Comments on: Rant 52 July 2009: Mistress goes to the mountain

By: Autumn

Autumn — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 18:52:19 +0000

You’re right about fitness. After two years of physical therapy for an injured back, I picked up lifting. In two months, the pain was gone. Two years later, I’m still hitting it and feel better at 41 than I ever did at 20–even though I have never been overweight. I’m currently renovating my house and feel proud about having the strength to haul drywall and hold kitchen cabinets over my head while my husband screws them into place. Life is good! As always, thanks for the great inspiration. I have recommended this site to my trainer and fellow female lifters.

By: Liz H

Liz H — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 15:05:01 +0000

I have bookmarked this post and will return to it every time I need a reminder that the reason I’m exercising is to feel better, and looking better is just a possible side effect. It’s difficult to remember that when changing in the University gym before a swim, surrounded by shiny-haired, permatanned 18 year olds who are probably not all that healthy, but still make me feel old and unfit!

I have spent a long time being ill and too knackered to do much for the past few years, and my gift to myself on returning to health and to uni for postgrad was gym membership. I swim twice a week, following the swimfit programme, and I want to start lifting too. You are a wonderful source of inspiration – I used to read this site when I was too ill to really do anything, but the thought of all the stuff I could do when I got better helped to keep me going. Thank you Krista!

Also, I have frequently reached the summit of a mountain in the Lake District or Scotland, puffing and totally exhausted by the climb, to be greeted by small children RUNNING to the top like mountain goats. Shameful!

By: lara

lara — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:01:08 +0000

Yay! I love the mountains. The only time I’ve ever been to Colorado was in the winter, to go skiing, and I remember how beautiful the mountains were out there. Looks like they’re gorgeous in the summer as well.

By: Marliss

Marliss — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:03:19 +0000

I just recently discovered your website, and am delighted with my find. I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, which has little humidity despite all the rain. Having lived in high humidity climates most of my life, I love it.

I agree completely with your rant about the e-addicted father. I would add that I fail to understand how people can ride bikes in the majestic beauty and the sunshine, with the air like wine, each breath like honey, when just being alive makes one happy and at peace, and smoke cigarettes.

By: Kym

Kym — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 23:08:18 +0000

Wow! You make me want to get out and see my country. The closest I’ve come to seeing those mountains is a 45-minute layover in Denver. Clearly, I need to make Colorado a destination and not a pit-stop.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:00:26 +0000

Congratulations of the mountain ascent!

To this day, one of my proudest moments is the memory of standing on the summit of Mt. Elbert, the tallest peak in my beautiful state of Colorado. Without some degree of “fitness,” it never would have been possible.

Mountain climbing is great. It simultaneously humbles us, broadens our horizons, and makes us reach for the sky.

Happy climbing.

By: madge

madge — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 13:03:55 +0000

Since the beginning of the year, I’ve been exercising 5 days a week religiously. I’ve lost a bit of weight, still have a bit to lose, but I’m much more fit, a fact I appreciated when I took a month-long road trip out west this summer.

Colorado was amazing — the hiking in Utah was incredible — went down into the Grand Canyon and out again, up a mountain to a dome in Yosemite, up and down hills covered in wildflowers at Big Sur, 12 miles through the redwoods, and all over Glacier National Park. Every hike I felt like you did, Krista. All the hours in the gym paid off! I was able to do all these things and enjoy them rather than wishing they’d be over (my reaction to hiking in the past).

It really is a beautiful thing to hone and use your body. By the end of the trip I was running trails and fighting bears bare-handed! And exaggerating about fighting bears! It was awesome.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 20:36:13 +0000

Yep the altitude will make you tough. You can amaze your friends when visiting a sea-level destination by jogging for miles without getting winded, then pounding 12 beers without even catching a buzz! :P

By: Mistress Krista

Mistress Krista — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:47:13 +0000

Those old Brits/Scots/Irish folks are indestructible. It’s like gangs of Queen Liz in cardigans and wellies, stomping around cheerfully in the rain while nattering about how they survived the Depression then the blitz.

By: Laura

Laura — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:04:21 +0000

Cool – a zombie eyeball! Great rant – but no suprise there, your rants are usually good reading.

I’ve been passed by fit older folks twice in recent years – once while biking up a big hill (d’oh) and once in Scotland while hiking. A group of grey-haired Scots and their dog (!) blew past us on a ridge walk. Awesome!

I’ve yet to see Colorado in the summer – we’ve only been in the winter to ski…