You've got to push it to the limit

Who knew that attempting strenuous physical activity after years of couch potato-ing would be so difficult?

Last night, I went rock-climbing. Not outdoor, cliff-side, if-I-misstep-I-fall-down-miles-of-jagged-rocks climbing, but rather safe, indoor rock wall climbing. This was only my second night climbing ever (if you don't count that one time my Girl Scout troop went to a rock wall in the 6th grade). I was actually able to reach the top of four separate routes! Sure, I gave up on one and had to go back to it later, and I kept repeatedly falling on another one... but I got to the top eventually! Thanks to the encouragement of everyone that was with me, and their determination to not let me give up, I pushed myself pretty hard to do my best. It was very exciting and I can't wait to go again. I think Corbin Bleu said it best in his work of cinematic genius, Jump In:

You've got to push it, push it
To the limit, limit
'Cause we're in it to win it, in it to win it
Aw yeah!

At least, that was what I was saying while we were still at the rock wall. Shortly after leaving, I realized that my hands were positively burning. I have extremely soft hands, which have been the subject of admiration by many a friend and acquaintance. Trying to hoist myself up a wall proved to be too much for my soft hands, and they've been torn up. On the bright side, I am starting to form calluses, but too little too late. In addition to my burning hands, my arms have not been under such duress in a while. Sure, I've dabbled in weight lifting, but I am weak, so it usually ended up being extremely light-weight lifting at best. I, however, am much heavier than the weights I usually lift. Even the assistance from my legs wasn't enough to save my arms from the agony of having to lug a 115 pound** mass up the side of (fake) mountain. My arms are so positively useless today, that I had difficulty climbing up into a co-workers giant truck (in all fairness, it is extremely tall).

Fortunately, my hands will heal (they already feel almost normal today), and my arms will grow stronger. I feel confident that these injuries will not be prolonged, and I will live to climb another day... probably next Monday.



**Note: All weights have been altered to preserve the ego of the author**