And In the End ...

Apologies for never finishing this blog. It took some time to process what it all meant to me. But to anyone who happens to stop by and wonder what happened to the Save A Pair lady, here it is:

The 3-Day changed my life. And I'm sure plenty of people have said this and I'm sure some of them could provide a much better story than mine but you're not reading their blog, you're reading mine; so shut up and let me finish. Ahem.

Things, as I expected, went back to normal a few days after the event. All things except me. First of all, I had a naaaasty blister that continued to pester for me for a week. The foot bruises--and now I understand why the Army looks down on the fallen of arch--persisted as well and made sneaker-wearing a necessity for quite some time. And the eating like I was walking 20 miles a day habit took a while to break. But physically, I recovered in time for my brown belt test and completed those 3 hours with plenty of energy to do 3 hours more. It was a fantastic feeling.

Besides that, I was invited to participate in an Instructor Training program at my dojo which led me down a slip-slidery path from being a karate hobby enthusiast to being, as I know apparently am, a Martial Arts Professional. Because, you see, last April--after testing for my second degree brown belt in February and joining a gym to prepare for that in January--I was invited to skip my first degree brown belt altogether and test for black belt in June.

Let me just... pause to explain that 1) this doesn't happen often. It happens, but not often. and 2) this... is a big deal. Black belt test = super hard. In fact first degree brown belt, I was told, was all review, all practice, all prepping for the black belt test and it usually lasts months if not years. So I would being going from 2nd degree brown to black in a matter of 4 months. From 3rd degree brown to black in 8 months. WHITE to BLACK in 2 years and 8 months. May I repeat: Big Deal.

Naturally, I was terrified. And very ... veryvery doubtful about my ability to do this. But part of my self-negotiating was recognizing what I had accomplished last August. 40 miles in 3 days while sleeping on the ground at night, getting up pre-dawn to shower in a truck, spending the entire day outside in sun and bugs and rain and whatever else we happened upon and DAMMIT, if I can do that, I can do 4 hours in a gym and earn a black belt.

Oh yes, children, my amazing experience on the 3-Day gave me the bal-- er... shoes to tackle a premature black belt test and to do so with enthusiasm and energy and absolute confidence in myself. And it was a major factor in my decision to advance a rank sooner rather than wait for a more appropriate length of time. But besides that, it was the impetus to create changes in my life. To take more risks, to change jobs, to change priorities, to change my attitude and certain behaviors, and to give people the benefit of the doubt more often than not because the people I met at the 3-Day were just... the most loving caring people I've ever had the honor of keeping company with.

So love and joy and luck to the people walking this year, and especially to Linda and the Mobile Toys, Inc. team who've adopted Save A Pair (visit them at saveapair.org or donate to them HERE) as their slogan. It's a good one, kids, and I wish you the joy of it.

And to anyone thinking of walking and feeling a little uneasy about those 60 miles or that obscene amount of money to be raised, just do it (and pardon my Nike-ism but Nike, the goddess of Victory is an excellent companion for charity walks and black belt tests alike) and you won't regret it. People will surprise you, the way they come to your aid and support you with money and well-wishes and companionship on your long walk or when your knee gives out on you and you need a rescue vehicle. There is no better remedy for lack of faith in the goodness of humankind that the 3-Day. And boy howdy is it a confidence builder!