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Tuesday, June 05, 2012

Rise to the Challenge

yoga

Rise to the Challenge!

Sarah Kaczor was a team member on 3 Peaks 3 Weeks Africa 2011. She is leading Pose for Peaks, a weekend yoga retreat this July in support of the Foundation.

When I applied for the 2011 3 Peaks 3 Weeks Africa Challenge, I was in a good place. I co- owned a beautiful and peaceful yoga studio, I was single and fun-loving and I was bicycling 18-20 miles 3-5 times a week. When I was accepted committed to the 3 Peaks 3 Weeks team , my life had changed in subtle ways. I still owned the studio, but my partners were behaving like strangers. I had met someone, but we were stubbornly refusing to admit that there was a spark, and I was bicycling even more to escape it all. By the time I dialed into the very first team conference call, life had changed dramatically. My partners decided to dissolve our business, leaving me financially and professionally drained. That someone and I weren’t on speaking terms at all…tension so sharp that other people noticed. And winter set in and I had to take my bike off the road. Suddenly I had no money and a lot of free time. The 3 Peaks 3 Weeks Challenge was suddenly the only thing I had. I wasn’t sure what I should do, so I practiced yoga daily and began walking.

sarahkaczor

When the going gets tough!

I knew that fundraising was going to be its own challenge for me to conquer. In part, I expected the work to be familiar – similar to running a business. I thought that it would be rather easy to get my community to rally behind such an incredible humanitarian challenge. And I expected that my very wealthy friends would have no hesitation in making generous donations.
I was in for an awakening and six months into the fundraising, I felt the impact of every “no.”
I remember crying to my mother one day that I was in over my head and that I felt like quitting was the tough decision I was going to make…then when I got online to compose that email, there in my inbox was a letter from Laura letting us know that we were a small team as two potential Peakers had to walk away. I thought, “Oh damn, I can’t quit now!” And I didn’t.

poseforpeaks

Just keep moving!

Our Tanzanian guide, Kim, was assigned to me for Kili’s summit. Over the roar of the wind and through my balaclava, I could hear him yelling in my ears for hours, “Just keep moving, Captain! You’re getting there!”

I realize that is what makes us, Peakers, special. We rise to the challenge, we are tougher than the going and we keep going until we get there.
Pose for the Peaks is about connecting with the inner strength that it takes to stay the course, to keep moving, and maintain an attitude that works for your greatest Peaks Challenge experience.

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