Believe to Achieve

Completely NO exercise except three 3-4 milers over the past nearly five weeks (this Saturday).  Okay my family did hike Mt Timponogos on October 21 but I don't count walking really slow either.  Was such a beautiful day climbing with my kids and husband.  Until the death point where it was snowy and slippery and a ciff a foot away. Then I panicked.   My husband had to take my hand to bring me across. My kids were brave and did it without a hand.  My shoes (brooks pureflow) had NO traction and I was slipping just walking with my hands on the ground. Quite the site.  I then panicked soon after that near the saddle. Yup 10 feet from the saddle (I have climbed to the top three times in my life time, 17 and 19 years ago).  But I just looked back at the cliff I had traversed across with my family (Aspen Grove trail) and couldn't contain my fear of losing my family on the way back and for them on the way up.  Needless to say Brooke and I (14) stayed back after Brooke climbed to saddle with the other three.   I decdied we were not going to take Aspen grove back so I went back to the valley and waited while Troy, Amber (11) and Courtney (16) climbed to the summit.  We waited  1 1/2 hours.  They yelled from half way up down to us in the valley.  I was so worried about them.  I had some BAD vertigo and memories of Squaw Peak 50 and near death like feelings there.  Troy went back Aspen Grove way after he and I echoed to each other, me in the valley and he back at the saddle that I refused to go back that way and that I didn't want the kids or him to go that way either.  He refused to be without a car so he went the Aspen Grove way back and Amber and Courtney hiked down to me and Brooke on the Timoponoeke trail.   Troy met us 1/4 mile up the bottom of Timponoeke with a flash light.  He ran down the other side for three of the six miles he said.  We were lazily walking enjoying nature including deer and a PORCUPINE!!   Yikes!! But so surreal all alone practically. It was MOnday of fall break and we only saw about 15 other people total.  One guy was very impressed with Amber pretty much bouncing up to the summit.  He had just left there he told me when he passed Brooke and I on the trail and I stopped him to ask if he saw my family make it to the top.  Fun ADVENTURE!! so happy we all made it back without a scratch!!  I need to get tough agin!!

First day back.  Felt arthritis in heel and low back.  Got to start some where.  Trying effexor to help my depression.   Learned also I am HLA B-27 positive....which is highly associated with Ankylosing Spondilits (what MichelleL has).  I have had symptoms of the disease for years...SI pains and chronic plantar fascitis and heel pain.  Go fight WIN!! :D