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Sunday, June 6, 2010

No shame to cutting it short

Today I decided to try a hike. The hike I had in mind is at the end of Madonna Road here in San Luis Obispo, a hike in the Irish Hills. It is a bit steep going up, then levels a while, winds around, comes down again. Nice views, particularly if you get up high.

I left my new stick at home, and I forgot to bring my water with me, so I started out at a bit of a disadvantage. Then my back started to hurt a bit and I felt a little off-balance. Not unusual for me, that. I kept climbing up, taking pix and stopping here and there, and then decided I had had enough after just 20 minutes. I went back the way I came, just shy of forty minutes total.

There have been times in the past when I have felt driven to finish a hike or I would be really disappointed in myself. Not finishing seemed like not doing it at all. I didn't feel that way this time. I got out there, did some climbs, turned around. Better than nothing and it gave me a sense of where I am physically.

I am drinking some grapefruit juice now. I don't often buy juices but today grapefruit called to me. SO good.

2 comments:

Wellescent Health Blog said...

My wife has Rheumatoid Arthritis and was, for the longest time, concerned about my reaction if she would be unable to hike as long as we had planned. When she finally let me know that this was how she though, I had to ask her if she thought I wanted her to suffer. On hearing that, she felt silly and quickly realized that duration was not the goal and it was instead important to simply to get out whenever possible.

Judith Lautner said...

Thank you, Wellescent, for that comment. It is how I am starting to see this myself. I hope, of course, to gain strength and be able to do more but I am not likely to meet the standards of my daughters, of course, and I am letting them know that.