Destination: AFRICA!

You’ll never reach new oceans if you’re afraid to lose sight of the shore.

Amidst all of my gushing over the xmas waffle iron, I alluded to a very cool surprise which was on the horizon. 

I’m going to South Africa!

Rewind:  I remember sitting in English class at Arizona State and seeing a poster for what looked like the most amazing trip of a lifetime: Semester at Sea.  After four waitressing jobs, a scholarship, and help from my mom and dad, we had saved up enough dough to get my butt on that ship.   It WAS the trip of a lifetime, and then some.  100 days, nine countries, 16hrs of university credit, and a lifetime of eye-opening experiences later, we docked that ship of dreams back in Seattle, and I knew that it would just be the beginning. Mexico was next for six months.  Then a couple years in Ecuador.  Then working for K-C in Chile and the rest of Latin America.  I couldn’t quench the thirst.  Then life changed and work changed, and I found gratification in this sport, all of which kept me grounded for a while.  The itch is always there.  It just doesn’t get scratched as often. 

My friend, Ryan Landy, is a South African triathlete and PT living in Atlanta, and he has started very cool new race series called 11GLOBAL.  Ryan recently asked me if I’d like to race the next race in the series in Cape Town on March 1st. 

Here starts the battle of Wanderlust VS. Pride.  

There are obvious reasons why I wanted to say no:    To start with, I am severely far from where I need to be run-wise at this point.  I am not a short-course stud. The girls who raced in his series in November were all short course smokin’ fast runners and swimmers, which I am not.  Do I really need to start back in that kind of environment?  And any way you look at it, March 1st is DAMN EARLY!

But . . . It is SOUTH AFRICA.  And the beautiful city of Cape Town, no less.  When our ship docked in Cape Town in 1997, I spent my 20th birthday in this magnificent city.  And how cool to do it again (the night before the race!), 12yrs later.  The triathlon? Well, I know where I’m at, and that’s just a fact.  So what’s wrong with jumping into it and just doing the best I can?  Who cares.   I can’t be afraid of what I may not be ready for, or else I would be missing out on so much more.  I am honored to be included and will participate with the same enthusiasm and love for the sport that I had . . . before I had expectations.  That’s what this is about. 

And it’s about SOUTH AFRICA!  Oh, my mind has been racing!  I want to drive through Stellenbosch and the winelands, climb Table Mountain, visit Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 yrs), and see some big scary animals.   From a distance of course.  (Do you realize that people do walking safaris?  And some people say triathlon is crazy.  Go figure.)   

Is there another race series that can take you to such cool corners of the earth, with an olympic-distance commitment?  I am excited to be a part of this, and am so grateful to Ryan for including me.  Lots of people travel overseas for races, and most of us will admit that it’s for way more than just the race.  This is a way to combine my two favorite things: travel and triathlon. 

“Pride” may be taking a beating when it goes up against wanderlust.  That’s ok.   I’m not promising anything in the race, but Africa better get ready for me.