The Murray River Marathon - What have I got myself in for ?

The Murray River Marathon is turning out to be something that I might have signed up to a little before I truly understood how tough it really is going to be, today I asked myself a couple of questions:

1. Am I capable of it ?
2. Do I have enough time to become capable of it ?

In any case these questions are irrelevant, I'm already committed to it.

Ive found that I do quiet enjoy doing the Kayak thing for a few reasons, its not so much the enjoyment of competing in a race, that I just love falling out of a Kayak - but rather its all about the journey.

You suck up all the courage you can, you give it all you can - and you sometimes have some setbacks, how you bounce back from these set backs is the difference between success and failure.

Pushing your body and mind far beyond anything you mentally believe you are capable of, pushing the boundaries on whats comfortable to what scares you to the core, than pushing it just that little bit further each day, every day, until you get more and more comfortable and you achieve the impossible.

For me paddling a Kayak 20 Kilometers at a time in the ocean and staying alive is the impossible - 50, 75 or 100 Kilometers would be for me the equivalent of NASA landing on the moon.

So that means I have to work harder than I ever have before, and I will try, and try just one more time every time until I nail it.

This huge event is a 404km, five day flat-water race along the mighty Murray River - bordering Victoria and New South Wales, Australia. The race starts in Yarrawonga on the 27th December and heads downstream through Tocumwal, Picnic Point, Echuca, Torrumbarry and Murrabit before finishing in Swan Hill on New Years' Eve.

If ooooops I should say WHEN I finish this one, it will set up 2011 for an amazing year of bigger and better challenges - I might even get one of the adventure races knocked over in the New Year!

55 Days and counting down - Wish me luck!

In the community we live there are many people who always have more unfortunate circumstances and challenges than we do, so ill be picking a charity to inspire me on this journey and donate to along the way. Every day if we just help someone less fortunate out, talk to someone you wouldn't normally, ask someone if they need a hand than the world becomes a nicer place to live ~ to you it may not be huge to the other person it could just be helping them achieve the impossible.


Cheers
Jeff

Jeff takes on the Adventure Race Challange: Kayak, Bike and Run.....

I have been looking for a new challenge to take up towards the end of the year and here it is:

As always it has to be a stretch for me, and the recap on the last 18 months is:

14 Marathons, 1 70Km didn't quiet make the full 100Km of the North Face 100, Kokoda trek, shed ed 20 something kilos of body fat and now:

An Adventure Race
1. Kayak (Enter a event and finish)
2. Bike (Enter a event and finish)
3. Run (Have this down, as long as its no greater than 70 kilometers)

Now we all know last time I set myself a super challenge, I didn't quiet make it (The Iron man thing). so I'm going to hold off telling anyone what that is the, actual date and time (because I don't know yet) until I have mastered the Kayak leg of the challenge.

And to add some extra inspiration, ill be donating $2,500 to a worthy charity when I cross the finish line of a seriously tough adventure race, and in the lead up ill give $500 to a charity for each of the 3 milestones above I reach.

The Kayak thing is really turning out to be a challenge, I have been out a few times, however some more successful than others, and I continue to look like a five year old being dunked in the water - I have some work to do (And no I'm not taking any photos of it - I know how much enjoyment you would all get :) ).

But like someone said to me this morning, when I was getting more than frustrated with my limited kayaking abilities, don't give up so easily...... that's a challenge in its self.

Now the goal is set, time to get serious, like months gone past I'm getting focused.....

Watch this space, as the adventure starts.

Cheers
Jeff