Saturday was a fun day for me, I was able to cross a local hike off my bucket list. There is a mountain about 45 minutes away, and it's a killer at 3,100ft of elevation gain over 4 miles. A couple of girlfriends and I decided we wanted to scramble up the in the morning before the crowds hit, and then shop at the outlet mall at the base of the mountain when we were done. This is the type of event that at one time would have sent panic running through me. Or worse yet, this is the type of event that I used to delude myself into thinking I could keep up at, and then realize very quickly how out of shape I was. It was these types of events that would make me realize just how different I was from my peers. They could just "decide" to go for a steep 4 mile hike and do it, in their cute little shorts or spandex, and then shop for super cute clothes afterwards that all fit perfectly.
On the way out to the hike, self-conscious of how much bigger my thighs looked in my Lululemon spandies compared to the girl next to me in the back seat, I wondered how I would fare going up the mountain. Would I be able to hang with the group? Would my near 2 years of crossfitting be evident? How fast did they plan on hiking up? Would I be huffing and puffing and lagging 20 feet behind the others? There was so much unknown. It was a clear day at the base of the mountain, but the very top was shrouded in clouds. The trail was well maintained switchbacks, and heavily forested. The temperature was slightly cool, perfect for hiking. The trail started out tough, and never let up. In fact, the last 1/4 of a mile was probably the worst part. If it weren't for the obvious terrain change, and other signs of being near to the top, I'm not sure I would have had the steam to finish. But I did, we all did, and when we got to the top, we couldn't see anything. It was still a great hike, but usually my reward is the view, and without that, it almost might as well have been a workout on the stairmaster. Ok, not quite, but I was pretty bummed that the clouds hadn't lifted by the time we got up there. We made it to the top in just under 2 hours, 1 hour 50 minutes, which for 4 miles and over 3,000 feet of elevation change, is pretty good. The husband of one of my friends made sure we timed ourselves because he said he's going to go out and halve our time (good luck with that!).
I was able to hang just fine with the girls. In fact, I wasn't even the most lagging one. I wasn't the fastest, either. I found the way down to be way more difficult on me because it engaged my sore-from-the-week quads. I did the hike fasted, and didn't bring nearly enough water with me. I could feel my body using every single one of its last energy stores- which is probably a great thing, since I hopefully forced my body into using up some of its fat? However, I definitely passed a tipping point and felt lethargic. Next time I think I'll plan better. We refueled at a cute little bar and grill, and then hit up the outlets, where I scored lots of deals. I only bought workout clothes, since that is what I seem to spend the majority of my time in these days. I got a pair of pink running tights, 2 pairs of shorts, and 2 dry-fit shirts for $60. Pretty good deal! I'm excited to wear my new shorts today.
Here is a quick photo I snapped on the way down:
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