Pushing Limits

I dreamed up a plan to do a tour of Vermont via the Long Trail that involved sharing trails and homes with friends and family along the way. I only wanted to take a week off of work so I mapped out 8 days and set out about 2 weeks ago.

The long trail stretches the length of Vermont from the Quebec border to the Mass border and I chose to head south. I grew up in Southern Vermont so I thought of it as ‘heading home’. I have done 4 day, 100 miles adventures in the past so I figured that adding 4 more days and a total of 270 miles wouldn’t be that much harder. In hindsight, there are some gaps in my reasoning and I think I was lying a bit to myself so that it felt more achievable.

The logistics of meeting with friends and family to spend nights, share trail and get water drops went really well. The first 4 days in the Northern part of the state have higher elevation, more rugged terrain and very beautiful. These days were challenging but the excitement of starting, the stimulating terrain and friends kept the energy high.

The Southern half of the state is where it gets the reputation of being a ‘green tunnel’. The green is beautiful but it makes the trail a bit more of grind with few and far between view points that would give perspective of where you are going or coming from. And this is where the mental and physical fatigue really started to accumulate.

Sleep was getting more challenging as my body ached more, mental stress increased because this was the hardest I had ever pushed my body so I was nervous about what the limit would be and I was getting increasingly inflamed anterior ankle tendons.

I did keep moving and there were lovely highs and lows. Tears for being in awe of what I was doing and being very thankful for my body. Tears from nerves and the unknown and pain.

Overall, I am proud that I bet on myself and trusted that ‘life base’ fitness. I couldn’t have done it without my friends and family who joined or helped out. So much laughter and appreciation.

So here is to Pushing Limits. It is different for everyone but definitely if you find it; a place of growth and adventure.