To climb an (actual and metaphoric) mountain

​I set a goal for myself. An unimaginably audacious goal. In fact, before this year, any goal requiring fitness, strength, and endurance was undeniably out of my reach. Or so I thought. In August, 2023, for my 60th birthday, I will climb Mount Washington.

The pinnacle of New Hampshire’s White Mountain range, Mount Washington isn’t a huge mountain compared to the snow-capped peaks of the Rockies. The summit is only 6,288 feet above sea level. It is, however, a challenging and potentially dangerous hike. Mt Washington is notorious for having some of the worst and most changeable weather in the world. It is never more than 72°F at the summit and even in summer the temperature can plummet to below freezing with hurricane-strength winds. It is a strenuous, steep hike that usually takes 8-12 hours to accomplish. Fortunately, I will be in good company; my husband Alex, an experienced hiker who has climbed Mt Washington, even in winter, will be my Sherpa, and his trail-savvy daughter Ginny will accompany us.   

I have been to the summit of Mount Washington several times, by auto road or Cog Railway. I have braced against snow-laden windy blasts in June, with lacy fingers of frost crunching beneath my boots. If I tried to hike Mount Washington today, I would not be able to endure more than an hour or two on its arduous slopes. But I have set a goal that is just inside the realm of the possible. By the time I turn 60, I will be the product of rigorous strength and cardiovascular training. I will have progressed from short hikes of moderate intensity to long, strenuous excursions carrying a heavy pack. Ill be ready. I know I will.  

Fitness is its own reward. In the 3 months I have been committed to weight training and cardiovascular fitness, I have gained strength, endurance, confidence, and a greater feeling of emotional wellbeing. It is always not fun to muscle though a workout, but afterwards I feel strong, proud, and accomplished. But I need a tangible goal. My goals of bigger and stronger muscles, greater endurance, and a healthier, more beautiful body are not quantifiable. Just how large does a muscle need to get for me to consider it bigger and stronger? How do I measure endurance?

For decades, I have enjoyed challenging myself by picking a goal that seems almost impossible and finding a way to accomplish it. When I was a single-mother EMT attending community college, I moved away from my family and friends to study nursing, and ultimately achieved a Masters Degree in  from an Ivy League University. I always wanted to write a book- to date I have written 14, one of which has become a birth emergency skills training workshop for midwives.  I like challenging myself. I like doing difficult things. I love expanding myself, growing, learning.
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So I dropped a pin on the map of fitness training,  and will be orienting my path towards the imposing slopes of Mount Washington. Follow my journey. It’s gonna be fun. 

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