Today was a very big day for me - not just in terms of my training for Half Dome and Zion National Park, but also in terms of the journey I've been on for the last year and a half to lead a healthier, more active lifestyle.
See, on Halloween in 2008 I went to the doctor's office for the first time in 2 years (I didn't and still don't have health insurance, but I'm currently working on that)! I stepped on the scale and nearly died inside -- of course I could
see that I had gained 100lbs in the last 2 years. I could physically see it on my body, I didn't need a scale to tell me that. But seeing the scale tip to nearly 300lbs was shocking to me. I couldn't fathom how I had let this happen to myself. How had I gone from being a 190lb healthy, incredibly active, happy young woman to being what I saw in the mirror?
I had to make a change. I HAD to. I went home and ordered an exercise DVD program, my beloved Turbo Jam!, started a new eating plan and thus began my daily routine. I worked out every day, ate well and often and the pounds melted off. In 1 year I had lost 91lbs. Of course, I gained about 17lbs back over Christmas vacation through Easter, but after getting my act together I lost the 17lbs in six weeks. I've maintained that loss for 4 weeks now and am feeling like I can do it!
Now, the
milestone that I reached today has to do with something that happened before I started this new lifestyle a year and a half ago.
When I first moved to California in August of 2007, I had a very, very difficult time finding work. I became depressed, I was stressed all the time, and it was ruining my self esteem. I applied for a number of different jobs and didn't get any of them. Someone suggested I nanny since I enjoy working with kids so much. So I started to answer ads on craigslist for families that were looking for a childcare provider.
One of those families lived waaaaay up in the Berkeley Hills. I of course, having just moved to Berkeley, didn't know the streets very well or even the hills because I'd never had a reason to go up into them. So, when I go for my interview to see this family I step off the bus and look at the path that Google maps told me to take.
Of course, at the time I was 50lbs heavier than I was a year before (no longer active either!) and when I looked at this path I burst into tears. I had 10 minutes to climb up the steepest, most terrifying stair case in my life (I couldn't even see the top). I started to climb and then I'd have to stop. I'd start again...and have to stop. After 10 minutes of huffing and puffing I am soaked with sweat, but finally at the top of the stairs. I see that their house is further up the street (up another steep hill) and when I get to their house it is up the side of this cliff that is overlooking the bay. There were more flights of stairs! At least 5 flights leading up to this absolutely magnificent house which most likely had the best view EVER.
So there I am, standing at the bottom of the stairs (I'm still crying, by the way), I'm already late to begin with, I'm sweating something AWFUL and I'm beginning to think "What's the point? I should just call them and tell them to forget it. It's not gonna work out." Instead, I call my Mom. She told me to get my ass up there no matter up. And I did. I arrived for the interview 20 minutes late, soaked, red in the face, with blotchy eyes.
I don't have to tell you that it was a miserable interview (C'mon, it can't go anywhere if the person interviewing you gives you a sweat cloth...) and obviously didn't lead to anything. However, that's not the point of the story....
Today while out for my jog in those damned Berkeley Hills (yes, I JOG on them now!), what should I discover but the little "Redwood Terrace" of doom. Yes, the deathly flight of stairs. I took one look at them and recognized them immediately. "I don't want to interrupt my jog," I thought. But the urge to climb those stairs was too strong to resist.
Climb those stairs, I did. 2 minutes. No huffing. No puffing. I was already sweating from my jog, but this climb felt like a break or a cool down. I climbed them - not once, but 3 times! I wish someone had been there with me to see it because it was just huge for me.
Climbing those stairs today shows how far I've come in my life, my journey to a healthier ME, and my training to complete 2 challenging hikes.
(You can just see Xiao behind one of the rocks there!)
We probably saw less than 20 people the whole morning (and at least 3/4 of them we saw at the very end of the hike!). Down we went to the falls, Ginny and Xiao running around like little kids in the water. Both Christina and I said how in much better shape we are now that we were the last time we each did this hike. And it's true -- we were kickin' butt.
Me after taking a dive knees first, followed by my chest and face before I did a back flip to somehow land on my stomach. My camera (which had been turning on and off during the first half of the hike) mysteriously turned on and I took it as a sign to strike a pose! I've got bruised knees, arms and thighs, and several splinters in my right hand from trying to break my fall. Now that I've hurt myself trying to raise funds to cure cancer, you will surely make a donation to LLS on my behalf! Right? :)
All in all, although not my favorite TNT hike by any means so far this season, I still had a great Saturday - scrapes, bruises, and all!
My friend Christina and I had to strike a quick pose for the camera before we descended into the fog and down the Old Mine Trail towards the Matt Davis trail. As we hiked further down the mountain the cooler the air became.
(That's a fallen tree with the roots sticking up!)
Coach Doni didn't think that we could continue the hike up Steep Ravine and make it back to the trail head within our 4.5 - 5 hour time limit. So unfortunately we had to turn around and do an "out and back" in stead of a loop. Christina and I have planned to go to the full trail next Sunday together.
The hike this week was meant to last for 4 hours, but we were making such good timing that we finished 30 minutes early. GO team!
