katikaa It feels just like yesterday when I wrote the application to join Kilimanjaro challenge after having almost applied once earlier already. It is though 1,5 years later already now and it’s only…..
So time to panic? Not sure.
I have tried to be as ready as possible both physically and mentally, but there is no way to be prepared for everything. After I had the last injury just before New Year in the form of nerve entrapment causing immense pain I decided to just take it easy now. There nothing more I can do anymore anyway. Just wait.
So here I am waiting. Waiting for life after Kilimanjaro. What then? Will I continue writing my blog? Will I continue training? Will I continue climbing and hiking? What about fundraising? And will there be an empty space in my heart and mind?
For sure there is life before and after Kilimanjaro. I can tell that already now. The whole entire preparation to the climb has taught me so much about myself and others, that there certainly is a difference between then and now. You might even say I feel content and calm. There is some sort of understanding between me and the world around. I trust the future more and know that I am so much stronger than I thought.
Will I continue writing my blog?
I created this blog because I wanted to write down my experiences in getting prepared for the climb in more detail. I started the blog possibly more for me not really thinking anyone would read it but hey you guys do read and support me so thank you and yes I will continue writing my blog. I love writing and have many topics on my mind that I would like to write about. For example IV part for “My Weight loss Journey” (story seems to after all continue) already in my mind. I will type it down in the next few weeks before Kili departure.
Will I continue training?
I started logging my training and created a training plan for myself to analyze my progress. Until then I had just been running aimlessly never really trying to “get better”. I had no goals. Exercise had to be fun and I was not ready to get out of my comfort zone. At the gym I did what I felt like, without any long term goals.
I was not getting any results with that tactic surprise, surprise
Then I created my first training plan, not too rigorous but at least something written down to follow on a weekly basis with the assistance of my personal trainer brother and owner of sport center ROK in my hometown Kokkola. I followed the plan and realized that it actually made a difference. Ever since that I have had some sort of plan and I have tried to beat myself if nobody else.
So the answer is YES, I will continue training, I will create a new plan, I will have a new goal and new mountain (or fell) to climb.
Any suggestions? Let me know if you have co-operation ideas.
Will I continue climbing and hiking?
I had never climbed anywhere high before a few years ago. In fact I avoided hills when I was running. If I am completely honest I walked the hills up, embarrassing. Thinking back I cannot believe that was me! Then we decided to take a road trip to Europe with hubby and hiked in 2500 meters at France, Chamonix. We totally fell in love with the scenery, but it was a horizontal hike so no real up and down experience yet.
Then we went to Italy, Riva del Garda and saw this funny little white chapel on the hill (Chapel of Santa Barbara) and decided that we will go and check it out. It was about 620 meters pretty steep uphill. That is where I fell for the endorphin rush of going up and coming down.
After that trip I have been desperately searching for high places and been training going up (I have always been fast at coming down thanks to having done quite a lot of trail running in my life). Best experience was our Lapland and Norway trip after which I feel like I know at least a little bit about hiking/trekking and mountaineering. You can check the blog posts from the “Finding high places” section. Such amazing views an versatile routes!
So YES I will 100% continue hiking and climbing. And YES I will keep blogging about finding high places and trails.
Good suggestions for next place to visit close by Finland let me know!
Will I continue fundraising?
I was a bit afraid how it will turn out as it is not that common in Finland to fund raise as an individual person. We don’t have a fundraising culture as such and it is really hard to “ask for money for a good cause” here. I thought that I got some Aussie friends so maybe I would be able to pull it off. 2000 euros is a lot of money and I probably would not reach my goal, but at least I would do my best.
Well the truth is that without our company extra furniture and IT equipment sales money that they donated to my Kilimanjaro project I would have never reached my goal (and have not yet reached it by the way… so please donate to Unicef UK by sponsoring me throughbelow Just Giving link!).
So fundraising bit was A LOT harder than I thought, but I still I would do it again and would like to do it again. So again if you got co-operation ideas let me know! Happy to help for a good cause. Personally anything to do with nature preservation is close to my heart. Love my forests!
Will there be an empty space in my heart and mind?
I will miss this experience in a way, but I am also happy that it is soon over as funny as it sounds. I am not too excited or too scared just more hoping it will be done soon. So there is life after Kili and I already got some plans… Stay tuned!
