Sandra Heska King

daring to open doors

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Dared: A 30-Mile Bike Ride and a Request

February 16, 2018 By Sandra Heska King

Dare

 

I’ve gone and dared myself again.

Back in December my cardiologist told me I needed to lose some weight. Sigh… I know that, but he’s the first doctor who ever called me out. In the past I’ve heard things like, “No worries. We all gain a little as we get older.” I’m not sure they really saw me or heard my concern.

I’d lost several pounds before I moved to Florida what with running up and down two flights of stairs, lugging furniture around, and getting all physical while getting our home ready to sell. I also had succumbed to one of those low-carb frozen gourmet meal deals that arrived every week in a giant styrofoam box packed on dry ice. But since moving here, I gained everything back. Walking hasn’t helped much–maybe because my walks are camera-timed. Stroll, stop, snap. Stroll, stop, snap.

“So how much weight should I drop?”

I’m not so much worried about the weight. I’d like to see an hourglass figure.

That, I think, was his nice way of telling me to melt the belly fat.

“How?”

I’d like to see you train for a 5-K.

“Ummm… I’m a month shy of 69. And my knees aren’t in great shape. In fact, I had to have my left one injected a couple years back. I don’t think I’m supposed to run.”

But it sounded like he dared me.

I made an appointment with an orthopedic doctor for his input. He told me no running. I didn’t say I’d take his advice. In fact, I’d already bought new shoes and had started to walk-jog with Krista Tippett. I’d also signed up for a 5-K run through our church that was happening a week later. I didn’t tell him that.

And I showed up. I jogged a little, walked most of the route, but I finished. In fact, I got a third-place medal for my age category. Who cares there were only four of us?

I completed the dare.

I’m still working on the hourglass thing. I think I have an appointment coming up soon. I’m afraid Dr. M might be disappointed.

I’ve dared myself to do a new thing, though. Tomorrow. A 30-mile bike ride to raise money for orphans! I’ve done three training rides after not riding for–oh, maybe a couple of years. Yep, I may be seriously certifiable. Did I mention I’m still suffering from the trauma of falling into horse doo on Mackinac Island several years back, and I still have a fear of falling when I try to stop?

Last weekend my husband and I rode 21 miles on the Loxahatchee levee. I barely finished. And this ride is TOMORROW! I’ve seen the map. There are two scheduled rest stops. TWO! I swear I saw more than that when I signed us up as the Kingster Pedal Pushers.

I have a fundraising page. Money I raise might even find its way to the Lundi orphanage in Jeremie, Haiti where I’ve physically served in the past! How cool is that? And that’s whether I finish or not. Maybe you’d be willing to donate a little to the cause? It might give me more of an incentive to keep my knees rotating. If not, the orphans win either way. Just click over here and help a girl complete a personal dare?

Sandra King’s Fundraising Page

 

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Filed Under: Blog, Dared

Comments

  1. Michele Morin says

    February 17, 2018 at 8:33 am

    I’m daring myself in a similar way, and your post reminds me that it’s been a long time since I listened to Krista T’s podcast.
    I don’t comment often, but your words are an encouragement to me.

  2. Dea says

    February 17, 2018 at 1:31 pm

    You go girl! 69 has nothing on you..

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Talking with D about his grandfather. One of the f Talking with D about his grandfather. One of the farmhands said Grandpa King was one of the toughest men he ever knew. In the dead of a Michigan winter, he wore a baseball cap instead of a knit hat. In April through October he never wore a shirt.
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Once he was raking hay and while trying to get the rake in gear, he fell against the tractor fender. He finished raking hay. Then for the next two days, he rode on a combine bagging oats, bouncing and breathing in dust and lifting bags. After 3 days, he said, “I don’t feel very good. I’m gonna go to the doctor snd see what’s wrong.” He had two or three broken ribs, a punctured lung, and pneumonia.
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D said he only saw him tear up three times.
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1. When his 19-year-old grandson died from a heart condition.
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2. When D said, “ Goodbye Grandpa. I’ll see you in the spring.” ( D was maybe 11 or 12. ) Grandpa was on his way to FL for the winter and knew he probably wouldn’t be back. He died about a month later.
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3. When he talked about the fact that the hotels in FL would not let black baseball players stay there. That was in the 50s.
“Be like a tree and let the dead leaves drop.” “Be like a tree and let the dead leaves drop.” -Rumi
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Even if it’s spring.
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This evening’s walk.
Happy place. Happy place.
E.T. phone home. E.T. phone home.
Side effects update - 50 hours post Covid vaccine Side effects update - 50 hours post Covid vaccine #2...
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Zip. Zilch. Nada. Nope. None. Not even a sliver.
No chocolate this year. Besides, the neighborhood No chocolate this year. Besides, the neighborhood raccoon we saw up the tree the other night has (had?) a sweet tooth and stole the box the next-door hubby had delivered--took it around the side of their house and ate it all.

Also no flowers or cards. 

Just this. And her name shall be called... drum roll...

We loved all the suggestions. But we also wanted to keep the love connection--and I wanted to let D finally get to choose a name for our 13th (if I've remembered all of them) cat. The rescue named her Valentine, so since she's the only Valentine either of us are getting today, we decided to keep that name--but as a middle name. D has been calling her "Lucy Vallie."

Lucy--for Lucille Ball (I Love Lucy) and her mischief and troublemaking. We've already seen signs of mischief in the shattered antique bottle we'd discovered next to our farmhouse in Michigan. It sat on the windowsill over the bathtub--silly me in having neglected to totally cat-proof--and in the missing top to my contact lens case--that D finally found next to the litter box. 

Also, there's the light-shedding Luci Shaw... whose poetry I love. 

And Lucy Pevensie from the Chronicles of Narnia who superly loved Aslan.

So now we have Lucy the Goose and Lucy Valentine whom we already love and expect lots of love and light and laughs from. And probably lots of mischief. She also has trouble staying still long enough for pictures.

How is Sophie taking to her? Well, they are still pretty much separated. This morning there were some barks and squeals and hisses and growls. But we will get there.

Happy Valentine's Day to us. And to you from all of us. ❤️
Peekaboo... I see you little cutie in the next doo Peekaboo... I see you little cutie in the next door neighbor’s tree. (I’ve got to start carrying the camera at all times.) #eveningwalk
Trees are confused. #fallingcolor #notfall Trees are confused. #fallingcolor #notfall
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“There’s no knowing. But courage, child: we ar “There’s no knowing. But courage, child: we are all between the paws of the true Aslan.” ~ King Tirian in The Last Battle”
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In other news, since I was able to hike last night, I’ve been cleaning up my “nest” where I’ve hung out for the last month—elevating, icing, snoozing, reading, watching more movies than I’ve watched in a year. I’m happy to report that during this time I’ve read every book in The Chronicles of Narnia, including The Magician’s Nephew that I had to get from the library cuz I don’t know what happened to my copy. First time. Don’t judge. Though I *did* see the LWW when the movie first came out if that counts.
Saw this beauty on our hike last night. Check out Saw this beauty on our hike last night. Check out those feet. And it moved more gracefully than I did. #purplegallinule
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Thursday, my ortho told me I could start weaning m Thursday, my ortho told me I could start weaning my ankle from the boot and crutches on Saturday--which would have been 3 weeks from injury. So I went home that same day and discontinued the boot. The next day I hung up the sticks. Today I canceled PT. I know what to do, and I will do it cuz you can't keep an adventure girl down for long. But I suppose that means the days of being waited on are over. I may have just sabotaged myself.

Also, my FB memories told me I canceled PT for something (I can't even remember what) 11 years ago this day. I took both cheers and jeers for that in the comments. 😂
He thinks I can’t see him. He’s wrong. Camoufl He thinks I can’t see him. He’s wrong. Camouflaged but not concealed. #kingofthehedge
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Time out for a little #berniememes fun. Time out for a little #berniememes fun.
“We don’t know when he will act. In his time, “We don’t know when he will act. In his time, no doubt, not ours.” ~ Peter in Prince Caspian
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It’s Inauguration Morning. Prayers for the incoming and the outgoing. Prayers for all of us because we are all exhausted. Prayers for peace and patience and safety and wisdom and more compassion and more kindness and more love and unity. And, please Lord, no more virus.
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