Just a quick update on my involvement with Ray Zahab ’s incredible organization impossible2Possible.

I should be packing to head to Ottawa to help staff a youth camp but the camp was pushed back to January.

Good news: This weekend I will get to play as much as my taper will allow in the forecasted mid-60s sunshine and I still get to help kids and crash with Ray and Kathy. Plus, Bob and Ray are giving me the ability to create my own youth development modules! Awesome!

Bad news: Ray said Ottawa is -40 in January. At this point I’d usually complain about how I don’t do cold, but for kids in need, I can suck it up. Plus, there is usually a spring camp planned in California

In news that is much more exciting, Ray appointed me to the i2P advisory board! I should be up on the website any day now. I am so thrilled to really be a part of this team. It seems silly that a title would make me feel more connected: Ray and I already speak once a week and he has an endearing nickname for me that will not be shared, but I still feel like it’s too good to be true that a Facebook message could lead to an advisory position.

Earlier this week, Ray called me from the airport on his way home after speaking at a school in Northern Canada. He told me about the extreme poverty and adversity that these children faced and that a 10 year old in the community had recently attempted suicide. Ray called me because he was so moved and saw such a need and wanted to share the experience with me while it was fresh. I once heard an analogy: you can tell a child that the stove is hot and they understand; once the child touches the stove they really understand. I knew that i2P was an incredible organization, but hearing Ray speak made me really understand:  i2P can reach kids who need help and this is why this organization is so important. We can teach, challenge, and inspire them. And that is incredible.

I’m continuing to work on education modules for the upcoming expeditions to Siberia and a super secret to-be announced location (trust me, it's awesome) that will focus on water awareness. If you’re a teacher and are interested in this free educational program for your students, sign up here.

Lake Baikal, Siberia, courtesy of the National Science Foundation

I’ve also spoken with Ray about the possibility of joining a youth expedition in a beautiful, exotic locale down the road (this is secret amazing place #2 for those keeping track). I’ll keep you posted, but leave you with the questions: Have you realized that the “impossible” is possible? If so, what made you come to that realization?

Ray Zahab ran 4,500 miles across the Sahara in 111 days, a feat documented in Running the Sahara.

Last week, he released a TED talk in which discussed how he used running to the South Pole to teach youth that what might seem impossible is possible.

I sent Ray a message via Facebook saying that my passions are running and kids and thanked him for being part of our community and using his talent as an athlete to do good for others.

He not only responded, he said that he’d like to speak with me and gave me his phone number. What? Don’t worry, you’re not the only one wondering why this incredible athlete wants to speak with me. I didn’t get it either, but I’m not going to turn down an opportunity to speak with Ray Zahab. I did a lot of research and found out that he and his organization were even cooler than I originally realized. His non-profit, Impossible2Possible (i2P),  live blogs expeditions (e.g. the Antarctica expedition) to schools, takes kids on expeditions, has free interactive modules to teach kids about where the expedition is going and runs week long camps. It’s as though Indiana Jones live blogged, taught about where he was going and kids could go with him. Awesome.

Today I spoke with Ray for 20 minutes. He told me some incredible stories and right now it looks like I’ll be involved with helping create the educational modules for their next expedition and he seemed excited about me joining their Fall camp. He even said there may be potential for an advisory position in the future. I’d say I’m thrilled but that means that all of this just happened and I’m not sure that is the case quite yet. No one pinch me, I don’t want to wake up!