A Personal Story of Adventure Fundraising

What compelled you to choose the specific adventure you did? Can you share some of the highlights and challenges along the way? 

My adventure was a four-day, 250-mile gravel bike stage race across the Atlas Mountains and Sahara Desert in Morocco, called Sahara Gravel. I didn’t know the event existed until January, when I connected with someone who had signed up but couldn’t make it. I had a month and a half to go from a relatively untrained state in the middle of winter to race-ready. That was challenge #1.

I just got an indoor trainer for the holidays and a Zwift account and I went to work, putting in about 875 miles between January 12, when I said yes to the race, and February 23, the day before Stage 1. I also kept track of my calories and lost a few pounds as I was training.

Then, I had to get myself and my bike more than 5,000 miles across the ocean. That was challenge #2.

Then, once I got there, I still had to actually finish the race! That was challenge #3.

I rode all 250 miles and climbed more than 15,000 feet over the four days of racing. I met some great people who helped me along the way and I helped them. I’ve already had one of my fellow racers visit Colorado. 

A lot of my bigger adventures are opportunities that fall into my lap. This was one of them. I just have to be open to receiving them and saying yes.

Why does it matter to have access to immersive outdoor experiences? How has a connection with nature impacted your life?

We live in a time and place where we are inundated with things that set our expectations. Social media presents an unrealistic picture of how lives should be lived and what success looks like. We’re constantly being told we can be perfect and wonderful if we just follow tips from some influencer who speaks authoritatively but has no actual knowledge or experience. When we don’t live up to those expectations or live that life or achieve that success, it hurts and it’s stressful, even if we aren’t consciously aware of it. 

Being outside, for me, lets me separate from expectations. I’m in that place at that moment and nowhere else. If I’m taking pictures, it’s to help me remember the experience, not to post on social media later. (Though, I’ll admit I did post some in support of the Adventure for Someone campaign!) I’m creating stories for myself. I’m reminding myself, or discovering, what I’m capable of. Sometimes, it’s a lot more than I thought. And, when I reach the point where I’m beyond what I thought I could do, it’s a powerful reminder that I can set and meet and exceed my own expectations. I don’t want or need anyone else to do that for me. It also simultaneously keeps me confident and humble – confident in that I know that I’m capable of doing difficult things; humble in that I am constantly reminded that I’m just a small speck in a giant universe.

I try to get out and connect with nature as much as possible. It can be with family, friends, or solo. Each has its own benefits. Going with family and friends helps build bonds with them. Solo experiences are when I push limits and break out of my comfort zone. But all of them help me remember what’s important – that it’s not about what someone else tells you life should look like. Nature reminds me to set my own expectations.