Wingsuit flying? Dogsledding? Working 100 plus miles? Cave diving inside an iceberg?
I’ve acquired 15 journey athletes you’ve acquired to fulfill! After I first began writing Thrill Seekers: 15 Exceptional Girls in Excessive Sports activities, I noticed an unlucky reality. I barely knew something about journey sports activities, not to mention the individuals who apply them. I’d by no means heard of ultrarunning, and what on earth (or above earth as I came upon) was highlining? Who knew {that a} wingsuit flyer may zip right into a human-sized ‘flying squirrel’ swimsuit with the intention to bounce from a cliff or helicopter and soar horizontally?
Whereas I’d by no means given a lot thought to those numerous outside-the-lines pursuits, what I did perceive was that journey sports activities are high-risk. So why do them? What’s the draw for highlining, balancing alongside a versatile 2-inch twine typically lots of of toes above the bottom? In some cases with out a tether. Why would somebody signal as much as run 50, 100, even 200 miles or extra in a race in opposition to time or different athletes? Wasn’t taking part in a 26-mile marathon superhuman sufficient?
The ladies I interviewed for Thrill Seekers are all journey athletes, obsessed with their sports activities, certain, but additionally tapping into one thing extra. I made a decision to determine what that ‘extra’ was all about.
I’m most likely common on the subject of sports activities and health. I’m not tremendous coordinated, nor exceptionally robust. I grew up in Canada so snowboarding was our factor, however I used to be by no means a lot into organized sports activities. I did used to run—nonetheless do—but it surely’s at a snail’s tempo and solely a few miles 3 times every week. Working is easy and it’s protected. I lace up my sneakers, plug in earbuds, and go. In my case, every time I get to any kind of elevation, I gradual to a stroll. Like I stated: protected. But …
Impressed by the fervour of the women I interviewed, I made a decision to do some firsthand analysis. First I attempted scuba diving. It was pre-Covid, and we have been at a resort that supplied an all-in-one lesson package deal. I confirmed up, placed on the gear, and initially sat on the underside of the swimming pool utilizing weights to carry me down. Although it was solely a two or three toes to the floor and simply reachable by standing up, this was the scariest half for me. Respiration underwater felt fallacious. I needed to put aside logic to take breath after breath with out panicking. It was occurring, although, and so once we took it a step additional and walked into the ocean from the seaside, I had reached an understanding that respiratory underwater was going to be okay.
Beneath the floor of the ocean, the water was clear, but it surely wasn’t like trying on the horizon on land. There was restricted seen distance. It crossed my thoughts {that a} shark may simply come out of the murk at any time. No sharks appeared, fortunately, however we did see a stingray laying on the sandy backside. Because the divemaster shooed it away, it rose up and soared into deeper waters.
Okay, so scuba diving was checked off my record, albeit the newbie’s model. Subsequent, intrigued by the concept of high-stakes racing, I signed as much as do a ride-along in a modified Method racecar, one other of the chapters I’d coated in my e-book. As I stepped onto the Richmond Raceway, I may scent the oil and, I swear, the adrenaline. As soon as strapped into the seat of the racecar, a driver jockeyed from the pit to the monitor. He accelerated, and we have been off at a breakneck tempo. I do recall elevating each fingers from the wheel to do a rollercoaster-esque no-hands wave—however just for a second.
Maybe one of the best expertise I attempted, as soon as once more impressed by interviewing some actually superb folks, was skydiving. It was tandem, after all. Apparently guidelines dictate that it’s essential to dive strapped securely to an knowledgeable for at least 25 occasions earlier than going at it alone. High quality by me!
Each a part of this expertise was a pleasure. From strolling on the tarmac to the aircraft, from cramming inside that small chook to perching on the sting of the gaping facet door, each second was novel and thrilling. With the wind whipping previous us, my teacher—his identify was Cornelius—requested me if I used to be prepared. Then, after a one, two, three, we dropped from the aircraft … and stored dropping. At that time I had little consciousness of the bottom, solely the sense of falling. Someday throughout the freefall we flipped over. When Cornelius deployed the parachute, the mad rush of air was changed by a profound magnificence and peace.
As soon as earthbound once more, I performed over the expertise. Sure, there had been a component of actual danger. There have been undoubtedly issues that would have gone fallacious … Finally, although, what I felt was a heightened sense of being alive. Ah-ha, I assumed, that is the “extra” these excessive sports activities girls have tapped into. Extra pleasure. Extra life. Extra appreciation. It’s a valuable feeling.