Brave spirit

As I am doing nothing that would interest anyone but myself (actually I'm not all that interested in anything I've been doing lately) I thought I would direct the focus of this post to a phenomenal woman named Catra (Dirt Diva). She is an endurance / cross country runner who, along with her friend Julien, is about to commence a 2,666 mile (not km) hike/dash along a track on the West Coast of the USA known as the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).

I can not begin to describe the awe I find myself in whenever I try to contemplate the magnitude of such a journey! I think about all the times I could have or should have done something extraordinary but didn't. Although I am flat out just trying to successfully live an ordinary life, for me this alone can be a considderable challenge. Though I often wonder what if I tried something else? Something big. Would I ever achieve anything that others would find remarkable? Maybe something beyond my current goals of remainingg married, employed and non institutionalized....? Maybe I'll just stick to those goals for now...
To face such incredible challenges must be a life altering experience! I believe every religion contains some kind of concept of life death and rebirth. Metaphorically and sometimes literally. We must shed the skin of an old life in order to commence a new one. The process I am thinking about takes place on a spiritual plane but I can see that by pushing her physical and psychological boundaries and by enduring such hardship (although her photos don't show it) it looks like Catra dwells somewhere in the flux between the earth and the ether! A spiritual adventurer on the edge of what is humanly possible... If you think I'm ranting check out her blog. I don't think it's such an exaggeration.

Regardless of whether they complete the journey this will be an awesome story to follow and I believe they commence their journey today!
You can follow their progress on http://www.catrapct.blogspot.com/

Check out the PCT website to see more information about the country they will be traveling.

Extreme Sport in extreme cold

The Susitna 100 is still going and more than half of the entrants are yet to cross the finish line but I am glad to say that the two entrants I have been watching have completed the course and in excellent time!
As I have never done anything like this race and am flat out just commuting a few miles I now view all who have as my heroes! What a phenomenal effort! Well done guys and good luck to those who have not yet finished.
Over the weekend I have been keeping a close eye on the Susitna results page, weather forecast for Anchorage (I think that's the closest City) and the local time (In Anchorage). As time ticked by, day turned to night and the mercury dropped to 10 degrees f /-12 c. I began to realize the true meaning of the word endurance! I even prayed that the people out there would be safe, I can't imagine myself surviving in that kind of cold after hours of racing! Actualy I can't envisage myself riding a bike for that long!

If you're interested in the times check out the results page Here. The one and only Australian competitor Paul Lester made an awesome time and finished at 01:38 with an elapsed time of 16:38 putting him amongst the fastest! Jill from Juneau completed the race with an elapsed time of 20:50 and was home by 05:50. She was the third woman to cross the line! What a triumphant effort and a great result! It must have been so tough out there at night.

I reckon I would have been wishing for a pair of ruby slippers if I was out there!

Bicycle race in the frozen North

For several months now I've been following the regular blog posts of Jill from Up In Alaska as she journals her experiences in endurance cycling and training for an event known as Susitna 100. Her partner Geoff has had a suspected fracture in his foot but still intends to compete in the Little Su 50k! These guys are committed and serious about their sport!
Jill is a very dynamic and inspiring writer who has a natural ability to describe her experiences in a way that will compel you to feel like you are a part of the action. Up in Alaska is a great read for all us armchair vicarious adventurers!

The Susitna 100 is a 100 mile multi-mode race across "... remote frozen Alaska" it is accompanied by a running race called the Little Su 50k and is only for the well prepared and courageous as the conditions are tretcherous and the dangers are real. The race commences at 9:00 am on Saturday 17th February somewhere in remote icy frozen Alaska (don't know where exactly) where it will without a doubt be really really cold! To be eligible to compete in an event like this is an enormous feat that requires a huge amount of commitment, preparation and training I imagine that crossing the finish line will require something extra.

I have just checked the field of competitors and it appears that one of the two international entries is an Australian by the name of Paul Lester. All I know is what's on the roster. Paul is 41 and from Cooma in NSW. Good on you Paul.

Why not check out the Susitna website for updates on how the racers are going over the weekend. I will definitely be tuned in and cheering them on. You can show your support for Jill and Geoff by going to the blog Up in Alaska and making a comment under one of Jill's latest posts.