I had a couple of tough challenges set up for 2022: Ironman, Comrades, the Race Across South Africa, SkyRun and Everesting the Westcliff steps. The two that scared me most were the Dusi and Berg River canoe marathons.
I was not a paddler. I was, at best, a stirrer. Yet I intended to paddle the 120 km Dusi Canoe Marathon and the 240 km Berg River Canoe Marathon. That meant beginning with the basics: learning the language, balance, boat handling and how to stay calm when everything felt unstable.
Starting as a beginner
The early sessions were humbling. A new sport strips away the confidence you carry from the things you already know. That is useful. It forces attention back onto small improvements: a cleaner stroke, a steadier boat, a better line and a little more patience than yesterday.
The lesson was simple: belief is not pretending something is easy. It is being willing to look awkward while you learn.