blue ocean, with calm crystal clear waters, and other days, its wild, with crashing surf and white horses as far as the eye can see, only to return a few days later to the previous beautiful calm.

Life is no different.  It changes from day to day, and each day should be appreciated. Even the bad days, because they make the good days just so much better!

The past few weeks have been a real combination of all the ups and downs that life throws at us... and for one of our team, this has been a really turbulant time. When Jenny and her husband Trevor should have been paddling the fabulous rapids of the first day of the Dusi Canoe Marathon, they were instead sitting in a hospital in Cape Town waiting for Trevor to under go Brain Surgery.  Having been diagnosed a couple of days before with a rather large Brain Tumour, life suddenly did an about turn.  Trevor being the super strong and amazing person he is, has bounced back amazingly well, but due to the nature of the tumour, a very long and bumpy road lies ahead for both him and Jenny. 

Jenny may not be able to join us for Expedition Africa 2014, but it will happen when the time is right! I am a very firm believer that everything in life happens for a reason, even if that reason is not clear to us at the time! The next few months are going to be challenging enough and we will be behind you and Trevor every step of the way!

Keep Smiling Jenny and Trevor!

Two's company, three's a crowd, four's a team.......

I've discovered that its good to dream, because without dreams, we have nothing to strive for. Nothing to force us out of that rut that we so easily find ourselves slumping into, and nothing to force us to go out of our comfort zone.

But like with many things in life, having the dream is one thing, but turning that dream into a reality, is another matter all together! Those who know me well, will know that an all-girls team has been something that has been tugging on my mind for quite some time, and this year, I decided that instead of spending another year procrastinating, it was time to grab the proverbial bull by the horns!

Now came the 1st real challenge....finding the girls! It's hard enough putting a normal mixed team together, and girls especially, are generally in short supply, which is why they are rather tongue in check considered part of the compulsory equipment list! Finding team mates is just not as simple as it seems...not everyone is cut out for adventure racing! 

Recruiting my regular racing partner Janine was probably the easiest! A bit like tossing a bone out into the Garden and telling your pet Jack Russel to go fetch! :) Janine is just one of those super awesome people who tackles everything in life with a Cheshire Cat smile, and the tenacity of a hyena! (Sorry Janine!) :)

Next up on the recruitment list was Vanessa.......who when I saw her obviously seasoned running legs, I must admit, scared the living daylights out of me!  Luckily for us though, she seemed to consider us a worthy proposition and after not much consideration, was in!  Luckily my inability to shut up was only revealed to her after she signed on the dotted line!


Suddenly, the dream was becoming very much a reality!

The word four is not only a difficult word to spell, with many different variations, and many different meanings, it is also a difficult number to master when learning to write, as I am discovering trying to teach my son!  And so, in keeping with all this 'difficulty', finding our fourth member proved to be exactly that.......difficult!    

Convincing someone who has never done an adventure race, that it is something that you think they will enjoy, and be good at is no easy task!  It goes something like this......

You will race through beautiful pristine wilderness areas, ride through rolling grasslands, and natural forests. Hike up mountains with views like no other, and gape at waterfalls like you've only ever dreamed of.........and then, probably because I actually like the person I am trying to convince, concience takes over and I feel compelled to reveal the not so glamorous side of adventure racing.............and more truthfully, one of the real driving forces behind this sport......personal challenge and the mental strength required to get to the finish line.........it goes something like this........

So.......we will race nonstop for however long it will take to cover the +-500km, probably 5-6 days. You won't sleep in a bed during that time, in fact you'll probably only sleep about 5-7 hrs, and any sleep you do get, will be wherever you find yourself at the time......in a bush, in a drain, or in a goat dropping flea infested shed, somewhere in the middle of nowhere. You might be wet and muddy for the entire race, your feet will probably peel, and you may lose all your toe nails. You'll develop chaffe and blisters in places you never knew existed. You'll probably also have to throw your race top away after the race, or wash it numerous times to get rid of 5 days of racing in it sweaty smell.  You might get lost, you might run out of food, and you might have to close your eyes and nose whilst you drink stagnant water from a puddle or dam which has not only cattle poo floating in it but something that died a few days ago.

Generally the response is.....'why on earth would I want to do that to myself?'

I only have one answer......because we are 'privileged' enough to be able to!

Jenny clearly only heard the first part of my explanation. You know, the bit about the nice views and beautiful waterfalls! It didnt take much to convince her......and I'm grateful in her trust as she certainly brings sunshine to the already wonderful bunch of girls!

And so we were no longer 2, or 3, but a full and complete four!

I am in no doubt that my team mates are stronger than me.....which is why I hold the map, at least they can't leave me behind! :)