Over the past 5 months I've worked with a trainer in a gym in order to improve fitness. I've also spent time with experienced friends as I have learned about mountaineering, trekking, multi-day hiking and camping, high-altitude assimilation and gear and the fitness needed to make weeks long trips successful. It is my hope that the accident in 2017 will lead to travels and treks in places both in the US and around the world that will be challenging and affirming, but also will allow me to be immersed in other cultures - to learn from and perhaps adopt good practices from the people I hope to meet along the way.
So here is the original post a few months later:
I had a bike accident on the trails recently that put the kibosh on either the Grand Canyon R2R2R or the Zion Traverse for 2017. My buddy, Chris, and I had planned to do one of the runs in October (which had already been rescheduled from March - following the Joshua Tree Traverse). But missing a month of real training in the two months leading up to the run shut down any notion of being able to knock it out in 2017. And, since 2018 and 2019 are just around the corner, I've little doubt that we will be able to push through one of the runs in the next 12-24 months.
The accident, which injured a hip and lung, put me off all training for about 5 days. Then I could only run short painful distances - 3-5 mi - before I wanted to stop. After a few weeks, the daily runs were 4 - 10 miles. But they were still irritatingly slow. Breathing was always painful. And in bed at night I had to lie in very specific positions in order to ease the pain enough to fall asleep. It has only been in the past couple of weeks that sleep hurts a bit less and speed and distance are starting to return to my runs.
Here's a lovely pic of my leg below my hip taken a few days after the wreck. Ouch, Elliot!!
The break from mega miles allowed me to step back from my normal routine and examine what I am doing, and what I wish to accomplish over the next few years (in addition to the above-mentioned R2R2R or Zion Traverse). Having an accident of the sort I did made me aware of just how lucky I have been to be healthy and injury-free (mainly) for most of my life. But it also reminded me that circumstances can change in an instant. There are many things I want to do and have put off for various reasons. I want to climb several mountains, see two or three ancient ruins that I have not been to before, and finally hike in remote portions of the Southern Hemisphere.
So, while recuperating, I decided to stop waiting to do the things I want to do. I booked a couple of trips to climb mountains. I hired a trainer to work with me to build core strength. I dropped 15 lbs so far. I'm hoping to drop another 10-15 in the coming 2-3 months. I figure the less weight one carries up the side of a mountain, the better. If I go in a bit underweight, I'm sure I'll be able to put it back on upon my return home.
Anyway, what sort of amazed me about everything is how easy it is. We live in a world where one simply can decide to undertake what in previous times would have been an epic journey. While still challenging, today we can simply set our minds to do wonderful things, train, learn, and then go and do. You do not have to be rich or a top-tier athlete. You just need to decide what you want to do and then commit. And think about doing it soon. Because life can change in an instant.
