Pros and Cons

Did you know there was a danger in telling people that you have started to get serious about exercise?

Yep. ohhhhh yes there are a few of them!

Top 3 reasons to not share this information:

3.  The quarterback slaps you keep getting as "encouragement"  hahahaha ( i don't know if they're really called that.  but you know what i mean, right? SO ANNOYING!!!!!)

2.  All that extra accountability that just comes out of every nook and corner imaginable. Do you "fit" people just spread the word?? Its like wildfire!!!

 and the #1 reason to keep your exercise goals to yourself... (at least in the beginning)

1.  Fit people want to "help" you by inviting you along on their regular exercise regimens.  Another way of putting this?  Fit people try to kill you.  kill you dead.

So all this was running through my mind today during our unplanned hike.  Not your average hike - mind you.  Though I was told it would be a hike, it was actually my very own personal Green Mile! ha!  (folks who have never seen that movie... well, pretty much the last long walk to my death. and it was MORE than a mile!!!!)

you think I'm being dramatic, I can see it in your eyes! hahaha.  But we walked up a mountain. a MOUNTAIN.  Guys, I'm serious.  a real mountain.  there were no trails!!!  It was like unchartered territory!! From a distance, it looked intimidating - sure,  but i kinda thought it was sorta do-able.  (ah poor naive sap that I am)

When we got to the base, (which would have been a challenging but pretty cool 3 mile hike to just turn around right there! hahahaha) what appeared to be beautiful flowing grass that I saw from far far away was now a sea of long, tangled, unkempt weeds that hid dips and crevices, and all manner of stumbling blocks!!!

We made it to the top of THAT portion after hmmm 15 minutes???  and then the real ascent began.  I'm done describing.  I'll just tell you this much. We were so far beyond civilization we found deer bones. ha!  Like-  a humerus and a radius!!!!  (i hope they were deer bones.)

ok well. I'll stop complaining now!  Cuz its over, thank you God that its over.  And I did it.  I actually kept up with the "fitties" hahahaha.  But before I end, I will now give you MY top 10 reasons why I am glad that I told people that I am getting serious about exercise through our little "Well Worth the Walk" campaign.

(not in any particular order)

• I have consistently walked 3 miles a day, through His strength, knowing that this is much bigger than me getting "fit".  I am doing it for others, partnered with others - and the bigger picture is so much better when it's shared with others. I can't even imagine doing it alone.
• Exercise is just way more fun with people to share the burden, sweat, laughter, and even tears. Walking with my family has been so much fun!!!
• Getting to help a dear, sweet friend train for his fire & rescue training as we trekked up that mountain (we love you Cory)
• Hearing "You are the BEST leaper!" from my daughter's mouth as I shakily jump from one side of the creek and barely make it to the other side on today's journey.
• Hearing my son say "Mom, you're a trooper!" as he hears me huff and puff my way up the mountain 10 feet behind him!  oh - by the way, the kids were unstoppable; they are amazing.
• After successfully completing the *ahem* HIKE, getting to listen to my husband tell everyone I'm Sarah Connor... (you know - the superfit woman in the Terminator?? hahaha)  ok ok he called me Sandra Connor first, but he MEANT the Terminator chick.
• Realizing that they weren't REALLY trying to kill me.  They knew I could do it, would do it, and encouraged me the entire way.
• They seriously got me to walk up a mountain.  Have you ever seen the view from atop a mountain?  How about a mountain YOU JUST CLIMBED?  That view is infinitely superior :)
• Doing things that I never thought I could (or would really even want to attempt actually) and being thankful in a whole new way for the gift of health, strength, and endurance that God has blessed me with.
•  All that extra accountability that just comes out of every nook and corner imaginable. Do you "fit" people just spread the word?? Its like wildfire!!!  -thanks :)

Like I said in yesterday's post - picture worth a thousand words - being there and seeing it with your own eyes, a trillion words.  Here are pictures from today's journey.  I should have taken a picture with them still on the mountain for perspective - because in one of these pictures, this looks like a hill, and I can assure you -it is not.  It is the view that actually deceived me into attempting the ascent in the first place hahahaha.  If you look closely, you might be able to see a fence - that should give you a little perspective.  All in all, I'm glad I did it, because I will probably NEVER do it again. hahahaha

But you know what they say: never say......



This is when it was still a fun adventure! hahahaha
Walking down through TRAILS to get TO the base of the mountain.



Over the river and through the woods...
Still walking to the base.  still kinda fun :)





About 1/3 of the way up, you can kinda make out a teeny tiny fence.
It was a normal fence - Its just stinkin far away.  Can you see it?  Yeah right!  How's that for perspective?  We went beyond the deceptively smooth looking light green portion, all the way up to the top of the dark green wild brush. OY!