AWOL Ali is back!

“I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”― Michael Jordan

Grab a cup of coffee or a pot of tea as this is a long one...

For those of you who knew in me in highschool, and before, you know that I mostly identified as an athlete. Playing various sports, starting with gymnastics and ending with Track and Field (or athletics as its called in Commonwealth Countries).

During the winter months we practiced basketball 2.5 hours a day with games at night and on weekends. During the summer months I left home and rode 3-5 horses a day, mucked 10 plus stalls and did 8-10 hours of hard yakka per day. The others seasons varied and usually included some of the above.

I was fast - for a couple years in middle school I was the fasted female mile runner in my class. I was strong. I loved to run. My body rarely let me down; suffering from only a few major injuries and recovering quickly. Good luck to any coach who could get me to give up or stop because I was tired or having an asthma attack.

Growing up on a farm there was no such thing as an ''off day." My days were farm work, school, sports practice, farm work, schoolwork, sleep and repeat. Weekends were horse shows, jumping lessons, basketball games, and more farm work.

I tell you all reading this because that is normal for most American kids - differing narratives but the intensity and work ethic we have starts from childhood and becomes intrinsic. Its also not something you can take out of us, so please don't try, or put us down for it, or think ill will towards us because it's different to the lens from which you see the world.

The Four Fillies - Stout Women

Once I went to college I began applying this sadomasochistic tendency to Architecture and my career.

Last year when I was in India volunteering for The Anganwadi Project at the Rural Development Trust Foundation in Anantapur I had the time and headspace to bring back my love of running into a life of Architecture. Running, cross training, and music supported me through the end of a 17 year relationship in a way that I never could have imagined. As my body slowly began to feel like it was16 years old again I slowly began to believe in myself again in a way that I had not for over 12+ years.

Featured in Architecture Australia Magezine!
(https://architectureau.com/articles/the-ananganwadi-project/)

I arrived back from India to Darwin knowing I wanted to move to New Zealand - something I had carefully considered and honed in on during the six months in India. Why? So many of you ask...Well, being an American my 5 year plan had been demolished and now I had to rebuild it the way I wanted to with the complete freedom of a privileged, white, female, professional. I had no boundaries and complete and utter freedom to pick my new path (..to the sound of William Wallace I screamed internally and externally - FREEEEEDOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM)

Exactly a year ago today, I flew to Queenstown to ski with one of my dear friends and then went to a few interviews in Auckland. I secured a job in Wellington faster than I ever could have imagined and by October 2019 I was moving to kiwiland. During those interviews one of the firms told me they sponsored a team of Architects to do the Coast to Coast every year. I had NO IDEA what this event was, but after a quick description of kayaking, epically hilly road cycling, and trail running I was utterly fixated on the potential to really see if I could be an athlete again...while being a full time architect.

https://www.coasttocoast.co.nz/ (CHECK IT OUT)

I left the warm and wonderful Top End of Australia and arrived in windy Wellington - a town that literally takes your breath away and tries to blow you away with all of Aotearoa's formidable strength.

Once settled I started bringing up the C2C with anyone I thought might know more about it and it just so happened a lovely colleague - Jaydin Aburn - told me he had done it the year before and told me it was sold out for the 2020 but to sign up for the newsletter so I knew when entries came out as it fills up fast.

The view from my apartment can make any day better.

Work consumed me. I learned to sail and started Rum Racing on Friday nights. I also started trail running on Tuesday nights with a great Meetup group and started to love the pain that a NZ hill can give you and found the summits here never ever disappoint.

I was feeling on top of a 'long white cloud,' and signed up for the Round the Bays half marathon where I smashed my previous times by over 20minutes!

At Parliament House signing The Diversity Agenda with GHD colleagues!
What a privelege..now to follow through!
(https://www.diversityagenda.org/)

Sailing Crew! Winner winner chicken dinner!

Road tripping to Site Inspections = happier than a pig in shit!

(https://events.mentalhealth.org.nz/event/wellington-round-the-bays-2020/home)

...Soon February rolled around and THE Coast 2 Coast 2020 was held. A week later they released the registration for 2021! I had been slowly saving for the entry fee and the second it came out I jumped online and signed up for something I had had around two conversations about to date.

SHIT JUST GOT REAL.

I started to read into what was involved and realised I needed to start learning how to white water kayak ASAP with a limited budget having just spent everything to move to a new country! One of my sailing colleagues told me about VUCC (Victoria University Canoe Club) and a week later I signed up and anxiously awaited their first pool night.

At the same time one of the leaders (pictured above in the middle) of our company gave me his wife's contact number after our first 30sec conversation and advised that she would be happy to mentor me...that's Kiwi hospitality to a T.

FIRST POOL NIGHT

So, I arrived in and amongst a large group of 18-20 years old's from the University. Soon I learned the safe way to exit a kayak when you flip over (not if...definitely WHEN)...water floods your nose, your lungs burn, and you trust that this guy standing next you in the pool will flip you over before your body makes you inhale some chlorinated water. Your given a paddle and start trying to move your kayak forward in what you think would be easy enough strokes and end up going in circles, crashing into other boats because there are no brakes so-to-speak, and you literally feel completely inept. Its a humbling experience.

This was when it really hit me that kayaking 70km in grade 2 white water was not going to be easy.

FIRST WHITE WATER KAYAKING

After a few more pool nights the VUCC committee advertised a camping whitewater trip for beginners and I immediately signed up. Apprehensive and excited I hopped into a car with strangers and we drove up to the Otaki Gorge. Scott and his amazing partner Sarah coaxed me down the river and through each rapid - it was so much fun! cold, wet, and exhilarating with some of the best views I've ever had with my two eyes in my life! The view from the centre of a river is amazing. The feeling of getting through a rapid and safely into an eddy on the other side is humbling. I went to sleep in my new tent and sleeping bag, that my family had gotten me for Christmas, exhausted and slept easily through the terrible rain that night. I woke up early and my body reminded me it was NOT 16 again - I was sore and extremely tired with thoughts running through my head trying to psych myself up for another 5-7km run down the river...and it had rained heavily so it was churning with rage and increased vigour!
We had a hot breakfast and all traversed down to the waters edge where the committee members stood with excitement while the beginners stood and stared with trepidation. Much to the beginners' relief the committee decided that the river was at too high of a level for our competency and we were told to go home.

As we drove back and emerged from the winding dirt track our phones all began beeping and dinging and we soon found out that we were less than 48 hours from full lockdown.

THANKS Momma Stout and Sisters!!

...only joking! this is north of Lake Taupo :)

COVID 19 - LEVEL 4 & 3 LOCKDOWN - WORKING FROM HOME

Having worked in a volunteer compound in India for 6 months I was mentally ready and implemented a daily regime to keep me sane and fit... As you now know I have no problem with repetition or being "caged" and the words from an earlier post while in India and the first chapter of Life of Pi returned to my consciousness... Every day I finished work diligently at 330pm because of reduced hours and went for an 8 km run. This was bliss and my love of running - removing stress and meditating while I run - was furthered. Then one day at 330pm I had had a rather stressful day and just wanted to RUN - I rushed to get out of the house and start up the steep hill that I live on... I was feeling great! like really great and so I started pushing my 5minutes per kilometer pace as I ran down the hill and hit the level road next to the ocean and my legs were still feeling really good so I started to push a little harder and my time was getting close to 4min 45 sec per kilometer and I was elated! I literally smile sometimes when I run from ear to ear. I was doing that as I jumped off the path to avoid another runner/walker by 2 meters and jumped back up on the path with jubilee. I was maintaining my pace and not feeling any burning in my lungs. Then I sighted another runner and clear of cars I ran on to the road and took one more stride then something popped in my leg and felt like a rubber band had snapped and was fluttering around inside. I pulled up and didn't feel any pain in place so did the cautious step forward and realised something had gone terribly wrong. I thought hold on just keep walking and see if it evens out...NOPE. And then the tears came with a few stifled sobs because I knew I was really hurt for the first time since a basketball injury in highschool. I hobbled back on to the path and had to figure out how I was going to get home when there were no taxis, no uber, and no one could come within 2m of me b/c I am an asthmatic and thus was technically at risk at the time. I sucked in my tears put on brave face and hobbled the 2km home back up the epic hill and flopped on the couch and just sobbed.

Christmas Roadtrip - 100% solo!

Home Offices are the best!

11 WEEKS LATER... with amazing support and expertise from Cross Physiotherapy (http://www.crossphysio.co.nz/ourteam/) and I'm getting back on track.

This month I will be competing in a 12km kayak race, a 12km, and 14km trail run event.

I am also going to turn 39 fucking years young!

So, I'll leave you there with MUCH more fun posts to come where I will talk about my combining architecture and training for the Coast 2 Coast event in February 2021!