Down in the Canyon I watched a lot of people run rim to rim. There were men, women, young, old–every group conceivable moving through something wikipedia lazily refers to as a ‘strenuous’ hike with the speed of a marathoner. This is not to mention the dizzying heights involved here. I remember looking over the edge at one point and thinking that it would take me a good 15 seconds to hit the bottom. I could’ve been wrong about the numbers, but it felt right in my head the way running that trail both ways felt wrong in my head. It was in that moment I remembered my age and my utter lack of dedication to physical exercise.
24 hours removed from the rim I’m more self-reflective about the event. The hike was harder than I expected, but I expected a cake walk. That shows how much I knew and how little I researched before diving headlong into an adventure. The lesson to be learned here is: Be prepared. That’s something I learned from the Boy Scouts in the days before scout leaders were demolishing ancient rock formations (see if any scouts get invited to stonehenge). With a clearer head I can see that the challenge of the Canyon is less man vs. Nature as it is Man vs. Self. Perhaps in that sense most challenges are a matter of Man vs. Self as we all have to define our limitations and our willingness to commit to something to the point of surrendering other things.
The more I look around, the more I see evidence of that willingness to commit in all aspects of life. When you take a job, for example, you are saying that this time belongs to this singular pursuit and cannot be used for other purposes. When you commit to a religion you are saying ‘I commit to abide by these social mores’. Your level of commitment is a choice that you must make yourself, but it can be reflective of your success and even enjoyment in the rewards that commitment brings.
We five committed to a hike and the cost was a temporary pain and mental strain. The reward was knowledge of self. I know what my limitations are just a little bit more than I did a few days ago. Moreover, I know what it is going to take to expand them.
Some Thoughts:
- My freshman year of college was the first time I played any serious organized ball. I did baseball all the way up through my freshman year in H.S. and messed around with some club ball after that, but nothing prepared me for being handed a workout log and being told what weight I was expected to lift and be four weeks henceforth. Pain followed. After a decade I forgot what it felt like to be in that much pain from a workout. I remember that now. The aches running through every part of my legs as a result of trying muscle clusters that haven’t felt action in 9 years. It may be another day before my body bounces back.