Don't let Katie Spotz' sweet smile fool you, she is one tough cookie. At 21 years old, Katie has already biked across the USA and swam the Allegheny river (a 352 mile river!). She has done a half iron-man, getting first place in her age group, and ran across the Mojave and Colorado desert (150 miles) alone and self-supported.
Now she is gearing up for the biggest adventure of her life: to row 2,500 miles from South Africa to South America all by herself! She is raising money for the Blue Planet Run Foundation, whose goal is to provide access to safe drinking water to help the billion people around the world in need.
Katie will be the youngest person and the first American to row across the Atlantic solo. She is calculating 70 to 100 days to complete the trip which starts in December. In the meantime she is training and getting mentally prepared while she works at a nonprofit organization connecting volunteers with opportunities in her community.
I interviewed Katie over the phone and was blown away by her awesome attitude towards life.How did you hook up with the Blue Planet Run Foundation?
In 2007, I was living in Australia while there was a terrible draught. It was an eye opener to experience water issues in a first world country. I started doing some internet research, and found out about Blue Planet. They seemed like the best fit, and 100% of their donations go directly to the project.
I read in an interview that you are taking an iPod on the trip. What is on it? What songs keep you going?
Actually, I have mostly lectures about Buddhism and Philosophy. If I want to push really hard, I will listen to some techno or dance music, but I can't really listen to that for more than half an hour at a time. I was in a monastery in West Virginia, and got about a weeks worth of lectures and guided meditations.
That was going to be my next question! Spending so much time alone with nature, I would imagine that rowing becomes a meditation in itself...
I have been doing endurance things for a couple of years, and people always ask me "why? why? why?" The answer is that endurance teaches me to be present in a way that most things can't. You have to focus on that one moment that you are in, that one stroke, that one breath, or you will get so overwhelmed by how big the whole thing is. It gives me peace and it grounds me. I will be stripped raw of everything, except oars, food, technology, and determination.
Do you ever get anxious to reach your destination?
When I am doing it, I am not worried about where I'm going, or where I've been, I'm just in the zone.
I think you are a great example that anyone can do anything they put their minds to. What do you say to people who say "I could NEVER do that"?
Anyone can do it! I was the bench warmer in high school, and the worst on my swim team. The biggest challenge is the mental component. The clutter in our mind that tells us that we can't do something.
(lol. I was the bench warmer too!)
To learn more about Katie and become a sponsor, check out rowforwater.com. Your donation of $30 gives one person a lifetime of clean drinking water. Also, you can learn more about the Blue Planet Run Foundation at blueplanetrun.org.
Maybe you can create your own fundraising adventure!?!!
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