Seventy48: Get Kraken!

The email came in this afternoon: “Congrats and welcome aboard.  You’re in! “

*SQUEEEEEAL* and gulp.

I have officially been accepted as a solo rower into the 70-mile, human-powered only race from Tacoma to Port Townsend this June: the Seventy48.

It was a natural progression of events… Matthew and I have immersed ourselves each year as enthusiastic observers of the creative hail storm of hard-core boating that is the Race to Alaska (R2AK). Last year, we stumbled accidentally into the starting-line festivities of the Seventy48 with our catamaran’s usual moorage steps away. We already had plans to stay up in Port Townsend to join the much-anticipated Ruckus send-off for the R2AK racers that weekend. What a bonus to catch the start and cheer at the finish-line for the Seventy48-ers as they rolled into PT. As fate would have it, we knew several of the intrepid rowers and paddlers, so the idea seed was planted…

I did try to ignore the idea as it germinated. That Little Voice inside my head kept persistently nudging me forward towards the Seventy48 as My Gut Reaction pushed back (as one’s internal dialogue goes)…

My Little Voice: You know these waters so well – why not give it a try?

My Gut Reaction: What? No. There is no practical reason why I should row 70 miles to Port Townsend...

My Little Voice: It would be fun, empowering, and achievable. You could actually DO this amazing thing…and you LOVE being on the water.

My Gut Reaction: Shhhh. I’m trying to work here. I have a big deadline tomorrow and I still need to fold the laundry. There’s no time for training for a race like that. But…yeah…I do love being on the water…

My Little Voice: Seriously? Exactly when did you get so old and lame? Think of the amazing example you’d set for your little girl…and yourself! Plus it would be an excellent way to get back in shape, for real this time. AND you’d probably need a new boat…

My Gut Reaction: *crickets* That’s true…and I am NOT old and lame…

Enter Team Get Kraken (N = 1)