It began as a crazy idea. And I mean crazy. At least it felt that way. Waaaay out of this world crazy to me, especially considering where I was physically last summer ó heck, just this past spring.
I was walking at Dan Nichols Park, as usual, during the month of May. Our son, Timothy, was home from college for a month before starting his summer job as a Teaching Assistant Counselor (TAC) at Governor’s School, West at Salem College in Winston-Salem. He began joining me in my every-other-day walk. Two miles, as usual ó all I thought I was able to do.
But quickly we upped it to 3 miles for 3 days, then 4 miles for 4 days, then 5 miles for 3 days. (I know, because I keep a walking chart, another one of my compulsive habits.)
Suddenly, “I” jumped to 8 miles, then 8 plus 2, then 8 plus 4. I couldn’t believe it ó12 miles in a day! Who would have thought? In one week, from May 27 to June 2, I walked 50 miles.
What?
50 miles?
I have never walked 50 miles in a month in my lifetime, let alone one week!
Suddenly I had this realization: considering my total miles walked since January, I figured I was only about 6 miles away from walking the total number of miles to the beach ó 213. I could hardly believe it.
And then, right in the middle of me “minding my own business” . . . then came the crazy thought.
“Sooooo, why not WALK to the beach?”
My first thought (after that other first crazy thought) was, “Who said that?”
I don’t know about you and your faith, but for me, God plays little funny tricks on me, with me. Nothing ever mean or humiliating. Quite the opposite. Fun stuff, sometimes challenging stuff, just like a loving Father would do. I can see that big ol’ grin on His face every time He’s up to a trick with me. It’s happened before. And I felt it ó felt Him ó again.
Before even telling my wife about it, I sent this e-mail to a friend on May 27:
“In the last 10 days of walking I’ve completed 40 miles. I can hardly believe it.
“Sound like I’m braggin’? Yup. Maybe I am. But I think I am more in disbelief than anything.
“Had a crazy thought today. Thought about the beach trip … and walking to the beach. Literally. Giving myself 11 days at about 20 miles a day. Three extra days just in case I need them.
“Every time I start to think about it I get choked up … would be an amazing thing to accomplish. Can’t imagine how much this might inspire others. I’d bet quite a bit.
“Is that crazy, or what???”
The response?
“Honey, like they say, it ain’t braggin’ if you can do it! That’s just tellin’ it like it is. Yeah … walking to the beach sounds crazy, and sounds like a great idea to me! I think it’s amazing to think about setting a goal that high. If anyone can do it, you can!”
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I didn’t tell many people at all. I wanted to, and didn’t want to, all at the same time.
Why? I was afraid I might start the walk, and then couldn’t do it. I’d be ó I’d feel like ó a failure. Again.
I’m well acquainted with that feeling. I’m tired of feeling that way. I believe others can understand that feeling, especially those who’ve struggled with weight issues and failed time and time again to make a real change. Sometimes we just get tired of trying, only to be disappointed once again.
But I didn’t let the fear of failing stop me. I logged onto the Internet and found a walking route to Carolina Beach at About.com. It added a few miles, but not many. Now the trip would be 220 miles, plus another 2 to the beach house instead of 213. And the theme began to evolve as “Beach Walk, 2007 ó 222 miles, 22 days.”
“I” thought 10 miles a day a more reasonable goal, too. I was square one back to the “divide and conquer” theme.
“Divide it up. Give yourself plenty of time. You’ll never know unless you try” were the words I heard.
I didn’t know if those were my thoughts (I) or God’s thoughts to me (the great “I”).
Longer story shorter ó June 7, I walked away from my home in Granite Quarry and walked all the way to the intersection of U.S. 52 and Old Beatty Ford Rd. just below Gold Hill. It was 9.9 miles. Day one was completed. I cried. I couldn’t believe it.
And I thought about Mark Wineka and the summer he walked all of Old Beatty Ford Road ó from one end to another. I thought that was an amazing thing to do as I read about his adventure. And even back then, it inspired me.
A short bonus day (2 hour walk) plus another full morning on June 11 and I was on the other side of Albemarle on N.C. 24-27 at Anderson Grove Baptist Church.
By June 15, I was to the Moore County line just outside of Candor ó 56.6 miles away from home.
By June 21, I stopped at the intersection of Pate Road and N.C. 20, 5 miles south of Raeford ó and 101.6 miles away from home.
By June 29, I had completed 158.1 miles, was past Elizabethtown and its bypass, and headed down N.C. 87 toward Leland. And I had already walked 10 miles of the beach section, from Wilmington to Sea Breeze on U.S. 421 on Sunday, June 24.
Returning home, Beth and I took the week of July 4th off and then went back to the walk the following week. On the longest walk of the trip ó 13.6 miles on Thursday, July 12 ó I walked over the draw bridge on U.S. 74/76 ó and into Wilmington.
On Friday, July 13, I walked the last little section of the walk (Sea Breeze to Snow’s Cut Bridge) except the finale, that being walking onto and over Snow’s Cut Bridge and entering Carolina Beach. So far, I’ve completed 208.2 miles.
Beth and I then went to Tennessee in late July and hiked the Ramsey Cascades Trail at Greenbriar, a daytime recreation use area of The Great Smokey Mountains National Park. I tried to hike it in December, but couldn’t. It kept calling me to come back and walk all of it. And we did.
That was a VERY strenuous 8 miles and 7 loooong hours ó up and back down the mountain ó of a hike. And 2 hours of the walk back down were in the pouring rain. Whew!
I would have never, ever been able to do the Cascades hike before the beach walk. My legs would not have been strong enough, nor would I have practiced the divide and conquer idea enough times to make it a new way of thinking. And we needed that strategy on the mountain hike many, many times.
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The total miles to the beach cottage will be 210.9. I only have 2.7 miles left to walk. The miles really don’t matter anymore. The destination at first was what was important, and it still is. But the walk, the walk itself became vastly important, became a really soulful journey. It changed me, hopefully made me a better man. I know without any doubt it gave me more confidence and empowerment to face life’s challenges now than in any other time in my life.
I averaged about 11 miles a day, some days walked almost 13, and one day did more than that. That’s still hard to believe. I know this óI’m ready for that final walk and the entrance to the town of Carolina Beach.
One day soon we’ll go back and I’ll walk the last little bit of the walk. I’ll walk to the realty company and get the keys, and then walk to the beach cottage. Door to door ófrom my home in Granite Quarry to the cottage at Carolina Beach. To build sandcastles with my grown boys, because I couldn’t do that before (I told you this has been a powerful motivator for me!). It’s truly hard to imagine.
Let me say this: If anyone has difficulty believing I walked all the way to the beach, they’ll have to get in line ó BEHIND ME! When I drive where I’ve walked, it is truly hard to imagine. Or comprehend. Or believe.
But I was there. I’ve walked every single cool and muggy morning mile, as well as every hot and muggy and sweaty ó and wonderful ó ending mile. I’ve done what was impossible before, did what I’ve come to believe only the heart of God could dream and hope for me. I never imagined what I was being prepared for all these months, maybe years. Never in my wildest dreams would I even begin to create the idea.
And my weight now? As of July 20, I’ve now lost over 185 pounds, even with the muscle I gained in my walks. Impossible? I wondered that myself. But, it’s true. And I’ve lost most of it in just a little over 15 months.
I believe impossible dreams can still come true. How? By trusting. Obeying. Doing what’s needed to be done for a long time. With time, consistent effort, and practicing the divide and conquer principle, I believe impossible dreams can come true. Each of us can work to make life better, perhaps literally ó one step at a time.
“NOW is the day of salvation,” the Bible says. Now ótoday ó is the time to make life better. I know without a doubt that if I can work on it, you can, too. Really, you can.
And in the meantime, when it gets tough and you wonder if you can make it, I will believe in you even if ó and when óyou can’t believe in yourself.
“I” will, too.
nnn
Contact Dave Cook at TimeToLiveBetter@cs.com.