Just Who Do You Think You Are?

Western States 100 at 2AM

Toeing the start of any race, this is where my mind goes. How did I get here? What makes me think I can do what these real athletes are doing? I’m just me. Not some impressive individual like those I’m standing with. I’m just the one who as a child my mother couldn’t patch the knees in my pants fast enough as I was constantly tearing around and roughhousing. I’m just the one who as I teacher, my kids used to whisper to me during long periods of sitting, “Mrs. Lanka, you’re getting the wiggles” indicating that I wasn’t being still and we all should go outside and run to the fence before continuing w/ the lesson. I’m just the one who designed and marked 24 annual races as Brazen Racing’s event coordinator, overjoyed purely at the fact that others would be outdoors and on the “playground” the following day. I’m just the one who reported on events such Western States at 2 AM in the morning for UltraSportsLive.TV, half crazed due to supporting live feeds for almost 30 hours in hopes to encourage viewers to realize how much potential they have. I’m just the one who currently derails my own meetings by walking into a conference room and asking about the trail shoes someone is wearing* or after being informed that the majority of a customer’s company bikes to work, asks if they would be comfortable with me doing the same. The threads lacing through these experiences are abundant: the draw to the outdoors, the drive for adventure and love of movement, the encouraging and empowering others to realize the strength within them to join the party. Back at the start line, in taking an honest look around me, I see these threads weaving through those I have the honor of sharing the space with, if only by their interactions with each other. And as I study them further, deeper hues of our commonalities become evident, further bonding us by our nature. We all

On the “Playground”

know that we are going to be blessed with sights only found in the wilds we traverse. We all know we’re going to chance upon new friends as well as discover new realities about our spirits and physical capabilities. We all know that somewhere out there, it’s perfectly possible that we will come across some homemade cookies that taste unbelievably heavenly for the sole reason that we had to labor to find them in the racing wilderness.

So, who am I? I’m just another child surreptitiously hidden in an adult body.

Just like everyone else here.

And we’re going out to play.

* This is how I had the pleasure of first meeting Trex, who in turn introduced me to the Bunny not long after. 😊 Oh and me? I’m the RAbbit (WestsideRabbit if you are on Instagram). But that’s a story for another day.