Sometimes inspiration comes when you least expect it. This time it came to me on a camping trip to Robson Meadows during this past long weekend (which almost didn't happen).
Several weeks ago, my sister approached me about the idea of coming along with her and her husband as well as one of their 'super fit' friends to Mt. Robson, for a bike or run up to Kinney Lake, then hike from there was far as we could go. I nagged my boyfriend, Derek, into accompanying me, as both of us are working on getting healthier, but as the date approached I told my mom that I wanted to back out. "I don't think I can do it, I don't think I can keep up with them. Maybe I should just stay home for the long weekend and relax."
Thinking that maybe she and my dad would be relieved not to be babysitting. Instead, she encouraged me to go, and to not worry about keeping up with the rest of them, to go at my own pace, and enjoy the rest of the weekend camping. I have a tendency to just drop everything and do nothing at all if I felt like I couldn't keep up with the best, but that was the old Grace. I was working on some serious change internally. I decided to go ahead with the trip, which turned out to be a great decision after all.
We arrived on Friday evening to Robson Meadows campground where my sister and her husband had already set up. We spent a somewhat chilly night in my cozy tent, and woke up Saturday bright and early to have a good breakfast and prepare. Shortly before 8 a.m. the 'super fit' friend (henceforth known as Damian, or the 'crazy fit guy'), pulled up and got out of his vehicle, instantly a bundle of energy and ready to go. He was going to run the Berg Lake trail (as was my sister), which inside I kept telling myself was absolutely insane. People don't run up mountains, they hike. Me and Derek drove to the trailhead just a few kilometres away, while in true form, Damian ran.
This impressed and intimidated me. Derek and I thoroughly enjoyed our hike, we made it to km 9, past Kinney Lake which was more than I had anticipated being able to do. After the 9km return, we came back to camp, tired and sore but entirely pleased with how well we had done. After completing the 18 kilometres in about 5 hours and unpacking our supplies, not 5 minutes had gone by when Damian sprinted around the corner, both me and my boyfriend in utter shock. "How far did you get?", I asked, knowing it would be much farther than me or Derek.
"To Berg lake," was his reply.
I'm pretty sure my mouth was hanging open when he said this. Berg Lake and back was approximately 45km, and we had done only 18km in the same time. I was amazed. I knew people like this existed, but what amazed me even more was that he appeared to still have loads of energy left over. Situations like this previously would have somehow made me feel lesser, like I somehow had failed because I couldn't keep up with Damian, so why even bother? But I didn't feel like I failed at all, I felt rejuvenated.
I had completed my own little journey, and jealousy over someone else's fitness level seemed pointless. Instead, I drew inspiration from Damian. I saw what was possible to accomplish, and while I don't see myself getting to the level that he is at, it does make me feel like we all have the capacity to succeed and do amazing things. I am proud of my 18km, I am proud that I didn't back out, and I am proud that I can now replace envy and jealousy with a source of inspiration to help make myself stronger and go further.
