![\"13600297_10103493782653659_6224706199977627850_n\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/yogapantsdiary.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/13600297_10103493782653659_6224706199977627850_n.jpg?resize=525%2C394\")
![\"13533312_10103493782608749_1930868771968354283_n\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/yogapantsdiary.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/13533312_10103493782608749_1930868771968354283_n.jpg?resize=525%2C394\")
<\/p>\nThis past weekend was the 4th of July holiday. \u00a0For the past two years, some friends and I have hiked up to 14,000 feet as a way to spend some time outdoors and see this beautiful country from the top. \u00a0And well…..I forgot one VERY important thing this year……….I kinda hate it.<\/p>\n
Our Hike:<\/p>\n
This year we chose Grizzly Peak for our goal. \u00a0Grizzly Peak is in Loveland pass and an easy area to go after more than one peak if you are feeling up to it. \u00a0Loveland pass is around 12,000 feet above sea level so I expected the 2000 foot elevation gain to be no big deal. \u00a0For the first gain, I felt strong. \u00a0I felt like I could keep my breathing under control and move quite a bit faster than last year. \u00a0I always forget how hard it is to breathe at that elevation. \u00a0You’re thinking, it’s only two miles, I do two miles all the time…..but the truth is: that two miles is straight up and you’ll be needing more oxygen…..the whole time.<\/p>\n
But then…..you come down and go back up….three more times. \u00a0Remember the rough mountains you drew as a kid? A zig zag line? Well that’s what this trail was. 500 feet up, 300 down, 200 up, 100 down, 500 up, 200 down………..(these are not correct, just a rough guess) \u00a0The mental aspect of hiking started getting to me two hours in. \u00a0At two hours into this hike, we had one more peak to go down and then the final trek to the top. \u00a0Even though you can see the top, it seems really really far away still. \u00a0This is where I broke. \u00a0At this time, your brain has been deprived of the oxygen it needs for quite some time, you’ve burned over 1000 calories and the more water you drink the more you have to pee….outside. \u00a0As I flash backed to last year, this was the same time that I started to fall apart.<\/p>\n
My body held up ok, although my knees were starting to ache. \u00a0Mentally though…. i wanted to stop….but you’re so close that you know you can do it if you just keep moving. \u00a0And then….somehow you make it to the top!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Hiking is different than any other ‘sport’ I do. \u00a0In almost every other fitness activity, I just have to push to the end. \u00a0Usually, it’s the last 10 minutes that are the worst. \u00a0I’m a big fan of referencing ‘my bottom’ in a workout. \u00a0For example: When I think I just can’t box anymore, I think about the time I was running on a treadmill through my own tears, sweat and blood while my coach yelled across the gym at me. \u00a0So whenever I think I just can’t keep going, I know I can because I did that day. With hiking, ‘the bottom’ or the worst part is half way through. \u00a0Once you get to the top of that peak, you know you just have to do the whole thing over again, just in reverse. \u00a0So although you’re so happy to get to the top and it’s so pretty!!!!!!!…..you just have to turn around and do it again. Round trip took us 5 hours. (3 up and 2 down)<\/p>\n
I think if I want to enjoy hiking more, I probably need to do it more. \u00a0Right now, my bottom for hiking is always the current hike I’m in. \u00a0I usually hike less than 5 times a year and haven’t hiked at all since my last 14er. \u00a0If I hike more often, I could train my brain to know what I can do and maybe enjoy it a little more.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Overall here’s what I learned:
\nWhile I’m strong, there are still things that push me. \u00a0I still have limits. \u00a0I cry at 13,500 feet \ud83d\ude42 and I hope I forget how bad this was before next year.\u00a0![\"flat,800x800,075,f.u2\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/yogapantsdiary.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/flat800x800075f.u2.jpg?resize=525%2C524\")
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This past weekend was the 4th of July holiday. \u00a0For the past two years, some friends and I have hiked up to 14,000 feet as a way to spend some time outdoors and see this beautiful country from the top. \u00a0And well…..I forgot one VERY important thing this year……….I kinda hate it. Our Hike: This … <\/p>\n