Beg Borrow and Hope for the Best

Sunday March 7, 2010 San Pedro de Atacama

I spoke to Norma briefly this morning before all the racers left for Camp 1. Later in the day, she sent me an email and some of it is copied below. She is always the optimist.

we travel for two hours from san pedro here and on the bus ride it was when i allowed myself to think about the last week. I managed to find everything except a head torch that i purchased for $10, the sleeping bag came from a porter from Kuma hotel where i stayed, he went home and got if for me, from 9:30 last night to 1pm today people went out of their way to help me and that’s amazing, if anything this has taught me is that people are kind and generous, we hear so much on the news about the small % of bad people and we forget that the majority are kind and friendly, especially in races like this, it attracts positive people.

i am worried about my shoes, they are track shoes so they fit me just right and as you know feet swell so i will get blisters for sure and they are thin so i will feel the rocks and the heat more easily. a lot of people that have run the race before are shaking their heads over the fact that i am still continuing considering everything is borrowed gear, even the food and bars and gels are things i have never tried before so it should be interesting.

i am not letting anything bother me, the only question i asked myself was to either do it or not and i already knew the answer and it was a yes, no need to drive myself crazy with details. there are no ideal scenarios and i will just deal with the issues as they present.

i am finding myself on a different situation where i am even thinking not sure i can finish it, if my shoes ripped and become destroyed that might be the end. i am not afraid of that happening i would just be very sad, but i want to teach my kids to continue and give their best even when things aren’t looking up, after all, this is when believing about something that you are committed and passionate is always not only when things are falling into place.

Charlie Engle

www.charlieengle.com