Hmmm...so did I go looking for another mountain to climb? Well yes and I also found a more challenging one. Close to Pune is Sinhagad (fort built by Shivaji) located on a high hill. There are two ways to reach the fort, one by trekking up via a trek route of about 4 kms, and two
by a road of about 11 kms (parking at the base to parking on top). The road is continuously inclined with a very little respite for a small patch. It has more than 6-7 hair pin bends.
So I thought, now that I can climb mountains, why not this? I chose a Saturday (on a holiday the road to Sinhagad is packed with people) and drove upto the base of the fort, carrying my cycle in my car harnessed to the back on a cycle carrier.
I started the ride around 7 AM. I started strong and kept the cycle in a higher gear to cover ground quicker. At first I was quite comfortable, but after around 4 kms, the high gear started to tell on me. The road was continuously inclined & steep. I shifted to the lowest gear and pushed myself just saying one thing to myself...that I should encounter a horizontal patch of at least 10 metres to get some relief from the pressure. But that wasn't to happen and towards the end, as if it wasn't enough to have a steep road, I also encountered wind resistance. I was steaming, dripping with my mind screaming to turn back and feel content that I made it so far.
That's the lesson, the mind always tries to settle you back into the comfort zone and will try all kinds of tricks to convince you to give up. It will attempt fear (if you go on like this you'll get hurt), confusion (still a long way to go, you wont make it), procrastination (come back tomorrow and try it), give up (not for you...this is for Lance Armstrong), etc. Here you need to do some soul searching to see if you really want this...if you want it, nothing can stop you. I have noted, that whenever ANYBODY REALLY wants something, he gets it, no matter what.
Well, I made it to the top, and lived to tell the tale. The feeling of reaching a new high is unmatched. You have to experience it to know how it feels. I urge you to go for it.
Technically, it took me 1 hour and 15 mins to reach the top covering 11 kms climbing. I took 3 breaks of 30 seconds for regrouping my body. and I followed all that I wrote in my previous blog on eating to recover.
BTW the next time I did it, I was more comfortable, did it in the same time with only 1 break.
Matter over mind :-)
Cheers
Sunil
About Me
- Sunil Uttam
- I love Technology and creating simple IT enabled solutions, which can enable millions of users to gain easy access to complex technology. I observe that I get most kicked when I work on creating business automation systems to smoothen the work flow in my company. I believe that all touch points, whether it is for an employee, a prospect, a partner, a vendor or an investor should be high quality and consistent, and what better leverage than technology to get this done. I most enjoy my morning walk with my three pets and creating content for our website and blogs.And hey, to stay alive after all this, I practice Yoga, Pranayam and Meditation and Clean eating :-)
5 comments:
Good one.
One important question though: Once you reached the top, did you indulge in those tasty onion pakoras from heavan with that red chutney?
Your last comment, "matter over mind" sounds shallow. Even though one part of your mind wanted to give up, it was the part of your mind, the one that won, that wanted to continue. I mean, weren't you thinking "no, I don't want to give up"?
If yes, its still "all in the mind" / "mind over matter" :-)
Kat
Glad to hear from you...no I didnt pakoras. I was more keen to come back and nourish my body with top grade nutrients to recover :-) Pakoras reserverd for a more leisurely outing.
BTW technically mind is also matter...everything that can be felt, thought about, done is physical. But the point I was making is that I had to blank/transcend the mind to keep going. That part of me took over.
Hi, if you really wanna try something adventures then try Ulhas Valley @ Khandala or Dukes nose same place. Ulhas valley is reverse, i mean first you have to climb down through the rocks and the heavy rain water making it more difficult for u ;), takes almost an hour and half to go down, so far so good, but climbing up is a real adventure. Do try it. Will give u alottttt. ;)
its been a long time you have mentioned something here... there are people like me waiting for you to post something interesting to read...
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