Four Friday Rambles about Mountains (Actual and Mental)

-

In August, I’m supposed to this very-intimidating-to-me day-long hike with a couple of friends. Not only am I trying to overprepare for the hike, apparently, I am trying to overthink my way through it, too, SIGH. The hike is in New Hampshire’s White Mountains; it’s called the Franconia Ridge Loop and includes 3 summits over 8.1 miles, as well as a ridiculous amount of terrifying-to-me All Trails reviews. It would be the longest anything I’ve done in my life. 

 

On any given day, my concerns range from:


-The friends I’m going with are from my decade doing a Crossfit-ish like women’s bootcamp. They are two of my loveliest and closest friends, but also were the ones intimidatingly strong and fit and fast in class. The last time we hiked a mountain (6 years ago), they were over an hour ahead of me. WHAT IF I CAN’T KEEP UP?!?!

-5 or 6 years ago when we were doing these yearly NH hikes, I had this weird thing where I was absolutely miserable going up the mountains but was completely enthralled going down; they were two separate experiences for me. Over the years, I attributed this to not preparing for the hikes at all outside of going to bootcamp 3x a week and just not being a “hiker”. However, working with this nutritionist made me realize that I was probably miserable because I was too nervous to eat the night before and morning of the hikes and then would climb up a 4,000 foot mountain very under fueled – we would then EAT LUNCH at the summit (always a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for me) and then I would feel oh-so-much better heading back down because I ate. Oof.

 

-Obviously, I am training for this. On paper, it’s the perfect way to get me back into regular strength training and build endurance: increasing long walks every weekend, using the Peloton app for treadmill hikes a few times a week, lower body strength workouts a couple times a week, practice hikes, all the stretching and mobility… but, I’m both convinced I’m going to end up injured again and not be able to do this AND fighting a lifelong pattern of using that excuse to not put in the work. Assuming I’ll fail at something and not trying is one of those former-gifted-child curses (so much easier to only do things I know I can do well, haha!) and I really want to break this pattern and just go for this.

 

-Everything feels so, so busy right now. Lil Momma has a recital of some sort the next 7 out of 8 weekends, softball 3x a week, and we just got a table and chairs for the deck and all I want to do is have dinner on the deck and make memories and we are never home! This is one of my busiest times at work. There are house projects and life admin and still-going-on-caretaking-admin and… that’s the thing, right? There is always going to be all the things all the time for all the people, but finding space for ME to have wild adventures to hold close and experience has to happen, too. Prioritizing my own needs and dreams has always seemed like a mountain I’d never climb (ouch, analogy), but maybe it’s time to try…

 

Cheers to your weekends and those dreams and challenges we hide away/from sometimes! More next week on screentime, training for this, and my continued love for my bird spycam!




Comments

  1. Life of a Doctor's WifeMay 5, 2023 at 5:56 AM

    Yes, May is THE BUSIEST. Yuck.

    Sounds like you are really doing some great preparations for your hike. It sounds like a wonderful experience, and I hope you are able to enjoy it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. NGSMay 5, 2023 at 11:45 AM

    Maybe pack a snack in case you still don't feel like eating a full breakfast in the morning? I mean, always pack a snack is pretty much my mantra for life, so consider the source.

    The bird cam is the best! That cardinal looks MAD.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lindsay42May 11, 2023 at 12:33 PM

      I think "pack a snack" should be a life mantra for ALL of us!

      Delete
  3. JennyMay 6, 2023 at 11:52 AM

    Well, I'm very excited about this hike! As they say in running, "If you're not scared, then your goals aren't big enough." This is going to be a stretch for you, and that's why it's scary. But you've got time! It's not till August, and it sounds like you're doing some great training. Also, now you know to fuel properly. I totally think if you do this, it's going to be an incredible and memorable experience.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lindsay42May 11, 2023 at 12:34 PM

      Oh, I needed that vote of confidence, Jenny - especially from you! I'm doing all the incline walks and prep hikes I can; it'll be a wild adventure (but I think I needed something to shake up what I have going on)!

      Delete
  4. AnneMay 16, 2023 at 4:21 AM

    Oh, this is exciting to read about - and yes, it does seem kind of daunting based on your description. Here's hoping that the training continues to go well and that your confidence increases as a result.
    And oh, my, can I relate to this: "I’m both convinced I’m going to end up injured again and not be able to do this AND fighting a lifelong pattern of using that excuse to not put in the work. Assuming I’ll fail at something and not trying is one of those former-gifted-child curses (so much easier to only do things I know I can do well, haha!) and I really want to break this pattern and just go for this."
    I use this fear of failure/injury/whatever to excuse myself from trying or doing things, too. I've never been a super-adventurous person but I used to push myself a LOT more. Now, I'm more likely to hem and haw and (I hate to say it) make up some excuse about why I can't/shouldn't/etc. Sigh. If you figure out the magic to push back against this, please share!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

cast away

-
Image
  I am having one of   those work weeks that just beat you up . Vague asks that do n’t make sense, changing timelines and details, being behind the ball but not having any way to get ahead… Sigh, this is not when I shine. However, I had my personal pity party last night and am trying to let the stress go and do what I can do with what I have when I have it.   For this week, I wanted to ramble away about  Lil Momma’s audition for a special production class  at her musical theater school as it took up most of our energy last weekend:   Lil Momma went in strong on Saturday am and was so ready with her bit of song and good attitude. With both us knowing more than half the auditioners would NOT make it in, I tried to balance my car ride pep talk with real talk ride to the studio, for sure.    When I picked her up, she was devastated, unfortunately, because a bunch of the younger kids and some of the competition team kids had gotten a callback for that ...
Read more

to chop or not to chop?

-
  This was the first week with everyone a certain level and above   going back into the office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays   and oof, it was a lot. I have been going in on Tuesdays and Thursdays for well over a year – the Mr thought I should get out of the house more and the change in scenery and ability to “leave” work did me good – but, this change of energy with so many people and so much noise and all the wild energy and feelings coming off everyone about the change was exhausting…   …and, then there’s my hair.   My hair washing schedule worked really well with my Tues / Thurs in office days. For context, I have curly hair down barely to my shoulders. I treat my curls with fear and respect. I try to only wash my hair 2-3 times a week as not to wash all the $$ I spend on dyeing it down the drain and not to dry out my curls. On days where I don’t wash it, half the time I end up spraying it down with water and recurling it (even though they don’t look amazing, i...
Read more

friday rambles

-
Image
One  It’s a chop, but not a wild one! And, an explanation (which was more of a win, haha!)… I had gone to the same place to get my hair done for 10 years up until 2 years ago. When they dyed my hair, it would burn my scalp and I’d get a rash on my forehead and ears, but they said it was just because I was sensitive. Apparently, the dye was too intense chemically and impacted my curl pattern as well. SO, my stringy, knotty, gross ends were the damage from those years, while the hair above is healthier because of the better for me dye I get at the place I have now.  I HAD 2 DIFFERENT CURL PATTERNS GOING ON ON THE SAME STRANDS OF HAIR?!?!?!  No wonder it / I was a mess. My mind was blown! I told her to cut off all the damage and am so much happier with it. Though, it still doesn’t work for day 2 in office, so I guess my next adventure will be to see if my roots stay mostly bearable if I’m washing my hair 2-3 times midweek…   Two  Next week is school vacation here....
Read more