Saturday, February 14, 2015

Ten weeks left of training...then I get to rest

Today marks only 10 weeks left before I get to rest and then climb.  It has been a long journey.  I began training and preparing to climb Everest 20 months ago today.  Yep, 20 months.  Since that time, I climbed several mountains, traveled the world, met some fantastic people and still have yet to reach the summit.  I have no regrets and cannot wait to turn the page on this fantastic journey of self-discovery.  Here are a few thoughts that occupied me over the past few days.

Thankful for all the support, criticism, and doubt

There are so many things to complain about in life but I find it invigorating to thank those who support me, doubt me, and question me.  All three groups - even a fourth that ignores me as some crackpot - motivate me to get better.  I thank you all for your continued support, criticism, and doubt; keep up the good work and keep me focused on the prize.

People who strive for big goals keep me energized

I have a lot of great friends.  Some I see regularly and many I have not seen in years.  There are even a ton I recently met and plan to meet up with in the near future.  All of my friends seem to have big goals - many bigger than mine.  They strive to make themselves better and, in the process, to improve the world.  Thanks for being such good role models.  You all know who you are so pat yourselves on the back to recognize you made a difference in many people's lives - particularly mine.  We will enjoy a pint together soon, I promise.

Live every day...like it is your first (not last)

Yeah, I know the tired old saying that "you ought to live your life as if it is your last day of life" seems more fitting and inspirational for some.  For climbers, we ought to focus on days ahead.  Living each day as if it is our last means we do foolish things today.  I say live with a focus on tomorrow but enjoy today for its beauty and novelty.  Life is great - take advantage of each day.  Say yes to new options.  Meet new people.  Grow.

That is what I am up to these days.  I think.  Yeah, I train too.  I decided to cut back on the training updates.  You can see a long history of training logs posted from last year.  I am doing the same routine this year, however, I plan to post more thoughts about my preparation rather than the rote, weekly training grind.  

See you in a few days with more thoughts and observations.  Thanks for being part of the journey.


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