Living today for tomorrow
(Photography by: Maya Sugiharto, Agent Morphe)
Ten years ago I was running around the world.
After an insane time at work, when I was also in peak marathon training, I decided to fly around the world and do my marathon training in every city I stayed in.
Melbourne to San Francisco; San Francisco to New York and Connecticut (hello to my Met Opera friends and Michael & Lisa!), New York to Paris, Paris to London (hi Laura!), London to Venice (hi Pen & Fiona!), Venice to Rome, Rome to Hong Kong (hi Liv!), Hong Kong to Melbourne.
Learning too be a gondolier in Venice.
As well as planting my feet firmly on Earth in each city, I sought out experiences that were utterly unique and sometimes only known to true locals.
“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.”
It was time to create the space in life for reflection and learning. And to be present in the day I was in. Like many runners and athletes, there is a moment of flow that we all hope to find ourselves in. This is when time seems to slow down or stop, and everything appears relatively effortless. It is peaceful even during great exertion.
I knew that a journey away from the physical domain of where I had been embroiled in stress was critical, and more so: I needed to create moments of flow where I was fully present in what I was doing. So I booked an around the world flight, a series of hotels (Airbnb wasn’t a massive thing yet), carbon-offset my trip, and pencilled in different running routes and experiences fort every city. I also left big vacant blocks of time and days to allow moments to unfold organically.
In Hong Kong
The colour and fabric of stories, steps and experiences from that trip is often at the back of my mind, reminding me of why I may have been placed on this big, beautiful planet.
“We are not here merely to make a living.
We are here to enrich the world.”
Next year I will begin circumnavigating our globe once again.
This time on our magnificent oceans, propelled by the movement of air created by the uneven heating of Earth by the sun while our planet rotates: wind. The Clipper 2023-24 Round the World Yacht Race. Others who have circumnavigated our planet in previous Clipper Races have told me that it will be a life-changing experience.
Image courtesy Clipper Ventures.
I will once more become enriched by this world. In turn, I feel responsible to help enrich it. I want to learn about the remarkable people who are trying to enhance their world and ours and tell their stories here and afar.
Fair winds.
Please support and contribute to my goal of enriching our world through my Clipper 2023-24 Round the World Yacht Race journey.