I hobbled around on my foot for a few months, but it slowly got better as September became October, and the race neared. After last year’s race, my friend Bobby Miles wanted to buy the bike I raced. I almost said yes. After racing the Baja 1000 Ironman class, you never want to see Baja again. But I told him he could keep the bike at his place in Loveland, Ohio and if I ever needed it again, I’d let him know. Well, now I needed it.
We had it shipped back to California where we went through the 714x (my race number) and the 775x (Tanner’s number) to rebuild and freshen the bikes up for this year’s race. In the Baja 1000, a bike number beginning with a 7 means Ironman class, and ending with an x means motorcycle. Besides motorcycles, there are over a dozen classes of four-wheeled vehicles in the race.
This year’s course would be different than the last two years which started and ended in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. Those races were 822 and 855 miles respectively. This year it would start in Ensenada (two hours south of San Diego) and end in La Paz, Baja California Sur – a different state and different time zone. La Paz is two hours north of Cabo San Lucas. A one way trip of 1134.4 miles – 279 miles longer than last year.
The distance haunted me. 1134.4 miles. I live in Connecticut. It’s like from my house to Miami Beach, Florida…on a dirt bike…in rocks and sand and mountains…
When we set any big goal, it seems so far away. So impossible. So scary. Being afraid means it’s a big stretch. The outcome is unknown. But if the outcome of your endeavor is known, then it’s not an adventure, it’s just going through the motions.
When we read history books, if we really put ourselves in the shoes of the heroic figures we are reading about, we can understand how they must have felt. Big goal – outcome unknown. Christopher Columbus, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King.
How about the guy who puts it all on the line to start a business with his new idea? The single mom who moves her kids to a new place in search of a better life? The immigrant who can’t speak English yet and has to work? The person who has the guts to quit a lousy job with an abusive boss when they don’t have another job yet?
Outcome unknown. Adventure begins.
On this beautiful bright day, I would like to say Thank You. Thank you for the encouragement, the motivation, and for the calling. Because of you, a transformation took place, that turned me from a broken chalice into a wealthy daughter. The Soe Entrepreneurial training program and the Think Daily community are The anchor and life changing force that transforms the world into a better place. Every bottom seems so dark until someone is brave enough to shine the light. Thank you for setting an example and showing us that we are not alone in the eternal battles while racing through finish lines in our own personal deserts. Grace to the writer of the Highest Calling.
I imagine crossing those two major finish lines and surviving the cold and the heat must have been excrutiatingly painful but as you mentioned, pain is inevitable but suffering is a choice. Embracing the love and sharing the joy is what makes some people strive to cross those lines. I am looking forward to the next crossing. Best of luck to anyone who is mad enough to try to cross their own finish lines. Peace.
Tanner, you have a special gift and one day you will step in your dads shoe and help raise and enlighten your brothers and sisters from our community in order to create a better world. You are protected and blessed. May your mission be successful.
Larry, can’t thank you enough for the inspirational words. I too have some large goals set for the beginning of this year although I know I am fully capable of achieving them like you I cringe the thought of the process I need to go through. After hearing this blog it only makes me feel as though these goals are so simple it’s almost crazy to feel the way I feel at times. Thank you again!