Ok, so when I finally committed to this crazy, wonderful adventure in October, I also had to commit to a training routine to prepare myself for climbing a 19,400 ft. mountain!! Kind of difficult to do when you live a ZERO altitude! I started out just walking A LOT!!
Shout out to my friend, Shelia Keesling... We had some wonderful, long, therapeutic walks on the Harbor Walk and across the bridge in Punta Gorda. Thank you Sheila for keeping me motivated!
Mid November, when I was 3 months out, I decided I needed to step up my training and signed on with Cheri Carr at the YMCA in Port Charlotte for some Personal Training. It has been a lot of tough love and I believe she has finally broken me of my "I can't" mentality. I feel stronger than ever and have no doubt that I am strong enough to get up that mountain! Thank you, Cheri!!!
In addition to all the walking, I stepped up my cardio by using the PreCor (high resistance and short steps) at the gym and running at the Harbor Walk (although as a self-proclaimed NON-runner, I like to describe it as a slow jog). I then committed to do 2 road races: the Dick Batchelor 5K at Universal in Orlando with other folks from eSchool Solutions and the Hands Across the Harbor 8K in Punta Gorda. I completed both races with sub 10 minute miles, so I was pretty proud of myself for that! I enjoyed being part of the eSchool Solutions 5K team and am looking forward to the next one!
I wanted to try and get some altitude training in there somewhere so I took advantage of a work trip to LA and climbed Mt. Baldy. On another work trip, I had a chance to test my rain gear on some good incline hikes in West Virginia! On a recent work trip to Southern Cali, I was able to get in a few steep hikes with my full weight day pack. All of these hikes gave me the confidence that I was physically prepared and had the proper gear to climb Kili!
I visited my good friend, Malora Castle, in Idaho in January and enjoyed some high altitude exercise in the winter wonderland... Snowboarding, Snow Shoeing and Cross Country Skiing. It was a WONDERFUL trip and I enjoyed myself immensely!! Thank you Mal and James!!!
And although I have not come close to the 19,400 ft in my training, I did get altitude medication and feel as if I am physically fit and ready for this climb! Like I told my family ... if for some reason I cannot make it to the summit, I am NOT coming home. I will stay in Africa until I summit!!!
