Crikey – check these guys out (Mother and Son dance)
inspiration
Inspiration and Motivation (We all need it sometimes)
That is what I was thinking as I headed for the shed this morning for my daily row on a C2 rowing machine, it was 4.30am…
Exercise is a daily habit for me and always includes rowing, possibly a 10 kilometre walk with a 30 kilo backpack, or some sort of strength training later in the evening.
My friends often comment how much I must like exercise and how easy it seems for me, and true, for the most part I do enjoy it, but as for it being easy, no way, I tell them it is no easier for me than it is for anyone else.
The key is, I tell them, you need to be motivated to do it.
This morning as I made my way up the pathway to the shed in the pre-dawn darkness, a time of day I usually revel in, I was searching for that motivation, something to inspire me, to push me towards my own goal of climbing big mountains…
As I wiped the sleep from my eyes, there it was, a vision of why I am doing this, my inspiration…
Twelve years ago, TomO, our son, was born almost six weeks prematurely.
There wasn’t any medical problem for Janet, my partner, in fact everything progressed as normal, but seemingly the little bloke was ready to take on the world and he wasn’t going to wait a moment longer…
A large contingent of medical staff was assembled, ready to provide the life-support that might be needed, it was a humbling moment, but he announced his way into the world in the usual way and was strong enough to take his first breathe without the assistance of the gathered team.
Those first moments cradled in the security of his mother’s loving arms…
He spent three weeks in the intensive care unit of the hospital, growing stronger every day. This was his struggle, his challenge, and he met it head-on, unflinchingly…
Yes, this was my inspiration, my motivation, the miracle of life, and the will to live…
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Hey – Whatever Floats Your Boat (Just as long as you’re happy)
One way I keep fit and healthy is through rowing, something I do up in “The Shed” on my Concept2 rowing machine most days.
Mind you, I would much rather be out on the water in one of my kayaks, which is a regular feature of our weekend when we aren’t Out and About in the mountains, but time constraints can make this more difficult during the week.
And whilst it is a solitary pursuit in the predawn darkness up in the shed, I’m never alone when I row thanks to my fellow team-mates in our virtual rowing team.
I belong to a global team of about 80 rowers, a great bunch of people mostly based in North America and we go by the name of The Lun-atics…
The team was set up many years ago by a group of NASA employees with the intention of collectively rowing to the moon and back. Yes that’s right something like 384,000 kilometres, or as those in the rowing community tend to express distance in metres, a whopping 384 billion metres.
Crikey, let’s just settle on – it’s a long way there and back.
Well that is something we achieved in 2011 and we are now on the return voyage back to earth!
As a matter of interest, over the past four years I have covered the equivalent distance from Sydney to New York on my rowing machine, some 16,000 kilometres of rowing!
Anyway, a couple of days ago I was having a chat with one of my rowing mates and it got around to best times rowed, typically over 10,000 metres, a distance I train for. The 10,000 metre distance requires a good balance between speed and endurance and my best time is just under 38 minutes.
Our inclination as mere human beings is to want to compare ourselves, to see how we shape up against our peers. It might be in the gym, comparing how much you can lift versus someone else, or how fast you can cover 50 metres in the pool.
But I always question, is this the right comparison to make?
Sure, if you’re in a competition, where time taken or weight lifted, determines who wins the gong and who goes home empty handed, it is important. But for those of us who exercise mostly for health and fitness it is almost pointless, and might even be demotivating.
There will always be someone doing more, or going faster, depending on where you are and who you are with.
The true comparison is at what level you are pushing yourself and this might be measured by what zone you are training in determined by your heart-rate, or how much you are lifting versus your one-repetition maximum.
If you are training to the maximum of your ability, it doesn’t matter how fast, or how much, you are as equal to anyone else doing the same.
Anyone giving 100 percent is giving 100 percent, right?
Life is much the same, it doesn’t matter what you are doing that counts as much as whether you are getting satisfaction and happiness from it.
Strewth, my sister does quilting, and at the risk of upsetting all those quilters out there, all three of them, I don’t get it myself, but then she doesn’t quite understand the need for me to stand on top of big mountains. She’s not the only one mind you!
But you know what – we both love pursuing our individual interests and we’re equals because of the happiness it brings to our lives…
That is what truly counts, it isn’t the what, or how much – unless of course you’re going for gold, but that’s another story altogether – those Quilters’ are a competitive bunch!
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Don’t go falling between the cracks (Just embrace life)
Are there times that you feel like you are falling between the cracks, swallowed up by a world that just doesn’t seem to slow down?
I’ll confess I do sometimes…
But whenever I do I get a little echo in my mind, a little ditty that TomO said to me before competing in New Zealand’s Speight’s Coast to Coast Adventure Race earlier this year.
“Dad just go out there and embrace it, enjoy yourself” TomO said,
Crikey, it blew me away at the time, but you know, it sounds like damn good advice to me…
So I’m going to get out there and embrace the day, hit it head-on…
And remember, if all else fails, just Like The Landy on Facebook, remain out of control and see what develops…
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Strewth – talk about an Angel (But Janet’s no wall flower)
Crikey I have spent a lot of time talking about what I’m doing and that audacious plan I have to climb big mountains. Often I am asked, what about Janet, what is she doing while you’re gallivanting around Out and About.
And let me put this out there right upfront, didn’t TomO and I luck out with such a great mum, and wonderful partner!
Literally, she was the girl next door and that is how we came to meet, and boy, what an angel.
Strewth, you’d have to be to put up with the antics of two boys in one household who spend most of their waking hours egging each on!
Anyway, she isn’t the sort of person that will race across New Zealand in some adventure race, or for that matter, done a backpack and walk some ridiculous distance in 24 hours, just because you can. But she’ll be there to support you…
But she does like the finer things in life and has a wonderful family and circle of friends that she spends time with in between looking after her boys.
And talk about looking after us, crikey, she has to be the best cook around, even Out and About in the bush.
But let me tell you, when it comes to having fun, Janet is no wall flower. I mean, she’ll have no hesitation abseiling off a skyscraper in Sydney’s Central Business District, or hopping behind the controls of an aircraft.
And speaking of aircraft, perhaps she hasn’t flown as much as myself, but strewth she’ll have no hesitation in putting on a parachute and beating you out the door of one!
Talk about if you can’t beat them, just join them, that is her mantra…
And without a doubt she is one of the most courageous people I have ever met; some of the things I do she worries about, but then she always sends me on my way with her blessing and support – that takes tremendous courage!
Yeah, talk about an angel; she’s one in a million, that’s for sure!
The special people in your life just go give them a big hug and tell them you love them…
And remember, if all else fails, just Like The Landy on Facebook, remain out of control and see what develops…
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You wouldn’t be dead for quids – (How good is living)
A beautiful day is once again shaping up in one of the world’s greatest cities, the Harbour City, Sydney, Australia.
The dogs have been fed, Janet and TomO are still in dreamland, and I’m heading to the Blue Mountains to climb and abseil at Malatia Point.
This is a stunningly spectacular part of the mountains, not too far from downtown Katoomba, that will offer us a great view of the “Three Sisters” as we descend and climb.
And a big day for TomO, he’s meeting up with a couple of friends, with one eye on someone special, and heading to the movies – he’s as anxious as a gold fish in a blender!
Watching him grow and develop – You’ve just got to love it!
And Janet?
Well, she declared the couch and a book is her destination today, with a mug of hot tea!
Life, you wouldn’t be “dead for quids, hey”…
So what is happening in your part of the world today?
Ps: And remember, if all else fails – just stay out of control and see what develops…
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No Ordinary Moments; No Ordinary People; No Ordinary Lives
There are no ordinary moments, no ordinary people, no ordinary lives; no matter who you are, where you are, or what you are doing…
I just thought I would put this out there today!
And talking about no ordinary people, this is a photo of me with a village elder from the village of Menari, in the jungles of Papua New Guinea.
He is one of only a few remaining “fuzzy-wuzzy angels” who helped Australian and American troops in the fierce jungle battles along the Kokoda Track and other places along the Papuan Coast during the second world war.
We have much to thank them for…
Yes, no ordinary moments, no ordinary people, no ordinary lives!
Ps: And remember, if all else fails – just stay out of control and see what develops…!
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It’s a Cracka of a day dawning (Wouldn’t be dead for quids)
Crikey, what a great day dawning over Sydney. The full moon is setting in the western sky as the first strands of light are appearing in the eastern sky, and the lorikeets are chirping already…
I’m up in the shed weight-lifting with the dogs keeping me company.
Strewth, I wouldn’t be dead for quids, that’s for sure!
What are you doing today?
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How good are these Fijian kids! (They’ll tug at your heart)
On our recent holiday in Fiji we were fortunate to have the opportunity to visit Bukama Village not far from where we were staying, Yasawa Island Resort.
The Resort is a good source of income for the village as it leases the land it is built on and many from the village are employed within the resort.
On our arrival at the village we were greeted by the Chief’s representative and welcomed into the village, which is home to around 400 people. The Chief was away on the mainland at the time on village business.
The highlight was a concert given by the local school children, it was hard not to be moved by their warm hearts and loud singing! And TomO, our son, presented a box of school books, colouring pens, and other school aids that he had purchased in Australia in anticipation of our village visit.
And TomO was invited back to the village the next day, Friday, to take part in the schools sport afternoon. A game of soccer with the village children. He loved it and said it was one of the highlights for him on this trip to Fiji. And the village children welcomed him as one of their own…
I took some footage of the children singing, so please enjoy!
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Dolphins at Play – Wananavu (Fantastic!)
Our visit to Blue Lagoon Caves on Yasawa Island, Fiji, was rewarded with an encounter with a large pod of dolphins.
It is hard not to marvel at these wonderful sea creatures.
We spent time just drifting, watching them frolic and dive around the front of the boat. One was even doing large jumps out of the water, spinning in the air, before diving back in to the water.
Crikey, you couldn’t pay enough money to see such a show.
The Caves, the setting for the 1980’s movie, Blue Lagoon, were spectacular; we swam inside the outer cave, before diving underwater to access the inner cave. It was quite dark inside the second cave, but equally as spectacular.
And if you are ever going to be shipwrecked in the South Pacific, this is the place for it too happen.
Anyway, why don’t you just jump in the boat with me and take a short ride to check it out and watch the dolphins play…and check out that sunset!
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How’s this for a little tug on the heart…(Thanks TomO)
I found it as I was just about to get some sleep before I head off to New Zealand early in the morning.
TomO, the little rooster, pinned it to my back-pack.
Must say, it put a little tear in my eye, so I went to his room and watched him sleeping for a little while…
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Just Trick Your Brain (It works for me!)
Most days I get out and about and do some form of exercise. One of my staples is rowing, and I belong to a virtual rowing team based in America, with members scattered around the globe.
The Luna-tics was formed by a group of NASA people many years ago with the intention of rowing to the moon and back on C2 rowing machines. Members log their metres whenever they row, advancing the journey. We have been to the moon and back and we are on the return journey.
Currently I am standing at around 15,000 kilometres of rowing over the past 4 years.
But I’m digressing, as usual, mind you if you are a rower we are always on the look-out for “space travellers” to join the journey…
Most, if not almost every day I will do some form of strength training, which will either be body-weight exercises such as push-ups, or chin-ups. Alternatively, I will do all the bigger compound lifts with weighted barbells.
I follow a progressive 5×5 program, which involves 5 sets of 5 repetitions with weights advancing in a periodised way over an 8 week cycle. There is plenty of information available on this style of lifting and it works best for me as I want strength development, rather than too much bulky muscular development.
And when I can I put some indoor climbing in there, or better still a climb up in the Blue Mountains with TomO, our son…
Since this year’s Coast to Coast race across New Zealand I have placed more focus on strength training during the winter months which requires some calorie excess to gain muscle. But over the next 3-4 months I will be looking to cut up to 10 kilograms out of my frame to prepare for the mountaineering and climbs I have planned next year. I’ll do this progressively through diet management whilst continuing with the same exercise regime.
And on other days, if I haven’t run out of my quota of seven, I will grab my “sled” and load it with a sandbag and drag it around the park while carrying dumbbells or do sprints dragging it behind me, even go for a run…
But sleds are an awesome workout!
Of course there is my other passion, kayaking.
We try to spend weekends on the water, especially through the summer months. And this is a family affair at Narrabeen Lake, on Sydney’s northern beaches. Well, Janet, my partner, is more inclined to be lazing around on the shore with the weekend papers, taking a well earned rest from the weekly grind.
She loves being part of it all, but is happy to get her exercise with a daily walk of our dogs, MilO and JackO, which can be quite a sociable affair with lattes and morning tea afterwards. Mind you, she’s first in line for the adventure bits, like skydiving, but less inclined if it involves a “Landy” style endurance walk…which can be a non-stop overnight affair…
If you’ve never experienced an overnight walk or run, give it a go. It is a different world out there in the dark, just pop a Petzl light on your head and go!
And including family is the key to my training. I don’t use a gym, preferring to work-out in the shed at home, and down at the beach or lake, that way we are all together…
And on diet, I don’t stress too much about the actual composition of what I eat, focussing more on controlling weight through portion size. The formula is pretty simple, eat more than you need and weight increases, if that is what you need, or eat less and it declines.
Mind you, I am pretty much a meat and three veggie man, so the diet is fairly well balanced by the time I add some fruit. And Janet is a wonderful (the world’s greatest) cook…
But my point is this, it doesn’t matter what you do, or even how long you do it for, the main thing is you try and do something every day.
Consistency leads to habit…habits lead to life-long health benefits…
But don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day either, just get back to it the next day, sometimes a good snooze under the mango tree is just what the body needs!
Having said all this, I ceased all weight-lifting this week as I don’t want to run the risk of injury ahead of climbing in New Zealand this coming week.
I manage injury risk through daily stretching, weekly massages and chiropractic adjustments. I see these three things as just as important as anything else I do. But Murphy’s Law say this will be the week I’ll injure myself, so by stopping it I can manage the risk. It won’t make any difference to my fitness levels.
And none of this comes easy for me, but I try and look through the daily routine to what it is I am trying to achieve.
I visualise where I want to be.
The brain is an amazing thing, give it a thought and it will simply accept it without qualification. If you tell it you’ve already climbed that high mountain, or run that marathon, or just done a new PR in weight-lifting, it will believe you.
Next time you come to do it, it just happens…well, as long as you put the work in!
Every day I see myself on the summit of Cho Oyu, of people congratulating me on my return…
Believe in yourself, your inner strength and Just Do It….
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The World’s Premier Adventure Race (New Zealand)
The Southern Alps of New Zealand is a wonderful playground and I’m sure there are many like me out there who have experienced what this part of the world has on offer.
You’d think that living in close proximity to New Zealand Australians would visit all the time. After all it is just a short flight across “The Ditch” to get there. In fact it is quicker to get to New Zealand than it is to get from the East to West Coast of Australia.
Up until this year I had never visited previously, and here I am about to embark on my third trip in the last few months. I’m sure I’ll have much to write about after my week of climbing and mountaineering next week.
Earlier this year I competed in the Speight’s Coast to Coast Adventure Race, a race that starts on the West Coast of the country at Kumara beach on the Tasman Sea, takes you over the Southern Alps, and finishes on the East Coast in Christchurch at Sumner beach on the Pacific Ocean.
It is billed as the world’s premier multi-sport event and the benchmark by which all other multi-sport events are judged, both in New Zealand and overseas.
It covers a total distance of 243 kilometres comprising 36 kilometres of running, including a 33km mountain stage that climbs almost 1,000 metres, two cycling legs totalling 125 kilometres, and a 67 kilometre kayak down the Waimakariri River, through the Grand Canyon of New Zealand, the Waimakariri Gorge.
If you’ve got a spare 5 minutes take the time to have a look at the video, it showcases the race and is very inspiring.
The winner in this year’s one day event took line honours in just over eleven hours.
The cut-off times for the one day event were too severe for me, so I competed in the two day event and Janet my partner, and Tomo, our son were my support crew. They did a great job!
The scenery is amazing, and despite being in a race I made sure I took it in, especially the views as I made my way up over Goats Pass on the 33 kilometre mountain run.
The kayak leg takes you down the fast flowing Waimakariri River, a braided river that has a 33 kilometre section of white water as it passes through a long gorge. Spectacular country, and I rolled twice in the gorge as I negotiated rapids, usually about the times I relaxed to take in the view!
But what makes this event truly great is the camaraderie of all the competitors. Whilst it is a race I found the support given and shown throughout the event is unparallel in any other event I have competed in. The sportsmanship shown was fantastic, although, being an Aussie I did get some friendly ribbing from my Tasman cousins, as you’d expect!
And how is this for inspiration, Neelusha Memona a 27 year old who lost 70 percent of her sight after a brain injury in 2000 competed and finished the two day event assisted by a support crew…
The people of Christchurch are amazing. Almost one year to the day of the start of this year’s race, its 30th running, the city was struck by a devastating earthquake that destroyed a large part of the city centre, many people died.
But as we passed through the city on our bikes, racing to the finish line, ushered through traffic lights by police as though we were royalty, the people of Christchurch lined the streets and cheered us on.
I read many stories about people competing in triathlons, running, and cycling events, even kayak races.
I say, if you love adventure, exercise, and have a panache for travel – take the time to have a look at this event, you might find yourself drawn towards it, like a magnet. And truly, you will be rewarded by a great experience in a country full of spectacular scenery and warm friendly people.
I was, and if I can convince “the boss” at work to give me more time off I might just get back for next February’s start.
What do you say all you triathletes and adventure racers, see you there next year?
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If you didn’t know how old you are – How old would you be?
In between sets of squats, dead-lifts, and bench presses up in “The Shed” this morning, I was browsing Explorers web, a website dedicated to adventure, exploration, and expeditions.
I find it a very motivating and inspirational website to visit and it never ceases to amaze me the number of people who are out and about at this very moment, quietly achieving some incredible things.
There are polar expeditions, people on the high seas, mountaineering always figures very heavily, cycling is always represented exceptionally well, and even space exploration with a number of astronauts on the International Space Station…
But one that especially caught my attention was Carlos Soria, a Spaniard who has summitted eleven of the world’s fourteen 8,000 metre peaks and isn’t about to stop. His aim is to be the oldest person to have climbed all fourteen.
What makes it noteworthy is Carlos’s age, he is 73 years (young).
Carlos is headed to climb Dhaulagiri which is situated in Nepal and is the world’s seventh highest mountain peak standing at 8,167 metres (26,795 feet)
Very inspiring, and goes to the point of a quote I remind myself of frequently.
“If you didn’t know how old you are, how old would you be?”
It looks like age is no barrier to Carlos and it serves as a reminder to live life the way you want to, pursue your dreams and never let age get in the way, besides age is merely a ‘statistic’ that seemingly we all need to have…
And it doesn’t mean we should all be climbing 8,000 metre peaks when we are 70 years of age, just don’t let age be your barrier, your insurmountable peak, your glass ceiling…
Good luck Carlos…
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(Caution) Aussie Beach Bum – at work
The other day I wrote about an ocean paddle I had at ‘The Haven’ at Terrigal, just to the north of Sydney. It was a great day, but unfortunately there was little in the way of the ocean swells that can come that way, it was full of promise, but when we arrived there was very little happening…
The Skillion is a prominent feature in the area and is a promontory on the southern-end of Terrigal that commands excellent 360 degree views of the ocean and surrounding beach. It is also a popular whale watching spot and they are currently on their annual migration north…
We had a lot of fun out there, catching small swells and sprinting through to the beach on them, a great work-out for those who would like to give it a go!
And as I had the Go-pro running (don’t you love them!) I put some footage to one of my favourite Aussie rock-bands, The Black Sorrows.
And it makes a change to all the climbing I have been doing recently. Mind you there is plenty of that coming up very soon in New Zealand and I’m excited (very excited) about that!
I paddle three different kayaks, one is an Epic V10, which is a very fast boat, especially on flat water, but it is also designed to perform exceptionally well in larger ocean swells. It weighs in at 15 kilograms (33 lbs), is 6.5 metres in length (21.5 feet) and is made of fibreglass, carbon fibre, and Kevlar. And despite its narrow width, it is quite stable once you get used to paddling this type of craft.
It only just fits into The Shed…
The second is a Fenn XT, a great all-round boat that I have competed and paddled the Hawkesbury Classic Bridge to Bridge race in Sydney on. The race covers 111-kilometres and starts at 4pm on the last Saturday of October each year and runs through the night, supported by a cast of volunteers.
And if you haven’t paddled at night under a full moon, give it a go!
Starting as the sun slips lower on the western horizon the race usually has around 600 starters in all kinds of kayaks, and it is a great feeling covering those last few kilometres heading east watching the first strands of light appearing on the eastern horizon.
And after about 11 hours in the kayak you are suffering numb-bum… I’m calling that a technical kayaking term!
Anyway the Fenn XT is slightly heavier weighing in at 17 kilograms (38 lbs) and 5.8 metres in length (19 feet). It is full fibreglass and that is what makes it slightly heavier.
I usually use this for ocean paddling as it is more stable and much easier to get back on in an ocean swell than its bigger brother, the Epic V10.
And yes, I swim every so often when that rogue swell or wave hits you and catches you off guard! Although, when you’re a kilometre or more offshore the thought of a great white shark lurking kind of encourages you back on pretty quickly…
My other boat is a K1 race boat, very old, and I have kept it for TomO, my son, to use! They are typically very unstable due to the narrow width, but extremely fast in the right conditions, and with a good paddler.
And he is showing signs of being just that!!
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Freshly Pressed, Crikey – you’ve got to be kidding me?
The Landy – Out and About had many emails of support this morning. I was a little surprised to find the inbox filled with messages…
I was even more surprised that one was from the good people at WordPress.com informing me that I had been Freshly Pressed!
I felt humbled…
There are so many wonderful stories on WordPress, many inspirational, plenty that are motivational, and of course there are those that give you a chuckle just when you need it.
It would seem unfair that anyone of these stories is singled out…
In fact, I have spent so much time reading them recently that I have a pile of books that I have put off reading, gathering dust in the study…
So to all, I simply say thank you!
In part, my blog is about my journey to climb an 8,000 mountain peak, the trials and tribulations, the warts and all account, but it is also an opportunity for me to provide a window into an average Aussie bloke’s day-to-day life.
The commas may not always be in the right place, or the grammar might be left wanting at times, but hopefully the story shines through…
I chose to share my story because the dream I have, my goal of high altitude climbing frightens me a little.
Who am I that I should dream of such an undertaking?
And there is nothing wrong with being a little bit frightened, but I am determined to give it my best shot, approaching the challenge in a logical way and seeking the assistance of those who have been there, who have the skills, to learn those skills, but above all else to have fun trying…
Since putting my story out there I have received many words of encouragement. This encouragement is the energy, the fuel that powers me on…
Many people are on a journey, pursuing their dreams and it has given me great comfort to know that others are scaling their own peaks, whatever they might be. It is the collective sharing of these stories that demonstrates loudly that ordinary people are achieving great things each and every day.
The legendary mountaineer, Walt Unsworth summed up many of us when he opined…
But there are men for whom the unattainable has a special attraction. Usually they are not experts: their ambitions and fantasies are strong enough to brush aside the doubts which more cautious men might have. Determination and faith are their strongest weapons. At best such men are regarded as eccentric; at worst, mad…”
That first kilogram of weight loss, or a new personal best in a running race, overcoming adversity, or baking the best cake you have ever made, these are the dreams of others, and they are no less or more significant than others, but the one thing these dreams have in common is they provide a starting point for us all to start our journey…
And for many of us the greatest support we receive is from our families, encouraging us to find the greatness that lies within us all.
In the words of someone who inspires me, TomO, our 12 year old son. On taking my place on the start line in the Coast-to-Coast adventure race across New Zealand earlier this year, he took my hand and simply said – Dad, just embrace it!
I say to all who dream, “Just embrace it…”
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Interview with Mountain Guide and Mountaineering Instructor James Thacker:
This was a great read for me, and very relevant.
Apart from fitness, attitude, the right gear, I think what James highlights is that mountaineering, like many adventure pursuits, is about ‘risk mitigation’.
Many thanks to Adventure Journal!
Baz – The Landy
1.What age were you when you started climbing mountains?
I first started walking with my parents when we moved to Derbyshire in my early teens. We spent most weekends exploring the moors of the Peak District and later climbing on the grit-stone edges. My parents despite being active weren’t walkers so we started together really, learning to navigate and look after ourselves on the hill.
-What was the first mountain you climbed?
Most likely Kinder Scout in Derbyshire, but the ones I most vividly remember are Tryfan in North Wales and Ben Nevis in the Highlands. Tryfan was particularly exciting as it involved a lengthy scramble up the north ridge and I had never experienced anything like that before. Ben Nevis I also remember as we turned back from fairly close to the summit in bad weather, we were worried about the large cliffs of the north face in bad visibility. Turning…
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Get out of bed, you’re a champion…
I enjoy hearing and reading stories about people who are trying to change their lives, to get fit, to lose weight, to do something they have longed dreamed. Of goals that are set and milestones that are reached.
Accolades are usually not sought, momentous occasions in the journey often pass with little fanfare, the satisfaction gained enough to push them onwards, encouraging the next step.
It rarely comes easy…
As I rolled over and flicked the alarm off this morning, I lay back in the bed, tired, feeling like I should just roll the other way and forget about the rowing session. Surely it could wait until tonight, perhaps tomorrow morning? Anytime but now…
I’m betting we’ve all been there, I visit this speed-hump at least once a week and today was that day of the week.
And as I slowly drifted back into the dream-world I thought about my goals, what I want to achieve in mountaineering, even the possibility of competing in the Speight’s Coast to Coast again this coming February, an adventure race that crosses New Zealand from west to east. It is a tough event, but I remembered how good I felt as I cycled through the city of Christchurch, the finish line almost in sight, bands playing, children clapping, men and women unknown cheering me to the finish line.
My tired legs pumped away, energised by the support, by the crowd that made me feel like a champion…
That was enough to break me free from my slumber, and I was up in the shed rowing within 15 minutes, and it was an awesome session.
Motivation, harness it however you can, reaching and achieving your goals is not an easy road, but you’re not alone…
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One problem at a time Sarge. One problem at a time…
The other day I was caught up in what seemed to be a never-ending stream of problems, you know the sort of day.
Nothing was going right, everyone and everything was conspiring against me. One problem after another, mounting, crushing, the world on my shoulders, leaving me pleading why was this happening to me?
In reality the world wasn’t going to come to an end, the sun had risen in the east, and in all likelihood it was going to set in the west, and a few deep breathes would probably have dispatched the garbage that was mostly going on inside my head to the trash…
But it did get me thinking why do we allow seemingly insignificant problems to morph into something that requires the Fantastic Four to resolve?
Human nature was my guess.
And then I recalled a quote by Frank MacAlyster, a member of the US Military’s elite Delta Force. Frank was involved in an operation to help free US hostages being held inside the US Embassy in Tehran, Iran, in the early 1980s.
The story is recounted in the book ‘Inside Delta Force’, by Eric Hany.
As the doomed rescue attempt unfolded Frank was sound asleep in a US C-130 Hercules aircraft that was parked on the ground inside Iran.
He awoke to intense flames licking all around him, the aircraft was on fire.
Frank thought the aircraft was airborne, but the intensity of the fire left him no choice, he jumped from the plane without a parachute and went into a skydivers arch.
Of course he fell for only a fraction of a second before hitting the ground.
Frank had assessed his options and jumped. It must have taken a lot of courage. Death was almost a certainty, but he was buying time at least.
I reflected on this and thought that even under intense pressure Frank was still thinking through his problems he wasn’t letting the situation clutter his thinking, and by this time there were any number of problems to deal with. Of course the first was to survive.
What could I learn from that?
How could Frank’s experience help me as I pursue my goal of high altitude climbing, and how might it help others to deal with their own ‘burning aircraft’?
When asked a few days later by his Superior what he was going to do once he was out of the plane without a parachute, Frank replied…
“One problem at a time Sarge, one problem at a time.”
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Help – I need Inspiration and Motivation
That is what I was thinking as I headed for the shed this morning for my daily row on a C2 rowing machine, it was 4.30am…
Exercise is a daily habit for me and always includes rowing, possibly a 10 kilometre walk with a 30 kilo backpack, or some sort of strength training later in the evening.
My friends often comment how much I must like exercise and how easy it seems for me, and true, for the most part I do enjoy it, but as for it being easy, no way, I tell them it is no easier for me than it is for anyone else.
The key is, I tell them, you need to be motivated to do it.
We have just witnessed the world’s greatest sporting spectacle, the Olympics. Those elite athletes’ train for years, day in, day out, they have highs, and I’m sure there are many lows.
Usually their motivation is to be the best, to represent their country, to bring home the Gold, to make their country feel proud as they stand on the top of the podium, the Nation’s Flag saluting their achievement as the sound of their National Anthem heralds their success…
“But what about the rest of us, where can we find our motivation, our inspiration?”
This morning as I made my way up the pathway to the shed in the pre-dawn darkness, a time of day I usually revel in, I was searching for that motivation, something to inspire me, to push me towards my own goals.
“As I wiped the sleep from my eyes, there it was, a vision of why I am doing this, my inspiration… “
Twelve years ago, TomO, our son, was born almost six weeks prematurely. There wasn’t any medical problem for Janet, my partner, in fact everything progressed as normal, but seemingly the little bloke was ready to take on the world and he wasn’t going to wait a moment longer…
A large contingent of medical staff was assembled, ready to provide the life-support that might be needed, it was a humbling moment, but he announced his way into the world in the usual way and was strong enough to take his first breathe without the assistance of the gathered team.
“Those first moments spent cradled in the security of his mother’s loving arms…”
He spent his first three weeks in the intensive care unit of the hospital, growing stronger every day. This was his struggle, his challenge, and he met it head-on, unflinchingly…
Yes, this was my inspiration, my motivation, the miracle of life, and the will to live…
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Ordinary People – Achieving Great Things
The other day I came across an inspirational story, the story of Andy Campbell.
On 7 June, Andy left London to travel 30,000 miles around the world in a wheelchair, a journey that is expected to take two years, will cross four continents with environments ranging from oceans to deserts, an odessy that has never been attempted before in which he will ski, scubadive, kayak, and even paraglide.
Eight years ago Andy had an abseiling accident, a fall from a rock-face that left him paralysed, losing the use of his legs.
But, in his own words, he kept his “ life and his ambition”.
“The more I tasted freedom the greater my appetite became and I realised the only way to ensure something’s impossible is to not try, to accept failure and physically stop”.
Motivated by a desire to escape the concrete jungle and urban environments that often confines those in wheelchairs, Andy has continued to pursue what he enjoys most, adventure. Following the accident he went on to learn the skills necessary to be able to ski, sitting down, kayak, bike ride, scuba dive, and even rock-climbing again, all without the use of his legs.
Andy will use his journey as a way to help increase the accessibly and enjoyment of the outdoors for those with spinal cord injuries.
His vision is simple, “to help create a world in which people with a spinal cord injury are not restricted from active participation in outdoor recreation by a lack of access to adequate equipment.”
His goal, “to raise 1 million pounds.”
Good luck Andy, you truly are an inspiration, a great example of how ordinary people, achieve great things!
(You can follow Andy’s adventure at www.pushingthelimits.com)
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