Necessary, Possible and Impossible

"Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible." - St. Francis of Assisi

A friend of mine recently posted this quote in a note he wrote on Facebook.  It struck me as perfect for the 3-day walkers and so I feel compelled to write a bit about it. Many people have indicated to me that walking 60 miles in 3 days would be impossible for them.  They cannot picture themselves doing it.  

What's necessary: To start, I had to take that leap of faith that the fundraising and the walking was possible for me.  I had to sign up.  I had to find good shoes (do NOT skimp on your shoes or socks.  They make it possible to do these long distance walks.)  I had to figure out a schedule to train.  I had to figure out what to do with my kids while training.  I had to get my husband to buy into this as he would be taking on a lot as my training gets more intense, not to mention he had to agree to the costs we would be taking on associated with the gear I need, fundraising, etc.

What's possible: I started this journey doing 2-3 mile walks.  When I started my training, that distance felt like the upper limit of what was possible for me.  I had moments of doubt and wondered what I'd gotten myself into.  The more I walk, the longer that distance has become.   Today, I walked my longest walk ever.  8.7 miles.  I also crossed the 200 mile mark in my overall mileage for my training.  I am now POSITIVE that 10 miles is totally possible for me, right now.  By November, my training needs to have taken me to where I not only can do 20 miles, but do it three days in a row.  I know that's possible.  I've got lots of time, lots of determination and so many people supporting me and cheering me on it makes me weep with joy at times.  You guys have no idea how much those tiny comments you make on Facebook and twitter and in person mean to me and how much they keep me going.

The next thing you know, it'll be November and I will be doing what some folks view as impossible.  So St Francis really had it right.  When you do what is possible, and stretch yourself more and more, you can eventually reach what may have initially seemed impossible.

That's how I see finding a cure as well.  The money raised helps to fund what is necessary and what is possible, and the longer we fund it, the more folks work on the problem, the more they stretch our knowledge and the more they stretch what we've tried, the closer they will get to what some see as impossible.  Before we know it, we'll be living in a world without breast cancer and then hopefully a world without ANY cancer. 

So keep doing what's necessary.  Keep doing what's possible.  The impossible will follow.

(04/25/10)
Fundraising: Total: $2,970.00
Training: 8.7 miles 3 hour 21 minutes
Total miles to date: 205.9

(04/24/10)
Fundraising: $100 Total: $2,970.00
Training: 5.3 miles 1 hour 55 minutes
Total miles to date: 197.2

(04/22/10)
Fundraising: Total: $2,870.00
Training: 4.8 miles 1 hour 36 minutes
Total miles to date: 191.9

(04/20/10)
Fundraising: Total: $2,870.00
Training: 1 hour tap class
Total miles to date: 187.1

What a Great Way to Wake up!

I have to say, seeing an email in my in-box that says "A donation was made on your behalf" makes me feel like I just won the lottery.  I'm like a kid at Christmas with those emails.  I can't wait to see who it's from!

I got two of those today!  I woke up to one sitting in my in-box and a second one was waiting for me after a long and wonderful day at my nephew's birthday party.  What an amazing group of friends and relatives I have.  It's a wonderful thing to wake up to another person who believes that there is hope to end cancer.  Another person who believes that there is a way to make that happen.  Another person who can "Imagine life without breast cancer."   I have a silicone bracelet that I wear with that saying on it.  I imagine it, then I get out and walk another 4 miles.  I think about more fundraising I can do and make another step towards making that fundraising happen.  I talk to another person about my walk.  I send out an update about my progress.  I ask my friends and family to pass my links on to their friends and family.  I raise the funds, so the researchers and doctors can work on finding that world we are imagining.  Imagining it is the start, but the hard work that comes after that is what is going to make it a reality some day.

I like waking up as part of a world that can imagine itself better.  I like even more being part of the hard work to make it actually happen.

(04/17/10)
Fundraising: $115 Total: $2,850.00
Training: 4.1 miles in 1 hour 26 minutes
Total miles to date: 180.9

Walking 60-miles is Hard!

I've been reading a lot of blog posts from folks who are experienced 3-day Walkers.  Most of the time they are very upbeat, inspiring and motivating.  Recently, a few have been talking about just how hard walking the 60 miles is.  I am extremely happy I signed up in January so I'd have almost an entire year to train and get in shape for it.  I'm being told by experienced walkers that even those who train and do everything they are supposed to find the event daunting and difficult.  If you wish to get a glimpse of what I'm talking about, meander over to Leanne's blog and read her excellent post about the 57th mile.

I find hearing this kind of truth refreshing.  And a little scary.  And a challenge.  And I dread doing it.  And I'm excited to do it.  I would ALWAYS prefer to know just how hard something I'm signing up to do is going to be.   I think it prepares me better.  I know that the training is not just about getting my body ready, it's also about getting my mind, my heart and my spirit ready for this.  When I despair about trying to do more fundraising, on the days I need to get a walk in and don't really want to do it, it's blog posts like that, as much if not more than the solely positive upbeat ones that keep me on track to do just a little bit more.

And perhaps this topic isn't the right place to mention it as I probably just scared a bunch of you away, but maybe this kind of honesty about how tough this journey is going to be is EXACTLY where I should mention it.  I've signed up to Captain a 3-day team for the San Diego walk.  I am currently the only member of that team, so I'm hoping some of you reading this might consider joining me (a couple of you know who you are!)  Between April 12-23, you can get a $25 discount on the 3-day registration fee as long as you sign up to be on a team at the same time using the promotion code: GOTEAM    My team is called Passionate Pink.   If you wish to join it, go to my participant page: http://www.the3day.org/goto/margie_dowens and click on the button that says "Register to Join Margie's Team".  Don't forget to enter the promotion code during your sign up.

If you want more information about any of this, please email me at starwarsfangirl at yahoo dot com.  I know some of you out there are thinking about it.  Make it happen.  Be the change you want to see in the world!

(04/13/10)
Fundraising: Total: $2,735.00
Training:2 miles in 41 minutes, 1 hour of tap class
Total miles to date: 176.8

Progress Update

(04/11/10)
Fundraising: Total: $2,735.00
Training: 4.0 miles in 1 hour 26 minutes
Total miles to date: 174.8

(04/07/10)
Fundraising: Total: $2,735.00
Training: 3.2 miles in 1 hour 7 minutes
Total miles to date: 170.8

A Break in Training. Why Do I Feel Guilty?

So this weekend was crazy.  We had friends visit from San Francisco on Saturday and the house was an immense disaster.  I worked tirelessly on Friday and again on Saturday to get the house in order and then make homemade Enchiladas for everyone.  I had hoped to at least get an hour walk in, but ran out of time and didn't do any walking at all on Saturday.  Sunday was Easter, and we celebrated with my brother and his family.  The egg hunt was awesome and the game of hide and seek the kids played afterwards was even cuter.  We couldn't initially figure out why there were three kids who were "it" and only one kid hiding.  Then we heard one of the kids who was "it" say "Let's go find that egg!"  Definitely made me smile.  Again, I did not get a walk in.  Monday, my son woke up running a fever of 103 and I spent most of the day taking care of him and hoping that neither I nor my daughter or husband would catch whatever he has.   I was not feeling so good by the time Frank got home and once again, no walk.

OK, it's only 3 days of training I've missed, and technically the 24-week training schedule hasn't even started for my event in November --- it starts in June.  So why do I feel just a little bit guilty that I missed walking at least one of those three days?  I know that part of it is that I need to walk.  I feel better when I get walks in, and I know how far I need to go still in my training.  I also know that part of it is that I feel like I'm letting down my supporters when I don't keep up with what I've decided should be my training schedule currently.  And I get the feeling that I'm letting down all the families out there touched by breast cancer.  I've made a comittment and need to stick to it.  That's the kind of personality I have.  If I agree to do something, I generally do it wholeheartedly and full out.

At the same time, I also know that life gets in the way of training, which is why I only feel a little bit guilty that I missed these last three days.  I know this is not the last time that I will skip a scheduled training walk and that it is totally OK to allow life to get in the way of our schedule.

I am happy to report that my son is feeling a bit better today and so am I.  I'm hoping to do at least a short walk when my hubby gets home from work.

(04/06/10)
Fundraising: Total: $2,735.00
Training: 2.8 miles in 1 hour 1 minute
Total miles to date:167.6

Progress Update

(04/02/10)
Fundraising: $10 Total: $2,735.00
Training: 2.9 miles in 1 hour 3 minutes
Total miles to date: 164.9

(04/01/10)
Fundraising: Total: $2,725.00
Training: 2.3 miles in 55 minutes
Total miles to date: 162

(03/31/10)
Fundraising: Total: $2,725.00
Training: 3.1 miles in 1 hour 12 minutes
Total miles to date: 159.7

(03/30/10)
Fundraising: Total: $2,725.00
Training: Cross Training - Tap Class, 1 hour
Total miles to date: 156.6

(03/28/10)
Fundraising: Total: $2,725.00
Training: Snow Tubing, 1 hour 30 minutes
Total miles to date: 156.6

(03/27/10)
Fundraising: Total: $2,725.00
Training: 5.1 miles in 2 hour 1 minutes
Total miles to date: 156.6