Racing the Planet

There are messages from friends that just help you realize that the world is so much bigger than your everyday comfy life. They wake you up, make you toss and turn, think and stand up.

Our friend P. just sent us an email - nothing new there, nothing to fret about. As I started reading the content of his email, my interest grew: he is going to participate in the Racing the Planet Gobi March. Yes, Gobi as in Gobi Desert, not the boho restaurant next door.

He is used to participating in extreme competitions, always pushing the limits one step further with the same smile on his face and tanned skin on his body (we are so jealous of his year-round good looks, but he already knows that. I am NOT being paid to say this, promise).

Aside from the obvious sporty dimension of such an extreme adventure in a far away territory, there is the geographical, social and political context to take into account and this is where the simplest things in life can get a bit rocky: Internet connection? Twitter? Personal cell phone? I don't think so. Forget all your gimmicks in this highly-sensitive area of the Chinese territory... Only the very official means of communication are allowed - so much for privacy if you know that your emails will be read by all competitors or organizers. So, think before you write, think.

Aside from the event and its context, there is another layer that brings a whole new meaning to this adventure and P.'s involvement: our friend is running to help raise funds for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) patients. As you may well imagine, there are personal reasons involved - I won't detail them here, but would strongly recommend instead that you read P.'s blog during the race and hop over to his site to fully understand that what is at stake is not personal satisfaction, victory or glory, but the future for patients who one day may not be able to accomplish essential movements, to walk, let alone run.

On a more generic note, I am a firm believer in everyday miracles and dreams: this event and its deep significance should help us see that what we take for granted every morning when we wake up from our sound night's sleep is actually a gift to cherish deeply and appreciate with due respect and unlimited gratitude.

All reasons enough to cheer for P.'s race and get involved!

Credit: Flickr