Sunday, September 29, 2013

Re-visiting my Gobi March memories

 

 
 
Thanks to Lucille's suggestion, I thought it would be fun to capture bits and pieces from my Gobi blog and re-visit them in the context of Jordan. Some are more ridiculous than others, some are reflective and some are just straight from the heart.
 
 
"The more lighthearted I am, the more fantastic the day becomes."
 
"I thought the long march is going to be a long day, so it doesn’t matter where I stand at the start line. I decided to go to the toilet when everyone was at the start line and became officially the last person to start."

"I was really amazed that after 5 days and 200k, I still had strength in me and was running the last 16k."

"The Gobi for me is a 70% travelling experience, 20% spiritual journey of self-discovery and 10% physical challenge."

"Every step is a step closer, that's what I tell myself."

"Yesterday was the second day of the race. The terrain was manageable but my pain management experience was not. "
 
"Today is the most difficult in terms of the terrain. We had to climb up really steep mountains but the scenery was absolutely stunning. I almost wanted to say it's worth everything to come here, but with the pain in my shoulders and feet, I really couldn't get myself to say that." 

"I am happy with any distance, any trail and any conditions that Mother Nature permits every time I train.   I used to be afraid of heights and dreaded uphill. I have learnt to focus on the present moment and focus on my step one by one, see fear as distractions and avoid them."

"Now that I come to reflect upon it, Gobi is just the start. The journey of preparation alone has changed my life and my perspectives forever, but I am already planning further goals after Gobi."

Saturday, September 28, 2013

The twists and turns of my 4 deserts journey




"The winners in life treat their body as if it were a magnificent spacecraft that gives them the finest transportation and endurance for their lives."

I thought after Gobi I would rest for a long time before doing another 250k desert race. At least a year I thought, so Madagascar sounds like a great plan - 14 months and a journey through baobab trees and lemurs. It didn't even occur to me at that time that I would be remotely interested in Sahara. I don't thrive under hot weather.

A few months ago, I thought I had the most fantastic job anyone could dream of. I had a real job, decent pay, am able to pursue my passion and social causes, and a balanced life which could afford me the time and energy for training.

In recent weeks, I was caught in a swirl of company and team restructuring. I was being interviewed, lobbied, evaluated (favorably and unfavorably) and pushed around. So much for a dream job.

All these changes made me rethink my Madagascar plans. I am not sure about the way things are moving  around me. It would be a good idea to focus on something else, clear my head and plan ahead. If I really make a move at some point, it would not look good to take a long no pay leave with a new employer. All these factors considered, it made sense to drop Madagascar.

But since I have already paid for the Madagascar deposit, the question is moving the deposit forward or backward. If assuming I might make a career move, the only way is to move forward.

Coincidentally, the race organizers moved the Sahara race to February, i.e. cold winter and due to the political situation in Egypt, the race is now moved to Jordan. This means if I join, I will be starting my journey from Wadi Rum (the Lawrence of Arabia story), passing through 4 deserts and arriving at the finish line at Petra.

The next few months would mean a new career challenge, a new race season, and preparations for a journey of a life time.  I am so grateful that the power of endurance is still firmly holding within.