Do What You Can't

One hot fall day in the mountains of Kentucky’s Natural Bridge State Park almost 15 years ago, my husband and I set out for a long hike.  We had prepared the day before for the 9 mile hike by filling water bottles and freezing them.  We knew that it was going to be hot and we wanted our water to be cold.  Inexperienced as we were, 9 miles didn’t seem overly far so we only brought a bar each to eat.  Much to our surprise, the hike took several hours and despite the heat, the water bottles never melted.  By the time we got back to the trail head, we were parched and famished!  

At the time, I wasn’t yet a runner. Regardless, during that hike, I remember telling Kenny that I had a dream of running a marathon one day.   I had never even run a 5K, but  I told him that I really want to do a marathon at some point.  Unfortunately, given how difficult this 9 mile hike was, I was afraid that I would never be able to accomplish that goal.  I remember distinctly thinking, “How is a marathon even physically possible?”

Looking back on that day, I realize how, in that moment, a marathon was something that I couldn’t do.  Yet 15 years later and I have run 5 marathons, two 50Ks, numerous half marathons, and more long training runs than I can count.  Of course all this in addition to tons of 5 and 10Ks.  I have proven to myself that I CAN DO all the things that I CAN’T DO.   And all this while building my career to a successful position at a young age, having two beautiful little boys, buying our first home, selling that and repeating 3 more times, living in Tennessee, Eastern Oregon, Oregon's Willamette Valley, Western New York, Oregon Coast, Wyoming, back to the Oregon Coast, Oregon Willamette Valley again and now Arizona.  

So where do the next 15 years take me in terms accomplishing things that I once or currently believe I can’t do?   What are the dreams I have that at this moment I can’t possibly imagine I will ever make happen?

1. Complete a 100 mile race and then another and another (scattered with tons of other ultra distances)
2. Become a yoga teacher
3. Obtain 1,000 followers on my blog
4. Start a business to support women who want to become healthier by teaching them nutrition, simple plant-based cooking, learning yoga and accomplishing amazing running events
5. Write a book

Over time, as the big dreamer that I am, I will have so many more items to add to this list.  I know in my heart of hearts I can do this and whatever else I desire and do them over and over again, but my brain still tells me I can’t. I will just have to prove my brain wrong.