Let’s talk about that goal for a moment.
You know that goal.
That one you haven’t shared with anyone.
Perhaps it’s just a whisper of a thought. Perhaps it crossed your mind and you immediately dismissed it as impossible or even stupid.
It’s so far beyond the realms of what you think is possible, you dismiss it when it pops into your head and you go on with your day.
And that’s where most people leave it — but not our guest today.
So how do you take a dream, an idea, that seems impossible or unachievable and turn it into a reality?
I explore this question with Kirrily Dear on Sparta Chicks Radio this week.
After becoming aware of the shocking statistics around family violence early in 2014, Kirrily’s (secret) goal was to do an ultra marathon throughout regional NSW to bring attention to family violence.
She sat on the idea, for months, too scared other people would think she was “an idiot” (her words).
But eventually she started talking about her idea and it’s safe to say the ripple effect of her decision will have an impact for generations to come.
This idea became the White Ribbon Ultra in 2014; an 860km / 534 mile run by Kirrily over 12 days to bring attention to the work being done to prevent family violence in regional and remote communities.
Since then, Kirrily has gone on to co-found Run Against Violence, a volunteer association established to use running and other sporting activities as a conduit to educate and engage communities in family violence protection.
The goal; to break the silence, remove the stigma and social barriers that prevent people from asking for help.
And later this year Kirrily will again lace up her running shoes, this time to run 1,300km / 807 miles over 19 days from Broken Hill to Sydney to give a voice to the silent victims of family violence; children.
While Kirrily is an ultra runner (with several races in excess of 230km / 142 miles under her belt), what she achieved in 2014 and what she’ll attempt this year far exceed what she’s ever accomplished before. But as you’ll hear Kirrily talk about in this interview, it’s amazing what happens when you “normalise the extraordinary” by talking about your goals and dreams.
In this wide-ranging interview, we discuss:
* why she celebrated her 40th birthday by running 262km / 162 miles,
* why ultra running - and not Brad Pitt - is God’s gift to women,
* why she was so drawn to this cause of family violence when she doesn’t have any personal experience with it,
- the importance of starting a conversation about the issue of family violence,
* how you achieve something that seems extraordinary or impossible (hint: the secret is to normalise it),
* how she worried that everyone would think she was being an idiot when she first came up with the idea for the Run Against Violence, and
* the icky, murky world of self-limiting beliefs (she admits one of the “stories” she tells herself is that she’s not a very fast runner).
We also discuss the Virtual Challenge being held in conjunction with the Run Against Violence this year; teams of up to 10 people will “race” Kirrily by recording their steps. This is a fantastic way to get involved in this project and it would be wonderful to have several Sparta Chicks teams involved. I’ll post more about it on the Sparta Chicks Facebook page in the months to come so keep an eye out for it!
Click here to listen on iTunes.
Notes and resources (also, how you can help):
Head on over to Facebook and ‘like’ the Run Against Violence Facebook page and share any content that feels relevant to you.
Sign up a team for the Virtual Challenge (or stay tuned for details on how you can join the Sparta Chicks teams).
And/or buy some merchandise such as a buff, wear it with pride and (when someone asks you about it) start a conversation.