Racing the Wild Coast

Have you ever dreamed up something so deliciously terrifying that it pulls at the core of you and scares you so bad that you give yourself 1,001 reasons why you can't/shouldn't do it?

I've just been accepted to participate in one of those soul-shaking things.

Welcome to Race the Wild Coast , a 370km race across some of the most rugged territory in the world's toughest (but not longest, that title belongs to the Mongol Derby) horse race.  I'm devoting the next year of my life to training my body and my mind to be able to compete in a race that is, by the words of its founder, "a new breed of long distance horse racing, blending the spirit of the frontiersman and the modern horseback adventurer: testing horsemanship, endurance, survival and navigational skills across an iconic wilderness."

Throughout my life, I've sought adventure but always carried a nugget of fear in my stomach.  I've convinced myself not to attempt those adventures that call to me on a soul-level because of the parade of what-ifs that made their way through my mind at every turn.  I'm finally making my stand against those what-ifs and saying yes to the thrilling adventure that makes my bones shiver delightfully.  

To be perfectly clear, I have never competed in anything of this caliber, with horses or of my own power.  I'm not a competitive rider, but you bet your butt I'll be upping my riding game immensely this year.

The race will cost $7200, not including airfare.  That entry fee provides us with GPS tracking devices, emergency response medical teams, veterinary care for the horses, food during the race, four horses per rider, and other necessary provisions.

The purpose behind deciding to pursue this race goes beyond an exhilarating call for adventure.  My motives are to push myself beyond the excuses I use to keep myself small.  To push myself beyond my growth edge to see what is really possible, and to inspire others to become comfortable with the uncomfortable and to find their own growth edge and expand beyond it, beyond their wildest dreams.  I pledge to use this adventure, upon completion, as a foundation for reaching out to my local community-members, especially the areas considered 'underprivileged' and encourage them to dream bigger, to be their own motivators to reach new goals.  In short, I pledge to use this race for the greater good of my community.

Thank you for reading this far in my sponsorship request.

Each person sponsoring $25-$50 to this race will receive:
-A special signed photo print-out from the race 

Each person sponsoring $51-$75 to this race will receive:
-A special signed photo print-out from the race 
-An original, handwritten poem, sent to you via snail mail

Each person sponsoring $76 and above will receive:
-A special signed photo print-out from the race 
-An original, handwritten poem by me, sent to you via snail mail
-Your name entered into a drawing to have 10% of the proceeds raised for this donated to a charity of your choice (within the limitations provided before the raffle)

This will be hard, the hardest thing I've done to date.  I'm not pursuing this adventure simply for the sake of having done it, I'm dedicating the next year of my life to rising out the mental mudslide that's led me into some despairing times, indeed.  And I'm using it as a platform for honest sharing of what it takes to participate in an event of this caliber.

I have created a website  devoted to sharing my adventures in training for this.  Beyond that, as a published author  on Medium, I will be writing short essays that will highlight the beautiful struggle (mentally, physically, spiritually) of what it takes to push yourself out of the realm of ordinary and into the extraordinary.  Please consider supporting this endeavor; I have grand plans for making the world a little brighter and a lot more adventurous.

To steal a quote from my favorite TV show, Call the Midwife,

"Sometimes the route to joy is indirect, our journey home not quite as we expected. There’s no magic star to guide our steps, no ancient prophecies to predict our way. The greatest gift is to know that we travel not alone but in the company of others."

In pursuit of all that lets us expand the joy in our worlds,

Aleta