Wow, the Mount Kenya challenge we completed this August feels like a lifetime ago! It was an incredible experience. Growing up, my parents always planned hiking trips for us during summer holidays, and yet I had never considered something like climbing Mt. Kenya achievable - not really. I had so many doubts about my ability to cope, both physically and mentally. As a climber and cyclist I thought I knew where my endurance limit peaked, but after completing the challenge it feels as if I've unlocked this new realm of possibilities. I've learnt to appreciate my mind and body's capacity to adapt and recover - all while sustaining a 4-day long headache.
Reaching the top was possibly the most overwhelming experience to date. The view up there was unlike anything I'd witnessed before. There were tears - of joy, disbelief, exhaustion, and joy once more. I couldn't feel my hands, my hair was frozen solid and the wind seemed keen to show me the quickest route back down. Speaking of which, as soon as we started descending, my oxygen deprived brain and lungs finally got their fix. This newfound energy/mild euphoria started flowing through my body, along with the realisation that I'd done it.
