THE SUMMIT OF CHANGE

 

“People say climbing a mountain is difficult… But in truth, the hardest steps are the ones to get out of the door”.  

Paul Mealling, Physiotherapist and Coach, allphysio.co.uk

That mountain trail leading up to the middle of beyond looms dauntingly as a taunting menace, when really it needs to be fun, right?! If this is enjoyment, why does the idea of this make me suddenly feel so incredibly tense?! My physiotherapist and coach Paul Mealling, an avid mountain runner talked to me about his experience in the mountains and he responded with this valuable advice when I asked him how to get running mountains "first off…prepare only what’s needed and START”. It seems so simple and logical to do, but as we chatted, he mentioned how we can get so completely consumed with needing to have all the latest gear and gadgets, training more and more intensively, racking up the miles, considering every scenario, and ending up hating the whole experience and just wanting to get it over with. Paul’s practical approach to combining running and life with an emphasis on fun is a good gage for how we take our first steps, slowly, steadily progressing forward on the way to the best views yet.

The analogy of the tortoise and the hare was always part of my long rehabilitation from herniated discs, or 'training' as my physio Paul later developed it. It wasn’t important the pace at which I did things, but the fact that I was actually doing them that counted. The approach that he talked to me for mountain running was, as he said, like following the example of the tortoise. Once you start, go like the tortoise, always making progress but taking it easy where possible. The tortoise has its life on its back with all its experiences both positive and negative and I think that when we set out on an adventure like this, we can feel the burden of all the things that have been holding us back now weighing us down. Paul suggests starting early and encourages us to make the most out of the climb, to look up and out and breath and enjoy where we are at each step of the way. How we enjoy these steps of life is something to reflect on in this journey. To become truly passionate about what we are doing is our aim, being fully immersed in the present and open to new horizons that become clearer with every curve of the trail.

Each of us is striving towards something in our life and as Alex Zanardi, the former Formula 1 racing driver, Paralympian, Iron man and so much more, says on his YouTube channel, in order to take part in an ironman, you need to have the desire to get going, not to just conclude. It is the act of doing that gives us the real gratification. Holding medals and receiving congratulations are amazing, but maybe even more so is the participation, putting ourselves out there and being willing to go for it. 

We have all come across people, whether in person or on TV whose stories have deeply touched us, and have made us see a glimpse of what we really could do. I was privileged to have known one such woman. She was a single mum in her early 40’s and had worked in the same place for years, and had a certain stability and could provide for her family. For the purpose of this text, I will call her Sophie. Sophie had carefully decided that despite having a secure job, there was something she was called to do and she needed to change course and like the tortoise, once she decided, nothing was going to stop her. 

She applied to university and got accepted to train as a teacher. Whilst working in a shop to support her family, she studied and juggled daily life as a single mum. She thrived in this atmosphere and even though she encountered different things on her way, Sophie was enjoying her studies and successfully completed her degree. She became a brilliant teacher and was later promoted again in a short period of time due to her excellent work. She touched the lives of many children, parents and those who spent time with her. She died too young, but Sophie is an example of what is possible when we let go of fears and expectations and learn to live.

If we can approach our mountain with the simple wonder of a child, we will get so much further. It’s not about being the best qualified or the most experienced, it is the curiosity, the desire to learn new things and letting go of the things that seem to be protecting us, but are in fact hindering us. From a child’s perspective the mountain is exciting, each step, sound and view is something special, and the concern is not there. We need to find the flexibility to adapt to our new surroundings. As my physio suggested, by all means adjust your speed going uphill, it doesn’t have to be hard, go at a comfortable pace. 

The mountain climb is a life long journey that doesn’t just finish once we get to the summit. It’s something that we can always carry within us, and that gives us the strength and belief to keep going. It is a reminder of what really matters in our lives. As Paul concluded “I think climbing a mountain also forces you to consider what you really need to take along the way… be weighed down only by what you need and drop the rest. Minimise and lighten your load…literally and metaphorically”.