It's been awhile since I've updated. Between then and now, I have (obviously) survived the Spartan.
And with a smile, no less. Every picture they captured of me during the race, I have a smile on my face. Even in my worst moments, when I thought things were rough or bad, I still had a smile. I joke and say it must have been delirium, although I know it was because I was having fun.
Another lesson the Spartan taught me - face adversity and ever obstacle with a smile. The change in perspective won't change the circumstances, but it will make it easier to get through. Plus, after everything is over, people seem to think you are stronger for being able to smile through it.
The biggest struggle is recovery right now. I was doing 40 push-ups nightly before the race to help build up my upper arm strength. Although my mind is craving to run right now and is telling me I can do so, my body is still maxed out. I tried push-ups for the first time the other day and my arms gave out after 4 of them.
It strikes me as odd how similar this is to flying - know your limits and gently push that envelope. If you exceed the performance capabilities of the aircraft, it may be slow to recover or will not recover at all. Perhaps going into the race sick, I wasn't in danger of not finishing - oh no, my will and perseverance are too strong for that. I would have crawled to the finish line if need be. Perhaps the real danger was in recovery. I'm sure recovery is much slower because of the shape I was when I began the race.
Would I do it all again? In a heartbeat. You push your limits, you do the things you never thought you could do... I climbed over an 8 foot wall with the aide of my teammates!!! A skinny girl who is afraid of heights climbed over an 8 foot wall!!! Once you do that, the rest is small stuff... So, as I was saying, you push your own limits, you do things you never thought you could do, you build relationships with people who are racing beside you and you are doing this in the most uncomfortable conditions possible. Most of the time you are wet, cold and muddy. It doesn't really begin to bother you until the end anyways.
I mention all of this because I stopped updating because I was tired of updating about meetings all the time. What I really want to do is update about actual flying. It began to discourage me. I know I need to find a new instructor and a new school... I say money and finding time is the problem, but I also know it's really me. Money is a big factor, don't get me wrong... but not the main reason. I'm scared. I'm haunted by the memories of being at a school before, and I'm haunted by the memories of a private instructor. What if it goes badly again? What if I never make it?
It's just the obstacle race all over again. Overcome adversity and obstacles with a smile. I'll certainly never make it if I continue to sit on my rump and worry about what may or may not happen. I need to get back into the air; my body, mind and soul almost require it. And no one is going to come to me and say "Hey, wanna go flying? I'll be your instructor!!"; I have to go out and find him myself. Just like no one ever came to me and said "Hey, wanna run an obstacle race together? I'll help you over the walls". I had to sign-up by myself, make a team out of the people I met there and ask them for help. People are more than willing to help you, but you need to take that first step, you know? I need to contact the woman I spoke with when I was first looking for flight schools. I need to try and work through trying to use a flight computer again.
In actual aviation news, last week at CAP meeting, we had an aerobatic pilot come talk to us. He installed LED lights on his airplane and on the propeller. I think it's a FANTASTIC idea myself... and as did one of my buddies. The others had to tell him that he couldn't install lights on any of the CAP aircraft and asked me to tell him too. I looked at him, smiled and said I'd help him to install them. :)
The aerobatic pilot came to have drinks with us after and I couldn't say a word to him. I kept thinking that if I opened my mouth, something stupid might fall out and I was holding myself back from leaping over the table and hugging him.
This week, I'm back running the radios again. And this time around, I'm not nervous. Well... maybe excitedly nervous. ;)
At the EAA meeting last week, we were discussing more plans for the year and fundraising begins with burger cook-outs. I'm sooo excited and thought about inviting all of my friends out when we started scheduling them. Then talk came up about Young Eagle and Eagle flights, to introduce kids and adults to aviation. The President said we needed coordinators for both of them. He asked for volunteers to only be responded to by crickets. I was idly curious and asked what the position involved. Later in the meeting, he'd say things like "We can schedule these monthly or every other month. It just depends on the coordinator and what SHE wants to do". LOL My fault for asking a question, I suppose... In any case, I'm the new Young Eagle Flight Coordinator.
But I'm honestly excited about it. I get to call schools, scout groups, etc to let them know when we are holding a Young Eagle flight day and get in touch with the airports to schedule them. Plus, I need to round up pilots and on the day of the flights, I get to check everyone in and give them their certificates when they finish. Whenever the group holds Board meetings, I am invited to attend and give feedback. Very cool, yet also kinda surreal... Me - the girl who squeaks and loves cartoons will be sitting on the Board of Directors. The only girl and the youngest one sitting on the Board with all those older guys. Well, hey... if you are gonna stand out, might as well stand up, right?
And speaking of standing up, I've also been busy contacting my representatives in DC about the closure of air traffic control towers, cancellation of air shows and the grounding of the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds. To my utter frustration, they don't seem to be listening. We just need to be louder and get their attention.
Aviation has come to mean so much to me. The best way to show my appreciation for it is to pass on what I have learned and to protect it in any way I can.
It strikes me as odd how similar this is to flying - know your limits and gently push that envelope. If you exceed the performance capabilities of the aircraft, it may be slow to recover or will not recover at all. Perhaps going into the race sick, I wasn't in danger of not finishing - oh no, my will and perseverance are too strong for that. I would have crawled to the finish line if need be. Perhaps the real danger was in recovery. I'm sure recovery is much slower because of the shape I was when I began the race.
Would I do it all again? In a heartbeat. You push your limits, you do the things you never thought you could do... I climbed over an 8 foot wall with the aide of my teammates!!! A skinny girl who is afraid of heights climbed over an 8 foot wall!!! Once you do that, the rest is small stuff... So, as I was saying, you push your own limits, you do things you never thought you could do, you build relationships with people who are racing beside you and you are doing this in the most uncomfortable conditions possible. Most of the time you are wet, cold and muddy. It doesn't really begin to bother you until the end anyways.
I mention all of this because I stopped updating because I was tired of updating about meetings all the time. What I really want to do is update about actual flying. It began to discourage me. I know I need to find a new instructor and a new school... I say money and finding time is the problem, but I also know it's really me. Money is a big factor, don't get me wrong... but not the main reason. I'm scared. I'm haunted by the memories of being at a school before, and I'm haunted by the memories of a private instructor. What if it goes badly again? What if I never make it?
It's just the obstacle race all over again. Overcome adversity and obstacles with a smile. I'll certainly never make it if I continue to sit on my rump and worry about what may or may not happen. I need to get back into the air; my body, mind and soul almost require it. And no one is going to come to me and say "Hey, wanna go flying? I'll be your instructor!!"; I have to go out and find him myself. Just like no one ever came to me and said "Hey, wanna run an obstacle race together? I'll help you over the walls". I had to sign-up by myself, make a team out of the people I met there and ask them for help. People are more than willing to help you, but you need to take that first step, you know? I need to contact the woman I spoke with when I was first looking for flight schools. I need to try and work through trying to use a flight computer again.
In actual aviation news, last week at CAP meeting, we had an aerobatic pilot come talk to us. He installed LED lights on his airplane and on the propeller. I think it's a FANTASTIC idea myself... and as did one of my buddies. The others had to tell him that he couldn't install lights on any of the CAP aircraft and asked me to tell him too. I looked at him, smiled and said I'd help him to install them. :)
The aerobatic pilot came to have drinks with us after and I couldn't say a word to him. I kept thinking that if I opened my mouth, something stupid might fall out and I was holding myself back from leaping over the table and hugging him.
This week, I'm back running the radios again. And this time around, I'm not nervous. Well... maybe excitedly nervous. ;)
At the EAA meeting last week, we were discussing more plans for the year and fundraising begins with burger cook-outs. I'm sooo excited and thought about inviting all of my friends out when we started scheduling them. Then talk came up about Young Eagle and Eagle flights, to introduce kids and adults to aviation. The President said we needed coordinators for both of them. He asked for volunteers to only be responded to by crickets. I was idly curious and asked what the position involved. Later in the meeting, he'd say things like "We can schedule these monthly or every other month. It just depends on the coordinator and what SHE wants to do". LOL My fault for asking a question, I suppose... In any case, I'm the new Young Eagle Flight Coordinator.
But I'm honestly excited about it. I get to call schools, scout groups, etc to let them know when we are holding a Young Eagle flight day and get in touch with the airports to schedule them. Plus, I need to round up pilots and on the day of the flights, I get to check everyone in and give them their certificates when they finish. Whenever the group holds Board meetings, I am invited to attend and give feedback. Very cool, yet also kinda surreal... Me - the girl who squeaks and loves cartoons will be sitting on the Board of Directors. The only girl and the youngest one sitting on the Board with all those older guys. Well, hey... if you are gonna stand out, might as well stand up, right?
And speaking of standing up, I've also been busy contacting my representatives in DC about the closure of air traffic control towers, cancellation of air shows and the grounding of the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds. To my utter frustration, they don't seem to be listening. We just need to be louder and get their attention.
Aviation has come to mean so much to me. The best way to show my appreciation for it is to pass on what I have learned and to protect it in any way I can.
No comments:
Post a Comment