The Beach and the Big Chainring

Ithaca When you set out for Ithaca ask that your way be long, full of adventure, full of instruction. The Laistrygonians and the Cyclops, angry Poseidon - do not fear them: such as these you will never find as long as your thought is lofty, as long as a rare emotion touch your spirit and your body. The Laistrygonians and the Cyclops, angry Poseidon - you will not meet them unless you carry them in your soul, unless your soul raise them up before you. Ask that your way be long. At many a Summer dawn to enter with what gratitude, what joy - ports seen for the first time; to stop at Phoenician trading centres, and to buy good merchandise, mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony, and sensuous perfumes of every kind, sensuous perfumes as lavishly as you can; to visit many Egyptian cities, to gather stores of knowledge from the learned. Have Ithaca always in your mind. Your arrival there is what you are destined for. But don't in the least hurry the journe...

     Yesterday was one of my favorite days in a long, long time.  The things that I accomplished as well as the things I learned watching others accomplish big, BIG goals will stick with me for a very, very long time.      The back story.  Several months ago, one of my very best friends, who had been contemplating running a marathon for a while decided she was going to do it.  But she wasn't going to do it the normal way, she was going to do it for a cause and accomplish some major things along the way.  Those major things being sponsoring the education of 26 girls in Nepal.  Here's a post by my friend, Erin Leigh, about the race, about the money she raised, and about She's the First, the organization the money went to.      I don't know about you, but if you are like me, when one of your best friends is about to accomplish something huge like this, especially if it's endurance sport related, you have to be there...