Ouch!! Watch Us Self-Destruct, Otherwise Known as Walking the Sakatah State Trail
Posted in Boots are Made for Walkin on May 11th, 2007 by JennyJenny Reporting the Day Before we have our Biggest Walk to Date:
Sometimes life tests you. Sometimes you test yourself. It’s really bad when they both happen at once. The preparation for the Sakatah State Trail has just about unraveled our summer plans of walking and blogging. Erin is mad at me and I’m mad at her, and we’re both being rather unforgiving of everything!
This trail is ridiculous. To date, the furthest we’ve walked in a single day is 9.3 miles. The last few miles of that trail were painful and we took the following day off to recover. This weekend we are planning to walk two consecutive days totaling 39 miles. Plus, we have absolutely no agreement over where we are staying, parking, or the other miscellaneous details. In fact, we’ve had very little agreement about anything this past week.
In addition to feeling more than slightly overwhelmed by the trail:
Also, the weather this weekend is supposed to be hot so we are trying to figure out just how early to leave Saturday morning (amidst the not talking) to get started before the heat hits. Right now the magic time appears to be 3 a.m. I have to wonder are we trying to fail? Let me add that neither of us has been getting enough sleep, drinking enough water or keeping a particularly positive outlook.
So why are we letting ourselves be defeated by walking a trail, all based on a light-hearted dare? Erin and I have been working together for four years and have never acted like this. We’ve been through lost checks, theft, massive contracts, living in different states and driving hours for meetings. We have taken turns being the calm, sane one and have always emerged with grace. But this time it’s different. When I try to figure out why the only conclusion I come to is because this is the first time we are both scared. Crazy contract negotiation, no problem for me, I think it’s fun. Living up to the terms negotiated, no problem for Erin, she is a master at planning and implementation. This time we’re both completely out of our comfort zone and acting like 5 year olds!
So why are we letting this break us? Is it the fear? Is it the unpleasant inborn sense that we don’t want to let ourselves succeed? I don’t know, but whatever it is, it is hitting – hard. Life is just like this sometimes. Not everything you want always comes easy. The most rewarding goals are those you toil and sweat for. Sometimes it’s nice to be reminded of this from watching someone else’s life, not your own. When we finish the trails I hope this serves as a reminder to Erin and I of what it took to complete the trails. Watch and see, Monday the world will be new and good, the trail will be completed, and Erin and I won’t hate each other, or at least that’s what I’m hoping.
May 11th, 2007 at 10:49 am
Good Luck in your walk this weekend. May the wind be at your backs!
May 12th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
I really loved this entry because it gives true insight and “no excuses” self reflection. There are not many of us that are even capable of this type of thinking, must less willing to put it out there for others to read. I’m sure with this type of communication you and Erin will be back on track (no pun) in no time. Happy trails… Jo
May 13th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
Very interesting, it really makes you think about ways we let our own self talk defeat us without really recognizing how it is happening. The big thing is that many big goals are acheived in small steps and not necessarily without a pain (both mental & physical).
So we will be waiting to hear the results of your endeavor.
May 13th, 2007 at 8:00 pm
Ouch! I hope the walk went well and you’re feeling relaxed, and with a sense of great accomplishment
May 13th, 2007 at 9:28 pm
I would expect that the trail has been defeated by now. More importantly, the difficulties in arranging the details taken care of. For unexplained reasons, many more important goals don’t come easily.
May 13th, 2007 at 9:41 pm
Wow!! Thank you all for the nice comments and the belief in our ability to do the walk and for not giving up & continuing to read even as we missed our regular posting date!
Nancy, your comment was the only one we both saw before starting the walk and somewhere near the very end when the trail seemed ENDLESS and I seriously thought about just sitting down and not getting back up a big gush of wind hit us from behind. We started laughing and said your thoughts must be with us. It was nice, thanks!