“When you think that you are done, you’re only 40% into what your body’s capable of doing. That’s just the limit we put on ourselves.”
-David Goggins
Every day I ask members of my gym to push outside their comfort zone to better their health. This may be by pushing heavier weight (on the good days) or showing up and just seeing how the warm-up goes when maybe sleep wasn’t so good. I ask members to focus on eating nutrient dense real foods. I ask others to reduce or eliminate alcohol. We focus on small changes over time to build healthy habits. With all of this, I am asking members to get outside their comfort zones.
With that being said, I decided I needed a swift kick in the @$$ and needed to practice what I preach. For me, doing Powerlifting meets, training for the Tactical Strength Challenge and other previous goals have been hard, but not outside my comfort zone.
Last year, when the ANCHOR crew hiked Old Rag at Shenandoah National Park, I decided this was what direction I needed to go to get me uncomfortable. I am absolutely terrified of heights. Old Rag wasn’t so bad for me because we weren’t close to an edge or rock scrambling to where if I slipped, I wasn’t falling off the mountain.
Earlier this year, with a bit of a nudge and push from a current ANCHOR Member, I was convinced it was time to climb Mount Whitney (the second tallest mountain in the U.S at 14,500 feet). My original plan was to do this the summer I was turning 40. Somehow, this got expedited by 2 years. Now, as you are reading this I am currently in Lone Pine, California, spending the day hiking and acclimating. On Sunday, our real hike will begin as we make our way to basecamp. On Monday morning, the game plan is to climb the last 1,000 feet of the East Buttress side. I am NOT a rock climber. During my training I have spent days at the rock gym and one day outside on real rocks (that didn’t go so well). This absolutely scares the $h*t out of me. But, it's time to conquer some fear to grow and learn.
The final 1,000 Ft Climb of Mount Whitney
I hope you can choose a goal that will push you to be consistent. Once you accomplish a goal or two, find something that scares you a bit. Get a coach to help get you there!
I’m excited to share this Mount Whitney journey with you and I hope this can inspire you to do something to grow, to reach for your goals and to find consistency with your health and fitness goals!
Until next week,
Charlene
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