The good kind of hard
Let’s talk about finding joy in the struggle
Have you ever been told, “you’re so lucky” or “things just come easy for you?” I have and I’m sure you have too and when it’s something that you’ve put blood, sweat, tears and effort into, I will be the first one to say nothing annoys me more. No, this was not luck, this was hours and hours of working at something that resulted in a goal being met. I’m writing about this topic because while I am a big advocate of celebrating our accomplishments, there’s so much more to it than the award we have to show for it, the picture at the top of the summit or the medal from the race. Those things are earned, yes, but we don’t really see people posting about the tears, the injuries, the sleepless nights, the anxiety, and the stress that comes with achieving those things. And I think that is part of what feeds into this idea that big accomplishments are bits of luck. Trust me, they are not.
Recently, I’ve gotten much more into mountaineering and doing very technical climbs and learning the skills that go along with that. I am first to admit I’m brand new to this world and feel like I’m trying to get a sip of water from a fire hose at times. And while I’ve been part of this world a short time, already I’ve had people say things like I mentioned above, and while I know they mean well, nothing about mountaineering—or any sport for that matter is easy or based on luck. This isn’t Vegas.
I promised when I started writing this newsletter that I would keep things real, open and honest. And I’m sticking to that. This past weekend I summited my third Pacific Northwest Volcano, Mt. Adams. And while I made it to the summit, it didn’t happen by luck or because it was “easy.”
The night before we camped and when I tell you this was one of the most incredible sunsets and moonrises I’ve ever seen, just look at the photo below. Nature is incredible.
We started our climb Saturday evening and started our climb around 6:00 p.m. to get catch the sunset. The South Climb trailhead route is still not accessible by car so you have to walk about a mile to get to the official start. We hiked roughly three hours and set up camp at about 8,400 feet. We grabbed a few hours of sleep and left camp at about 3:30 a.m. for an alpine start. Mt. Adams is a total slog, it’s beautiful but it’s a long haul and it’s steep! Not to mention there’s a false summit that we were well aware of, but it’s just mean. For me that’s like putting in a steep hill at mile 22 of a marathon, just mean!
Getting to the false summit was where I started to struggle. I was lightheaded and really just tired. I feel like when you’re climbing and even on marathon race day you go through all the stages of grief with yourself. And you start negotiating with yourself which is funny to think about after. But the reason I wanted to share this with you now is that while I posted the picture from the summit and the beauty and I’m proud of myself for making it, what you don’t see is me sitting on a rock in the snow catching my breath, chugging water, sweating but still shivering from that icy cold upper mountain wind. I don’t even think I could have taken my phone out at that point if I tried! My point is, there’s so much beauty, self-discovery and rawness in those moments that are not our finest. It’s in those moments you find out who you are and how you can push through or take a step back and try again next time. Pushing through in a triumph and knowing when it’s time to call it, are both great lessons we all need to learn.
What I’m getting at is don’t forget about the struggle, the ugly cries, the grunting your way up a mountain, the good kind of hard because without those the summits, the mountain tops and the finish lines wouldn’t be the same.
Everyone needs someone to appreciate, something to keep them going and something to run after
Someone to appreciate
I want to highlight and recognize my mom this week (and really all the weeks) as someone I can’t thank enough. My mom recently retired from teaching elementary school, and she is so deserving of everything that’s coming her way next. My mom was in school to become teacher while raising four girls and taking care of my grandparents. Growing up, the things she did, the sacrifices she made for us, just seemed normal but now I see how extraordinary her actions and her love for her family is. She is definitely the person who showed me firsthand what hard work looks like and what it means to push through and keep going even when everything and everyone is telling you to give up. So here’s to you Mama Chav and the best days ahead!
Something to keep me going
I don’t know about you, but I am someone who thrives with structure and that means I need a plan to follow to keep me on track. It’s been roughly a week and a couple of days since my Rainier Training Plan concluded and I have to tell you—making it up as I go is much harder for me than following a plan. Last week and this week I climbed stairs and ran and then summited Mt. Adams but I wasn’t following any clear cut plan. So as this ongoing journey continues, I’m creating a new plan with all the things built into it leading up to the Portland Marathon in October. Yes, I’m doing another one.
And something to run after
Have you ever stumbled into a goal you didn’t know you were on track for? Well, that happened to me. After summiting Mount St. Helens, Mount Rainier and Mount Adams I’m only two volcanoes away from summiting all five Washington volcanoes. So why not? A new goal to run after. A new goal to reach. Let’ go!
What I’m currently reading
How to do the work by Nicole LaPera
