Katie Spotz 3/16/22 Katie Spotz 3/16/22

Skate4Water: Just Roll With It

It started with the idea to do a relaxed and leisurely adventure. In-line skating 119-miles across across the Florida Keys from Key Largo to Key West…

2 minute read

It started with the idea to do a relaxed and leisurely adventure with a friend. In-line skating 119-miles across across the Florida Keys from Key Largo to Key West crossing 44 total islands over the span of four days. 31-miles or an ultramarathon a day. New setbacks arise during every endurance challenge, and this one takes the cake — or (key lime) pie.

If you followed the Skate4Water on social media, you would have seen that Day 3 of the four day journey ended with a visit to the ER. The combination of skating fast and being abruptly greeted by a stretch of rocks did not bode well, leaving my knee and wrist in a sad, twisted state. The x-rays showed that no bones were broken, and the journey continued another 31-miles on Day 4 to reach the end, with a “pain as tolerated approach”.

Continuing the journey was hard. If there is one thing harder than finishing a 119-mile skate with a bum knee and sore wrist? NOT doing it.

My fear of regret is stronger than my fear of facing challenges. While quitting would have been the more reasonable and sensible option, it would have undoubtedly filled me with a sense of regret. Giving up on your goals is tough when you consider the alternative.

🤔 plagued with lingering thoughts of “what if’s” and “if only’s”,

📖 a feeling that a chapter in your life got deleted that belonged, or

💔 a gnawing in your heart + emptiness in your soul from having an unrealized dream.

My hope to you is this: let your fear of regret be greater than your fear of failure.

Every day, we are writing the stories of our life. Wishing you good stories to share, even better memories to keep, and strong wrists and knees to take you on all life’s adventures.

FUNDRAISING UPDATE

We did NOT meet our fundraising goal for the Skate4Water across the Florida Keys with the goal of ensuring access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene education for 500 people in Haiti on behalf of H2O for Life. We SURPASSED it!💦

Because of this, we’ve been able to fund one more clean water project in need of funding in Sierra Leone, the Kankalay Islamic School, meaning that another 1,800 students will have clean water and hand-washing stations at their school.

Thank you for empowering the next generation to grow stronger than ever. Supporters like you help make it all possible. Special shout out to Shutterbugs4Charity for your generous contribution to surpass the fundraising target. Learn more about all the water projects we’ve funded at katiespotz.com/impact.

Katie Spotz 1/12/22 Katie Spotz 1/12/22

Adventure Grant for H2O

Cycling, running, rowing, swimming, skating, even some yoga and barre. Thousands of miles have been taken by my body on land, river, or sea, mostly solo but never alone. Every journey has been a real team effort.

1 minute read

The potential for impact is real when combining adventure and endurance challenges for clean water with 41,531 people helped across 13 countries and 93 projects. I’ve asked others to support my dreams and ambitions, and now I’d like to support you on yours!

We're looking for adventure athletes seeking to use their passion as a platform for good. Does this sound like you?

Bold, creative, quirky and passionate world-changers are asked to apply. Nothing is crazy when it comes to raising money for clean water. You are invited to apply for up to $500 in funding to offset project costs for embarking on your own adventure in 2022.

The fact that 1 out of 11 of our fellow human beings would suffer without access to clean water is crazy! But, we can change that. Grant winners are expected to create your own campaign by choosing a fundraising activity, setting up a simple campaign page, and spreading the word. Then, 100% of the funds you raise will support global water projects your campaign helped fund on behalf of H2O for Life.

Submissions due by March 1, 2022 and winner(s) announced on World Water Day on March 22, 2022.

Click here to apply

Katie Spotz 9/12/21 Katie Spotz 9/12/21

Ride4Water: The Kit List

Whoever said that it’s “not about the gear” when doing adventures probably had really, really good gear. During my first adventures I learned this firsthand when relying on gear was either secondhand or…

1 minute read

Whoever said that it is “not about the gear” when doing adventures probably had really, really good gear. During my first adventures, I learned firsthand that gear matters after relying on items that were either secondhand or purchased with an on-a-shoestring budget.

Like say, my tent. Usually tents help your ability to get a night of good sleep. But mine? It would constantly collapse on me with every gust of the wind no matter how tightly I hammered those stakes in the ground. I’ve learned what works, mainly, by first learning what does not work.

Ride4Water across Maine was filled with new memories that I am grateful to have shared with you because of social media. Many people who followed along have reached out asking about a full description of most of my kit list for cycle touring. Now that I have had a moment to catch my breath after the Ride4Water journey, I am sharing those details with you in hopes that it helps you on your very own journey!

But, first. A shout out thank you to Backcountry for not only supplying most of my gear needs, but also having Gearheads available 24/7 to help with the making the decisions about what gear would be most suitable. These are most of the items that got me across the state with direct links to view more details.