I went out to Lake Michigan to work out today. My boss (henceforth referred to as Tim W.) were planning on doing 20 laps of these stairs that the city of Holland put in up a big sand dune. I went for a quick 20 min. run beforehand and we set off for the climbing. 3 1/2 hours later we hit 17. We were both quite pleased with ourselves, considering we didn't break for more than 5 min. and we were each carrying 40 pound packs.
Tim brought up an interesting point about endurance athletes. He compared me and another guy we are climbing with, Mike. Tim says that Mike is an amazing athlete considering his age, but endurance sports take one characteristic that Mike does not have: ability to suffer. When everything is horrible and you have no hope at all, just keep on going. When you dump a canoe in a 30 degree river when it's 15 degrees outside, just keep right on going. Tim says he has seen me suffer -- through long long hours of work, through immense physical workloads. I consider that a big compliment. We'll see if I can suffer my way up Mt. Marcy. I've got a biochem test to suffer through first, though.
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Ha, suffering can almost be addiction. It takes you places you'd never think you'd be. Once you get there the next time you do it, you gotta past that point.
ReplyDeletepain is temporary, pride is forever
ReplyDeleteYour points are well taken. Pain is out there somwhere with salvation. Can't climb the mountain until I walk the upward path. The foothills are long and tedious but prepare you for the real fun and the mountain view where exhiliratio.
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