SUP: 26.2 miles x 5 Plus 21
On April 15 I was stunned and brought to tears to hear of the Boston bombings - as it had been less than 48 hours that I had aborted my trip to run the marathon. Why? It just didn't 'feel right' to go. There was something that was saying not to go.
Then two weeks ago I was stunned again, but in a different way, when I heard one of our friends was for a third time going to have to undergo a stem cell transplant to battle cancer. Why? How? Life was humbling me left and right with things that I had no control over.
But what I do have control over is how I use my time.
Four years ago Steve and I committed to participate in The Flatwater Foundation's Dam That Cancer event, a 21 mile stand and paddle from Mansfield Dam to Tom Miller Dam on Lake Austin. The event would raise funds to support wellness programs for families and individuals battling cancer. When I heard founder, Mark Garza, tell us how paddleboarding and counseling basically kept his sanity and steadfastness during his father's battle with cancer, it brought home the fact that movement and fitness are not just about our physical health, but as importantly, our mental health.
As a lifetime athlete, I understand the importance of movement and outdoors in my life. Give me a slalom run on a butter calm lake at sunrise or a paddle at dusk to the setting sun. Both fulfill me so much more spiritually than physically that I know my life is stronger with them than without them. I also understand what this has the ability to do for the strength of others' when they, too, need the well being.
So when I heard about the bombings, when I heard about our friend, when I was wondering how I could find meaning in it all and do something for others, I decided Steve and I could paddle 26.2 miles every week in honor of The Boston Marathon in preparation for Dam That Cancer.
It sounded "kind of simple" at first :-) A few miles here, a few miles there, and a longer weekend paddle. Actually, it ended up more like a daily paddle with a moderate weekend paddle. Of course, the Texas winds picked up for the last 3 weeks, making us work for our goal. We paddled on average 7 hours/week. This was more than my run training total hours for Ironman! Our hands were callusing, my feet grew a 1/2 size (gotta lose that BEFORE I start Ironman training for Kona again ;-) and we were constantly tired. Odd. We do lots of sports and activities, but this muscle confusion definitely had our bodies in a bit of turmoil. But we LOVED it!!
On May 31 we finished 26.2 miles x 5. A total of 131 miles. On June 3, the day of Dam That Cancer, we added the final 21 miles for a total of 152 miles in 5 weeks on a paddleboard. Check.
Last week I saw a beautiful picture of three gorgeous girls on the front of People Magazine. They had each lost a limb in the Boston bombings and were now given mobility through prosthetics. On July 11, our friend goes to MD Anderson for his third stem cell transplant. I'm reminded how easily we make commitments to dig in and do something for others, but when we're done, they are not. For the three women who smile so beautifully from the cover of People magazine, to our friend and his family gearing up for this third stem cell transplant journey, I am reminded to not forget and to continually look for ways in my life to make a difference in theirs or someone in a similar situation.
But what I do have control over is how I use my time.
Four years ago Steve and I committed to participate in The Flatwater Foundation's Dam That Cancer event, a 21 mile stand and paddle from Mansfield Dam to Tom Miller Dam on Lake Austin. The event would raise funds to support wellness programs for families and individuals battling cancer. When I heard founder, Mark Garza, tell us how paddleboarding and counseling basically kept his sanity and steadfastness during his father's battle with cancer, it brought home the fact that movement and fitness are not just about our physical health, but as importantly, our mental health.
As a lifetime athlete, I understand the importance of movement and outdoors in my life. Give me a slalom run on a butter calm lake at sunrise or a paddle at dusk to the setting sun. Both fulfill me so much more spiritually than physically that I know my life is stronger with them than without them. I also understand what this has the ability to do for the strength of others' when they, too, need the well being.
So when I heard about the bombings, when I heard about our friend, when I was wondering how I could find meaning in it all and do something for others, I decided Steve and I could paddle 26.2 miles every week in honor of The Boston Marathon in preparation for Dam That Cancer.
It sounded "kind of simple" at first :-) A few miles here, a few miles there, and a longer weekend paddle. Actually, it ended up more like a daily paddle with a moderate weekend paddle. Of course, the Texas winds picked up for the last 3 weeks, making us work for our goal. We paddled on average 7 hours/week. This was more than my run training total hours for Ironman! Our hands were callusing, my feet grew a 1/2 size (gotta lose that BEFORE I start Ironman training for Kona again ;-) and we were constantly tired. Odd. We do lots of sports and activities, but this muscle confusion definitely had our bodies in a bit of turmoil. But we LOVED it!!
On May 31 we finished 26.2 miles x 5. A total of 131 miles. On June 3, the day of Dam That Cancer, we added the final 21 miles for a total of 152 miles in 5 weeks on a paddleboard. Check.
Last week I saw a beautiful picture of three gorgeous girls on the front of People Magazine. They had each lost a limb in the Boston bombings and were now given mobility through prosthetics. On July 11, our friend goes to MD Anderson for his third stem cell transplant. I'm reminded how easily we make commitments to dig in and do something for others, but when we're done, they are not. For the three women who smile so beautifully from the cover of People magazine, to our friend and his family gearing up for this third stem cell transplant journey, I am reminded to not forget and to continually look for ways in my life to make a difference in theirs or someone in a similar situation.
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