Overcome Heartbreak with Obscenity!

About a month ago I wrote a piece titled “Doing then Talking vs. Talking then Doing”: https://www.frank-mckinney.com/press.asp?article=193.

In short, the point of the article was some big goals are best kept a secret. Why? Often when we tell others about our lofty plans it makes them less likely to happen because it creates an unconscious payoff, it tricks our brains into thinking we’ve already accomplished the goal. Keeping our big goals to ourselves is one of the smartest goals we can set. This worked well for me in the example I used in the article.

The title of this piece “Overcome Heartbreak with Obscenity” goes a little deeper.

I’m only going to write about this once, until the endeavor is complete. I may share a story or two from the arena, but in the recent past, I think that may have gotten in the way of a primary pursuit.

There was too much talk during the undertaking; TV/Radio/Print interviews, fundraising, articles, videos, blogs, blah, blah, blah. Heck, I even created and took you on a 9-month, 9-part transformational journey called Personal Renaissance – Undo the Undone.

For a refresher you can read all 9 parts on my blog (https://www.frank-mckinney.com/franks_blog.asp) starting with the first entry on 11.15.12 or on FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/175655922572499/. The process and outcome was certainly worthwhile.

You may or may not know that, for the last 10 years, I’ve been captivated by a race that National Geographic calls the “toughest footrace in the world,” the Death Valley Badwater 135-mile Ultramarathon: http://www.badwater.com/reg.html.

Badwater is an invitation-only race (100 invitees from 20+ countries) that has been held annually for the last 27 years in Death Valley, California during the desert’s hottest month of the year, July.

The course traverses 135 non-stop miles on blacktop pavement (200+ degrees!) through the Mojave, over three mountain ranges, touching elevations exceeding 10,000 feet. There are no aid stations, so it’s up to the runner’s crew to get him or her to the finish line. Each runner must finish in under 48 hours or they are disqualified.

I have written countless articles about Badwater, three of my five books have chapters devoted to Badwater, I’ve produced two educational videos using Badwater as the teaching tool, hosted a live event in the Death Valley National Park, and even gave a TED talk titled Conquering Your Life’s Badwaters:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmt-cIenlFY&feature=youtu.be.

Suffice it to say Badwater has become a significant part of my life. My life has been enhanced by the Badwater experience.

So what about this “Overcome Heartbreak with Obscenity?” What does that mean?

After 6 grueling but successful finishes at Badwater, I have failed to finish the last two years. “I guess you have aged out, Frank” one close friend said. Another person I consider almost a surrogate father said “now, why don’t you find a sport that is more conducive for someone of your age.” Of course my Mom has wanted me to stop ever since my first race in 2005, and even my brother Bob, who is my best friend, will not return to Death Valley with me on my crew because he can’t stand to see me suffer like I do.

I love all of these people, but I don’t feel this way. I don’t have these same doubts. Yet, they all could be dead right, couldn’t they?

You know, I believe we feel most alive when experiencing extremes for the first time. I have never felt more alive out there in the desert than when I am running Badwater. I now know why many of the stories found in the Bible take place in the desert. There is a spiritual awakening that I have yet to experience anywhere else in the world. I have never been more raw and unattached to the things of my world than when I am out there in nature’s greatest sports arena.

So, how should we approach a monumental undertaking where the result was monumental failure on the last two attempts? An undertaking that required so much sacrifice, determination, and will that it literally absorbed much of our consciousness while we spent years preparing for it?

Before I go further, can you identify at least one of your life’s challenges (business, financial, physical, relational, dietary, emotional, spiritual, etc) where you devoted quite a bit of your gifts and energies, only to have the end result fall short of your expectations?

I know you can, because it has happened to all of us.

So, like a good, quality game show, I had three doors I could choose from: Door #1: Move on to a different hobby (I don’t think I would like collecting stamps), Door #2: Ready my mind and body once again in much the same way I had for my other 8 Badwater races, after all I was successful 75% of the time, or Door 3: Overcome theHeartbreak by setting an even higher goal. One beyond what I had failed at twice. One so high it would be considered OBSCENE.

So, I chose Door #3 (I know you may think there must be a therapist couch out there comfortable enough to accommodate poor Frank!)

Not only did I apply to run Badwater this year (and was recently honored with an acceptance)http://www.badwater.com/2014web/roster.html, but I am currently one of ten who will be trying to earn the Badwater Ultra Cup by finishing the following in succession in 2014 i) Badwater Cape Fear, a 51-mile race run completely on the sands of Bald Head, North Carolina in March, followed by ii) Badwater Salton Sea, an unimaginable 81-mile traverse of California deserts and mountains in May. The route is run non-stop from below sea level to the top of Palomar Mountain. I must run with 2 team members (Kim Budzik & Christina Bilenki) the entire time as a team, not a relay (our team name is Blondes Run More Miles), and finally iii) The Badwater 135-Mile Ultramarathon in July.

So, this will be a new experiment. Setting a goal far beyond what had recently failed (twice). Kind of like trying to climb Mt. McKinley (elevation 20,237) and failing, yet coming back and climbing Mt. Everest (29,029) the next time. Or coming up short on a $100,000 real estate deal only to return with a $1 million transaction.

Until that time you won’t be hearing much from me on the subject. I need to perform more and talk less. There won’t be any fundraising for our Caring House Project (first time in 9 years at Badwater), blogging, interviews, videos, etc. Just the implementation of a plan that I have devised that I believe will give me the best chance to succeed. When I am successful, I’ll be sure to share that plan with you, if you are interested.