Down But Not Out

There comes a point in every hike, climb, run, or journey in general where you think, "I have to stop." Your body is tired and you've lost coordination. In fact, you can't even remember what is was that made you start this whole crazy thing to begin with. And motivation? You tell yourself that you did your best, but your body isn't going to keep up. It's ok. Just stop.

A small fraction of people are able to overcome this break in concentration. They surmount the pain, the internal surrender, and push through. Of course, the majority of people slow down, stop, and turn around.

So when do we really know when it's time to quit? When we really can't finish out the race or when we really have the endurance to carry on?

I tell myself all the time I'm going to spend hours upon hours at the gym, but after one boot camp session in the AM, I can barely climb a flight of stairs! Is it time to take a break, or should I push harder? My endocrinologist told me that you can't max out on exercise... but what if your body doesn't agree?

So I chose to rest. Maybe that was a mistake and I surrendered too easily. But I believe that sometimes your body tells you how to take care of yourself. Down, maybe? Out of the game? Not even close.