That Big, Beautiful, Open Window I was Talking About...

Well, that sucked. My plans for my AT thru-hike were in tatters, the steroids for my swollen brain were making me gain massive amounts of weight, and I had nothing to do but sit on the couch and wallow in self pity. Not really the best time of my life.

The very second that I got the begrudging ok from my doctor, I drove across country to participate in a retreat for a group of women who love hiking. I’d been a member for several years and I was really excited. Of course, the retreat involved a lot of hiking during the day and I wasn’t allowed to go due to my head injury - but I knew this ahead of time. I thought just being in a new place and hanging out with cool people would help me claw my way out of the depression that had swallowed me whole. Unfortunately, it just pushed me down deeper. I felt bad about not hiking, but I felt worse when I heard two people who I had counted as friends making fun of my weight and the fact that I wasn’t able to hike. I know, I know - “people can only hurt you with your permission”- yada, yada, yada. Whatever. I was pretty much devastated. To make matters worse, these people were the group leaders, so I not only lost two friends, I lost the whole group. You’ve heard about the “Pit of Despair”? It’s not just in the movies. It’s real. I’ve been there. I was completely lost.

So, there I was, back home but deep in the pit, when my husband told me that he had been offered a new job. We were either going to Australia or India. I’m not going to lie - in my head, India was a little scary. I was hoping for Australia. The possibility actually let a little light into the pit. While we were waiting to hear, I started scrolling FaceBook. I decided to check in with another group that I had been a part of for several years. The first post that I saw was really upsetting: the admin had decided to close down the group after this year. Before I could even react to that, the next post said that they’d be willing to sell it for the right price. I don’t know why, but that propelled me right out of the pit. I was instantly really excited about the possibility. It was the worst possible time - we had no money and we were facing a move to the other side of the world! What was I thinking? I don’t know. I can’t explain it. I just knew that I needed to buy that group!

After two weeks of hemming and hawing, my husband and I decided to take a loan from our 401K and just go for it. I made my offer and it was accepted! I was over the moon and terrified at the very same time. I had no experience running a fitness challenge. It needed major overhauls of all of its social media channels and its website was a mess. Oh, and the new year started in 3 weeks and it was already really late for setting up registration and finding sponsors. To say that I was in over my head would have been the under statement of the year. Still, I was excited and even happy for the first time since I left the trail, so I had to make it work.

Luckily, one of my awesome daughters-in-law swooped in and saved me. She brought creativity and coding know how, and together, we have taken the group from a slowly dying fitness challenge to the thriving 365 Mile Challenge of today! It was (and is) a lot of work, but I love every second of it. I love to invent fun ways to get people to get outside and move their bodies and enjoy the world around them. I love finding ways to get them excited, inspired and motivated. I love the group that is full of amazing, supportive people that help keep each other going, and I love my group of ambassadors who have stepped in and helped me take this group to the next level. The last year has been really tough (and of course, Covid didn’t help matters), but it brought me back to life. How can I complain about that? It was my open window.

Covid also put a hold on Tod’s new job - which actually was a good thing. It gave me time to work with Kayla and get the group established first. Now that we’re getting ready for registration again and I have the challenge set up so that I can run it from anywhere, Tod finally got the confirmation. We’re moving to India. Sure, it’s still a little scary, but the best things always are.