I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed.....

The full quote - at least according to my friend Kathleen's fb page goes: I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." MJ

I was looking for a title for this essay which is based on conversations I have had over the last month with a few people who react to news of my trip with the phrases: "You're doing what? Why? Are you sure you can do it?"

I'll answer the last question first: No, I am not at all sure I can do this entire trip but then I wasn't sure I could run the half marathon earlier this Spring - especially after a winter that allowed for next to no outdoor training time! (Really, I moved to Central NJ to avoid the blizzards - ok, that is another story....). As I've gotten older, basically since I passed that magical age of 40, a few years back now, I have stopped being so afraid of failing at these sorts of things. I never would have tried the half marathon at 30. This Spring, I came to work the following Monday and proudly told everyone of my 6,022 finish and my time guaranteed not to impress: 2:47. It impressed me because I didn't know if I could finish with an official time-under 3 hours. (Call out to Megs - who finished 13th - for asking me to try in the first place!)

I made it through last year's hike across England (see sister blog) despite three really, really, really tough days. The first one saw my feet on fire (ok, not literally but it sure felt that way) and my whining (loudly) "are we there yet?" at every hotel we passed on the main street of a town that seemed to exist purely to have hotels-ours was the last one in town. The 2nd day I walked further than I have ever walked before and finshed the walk with a dash across an active freeway and a half mile (400 yards my arse!) added to the end of the day. I didn't recognize my feet that night. The last occurred when my thigh muscles tensed up (admit it: forgot to stretch) making walking down hills extremely painful and embarrasingly slow.

I don't know what is going to happen on this trip. I am comfortable with the distance; slightly wary of the inclines and declines and nervous about the higher altitudes. Figure if I don't make it, the views from the hotel as I wave goodbye to everyone in the morning will still be pretty special.

As for why I do this - simple, because I can. I am fortunate enough that this sort of adventure is viable and as my childhood friends know, I learned at an early age not to take the future for granted. My Mom never got around to her long list of travels, they would come when my Dad retired, but Mom didn't see 50. I think that is why my siblings and I do some of the crazy things we do (Dan's Ducati not included), we are "lucky" enough to realize that if you can do it now, you need to do it now.

Also, it's been a year of a few too many reminders of that fact. Many of you know that for at least one day on this trip, my thoughts will be with my friend rebuilding her life after loss. There were too many this year: a highschool classmate, my Uncle's best friend and his wife. All the more reasons to keep doing and keep living.

So, if the way to succeed is to be wiling to fail, I'm going to Chamonix and going to begin walking around Europe's highest mountain. We'll see what happens. Carpe Diem!