Pause for Reflection

A few weekends ago, we went on our Mt. Whitney trip. We had been planning the trip for a while in our heads, and were very excited to summit the highest peak in the lower 48.

The hike started dark and early on the lower switchbacks of the Mt. Whitney trail. We all weighed our packs just for fun. They were filled with food, water, clothes, and of course our trusty (and never before used) ice axes and crampons. We were ready.

We started up at a brisk pace in anticipation of the tough and snowy trail conditions on the horizon. Before we knew it, we were trekking through the snow, with icicles hanging on the side of the trail. All the snow allowed us to choose our own path and cut off some of the switchbacks.

Soon enough we passed our first alpine lake, completely frozen over, and continued to ascend. It got harder and harder, as the air thinned out, and it became a process of one slow step at a time. The trick was to find a slow, sustainable pace that wouldn't leave you winded and gasping for air (kind of like running).

On the upper slopes, the ice axes were out, but mainly for balance. Everyone seemed to be feeling good, and we were making good time. Looming in the distance, we could see the 99 switchbacks, although with all the snow, it was just one steep hill. It didn't seem that far away, but it sure took a while to get to the base.


So, there we stood, eye to eye with the 99 switchbacks. The line of footprints went straight up, and led to Trail Crest. Ever so slowly, we worked our way up to the crest. One grueling step at a time until there were no more to be taken. We weren't at the summit, there are 2 more miles of trail to get there, but where we were was amazing!

We didn't end up making it to the summit on that day. And although, we really wanted to check Mt. Whitney off of our list, how could we be disappointed with what we had done that day? Speaking for myself, looking out from Trail Crest that day was probably the single most beautiful and awe-inspiring moment I have ever experienced. It was incredible to look back at where we came from. Seeing our footprints winding up the snow covered mountain was a great reminder of all the hard work and patience it took to get to that point, and that was something to be celebrated (which it later was... with beer and burgers).

Often times, we get too focused on reaching a particular destination, or big picture goal. Big picture goals are important, they keep us on track, they keep us focused, but if all you can think about is your ultimate goal, than you might be missing the point.

Too often when we're focusing on one foot in front of the next, and we don't realize how far we've come until we stop, reflect and look back.


We see progress and improvements everyday in all of you, and are excited every time a new barrier is broken. Whether that barrier be running your first marathon, running your first Papa loop, or making it to class 3 times a week instead of 2.

We feel so fortunate to have such a great and inspiring group of individuals in Rough-Fit, and get so pumped seeing all of your success, but it's YOU that should be excited!

So, take a moment and reflect. How far have you come? And where are you headed next?

Circle of Support

As many of you know, a couple weekends ago I had one of my big races for the year at Wildflower (near Paso Robles). It turned out to be a great weekend, full of fun and a pretty decent race result. But it was a solid reminder of how important it is to have a strong support team around you.

We all run into tough times and go through struggles in life. During these moments, our discipline, will power and perseverance is tested. Sometimes we can get through it on our own, but for those times that it’s just too much, you need to have a great support system around you.

I had been looking forward to this race for months and had a great plan to be fit and on form come race day. But as luck would have it, all of my planning went out the window. With all of the changes happening at Rough-Fit, I wasn’t getting the sleep I needed, and my training runs, rides and swims were taking a back seat to everything that was going on. I was very excited about everything Rough-Fit related, but the early mornings and extra work were a big change.

When it was time to leave for the race, I was quite stressed. I had doubts, I couldn’t focus and it seemed like everything was out of control and the odds were stacking up against me having a good race that weekend. Lucky for me, I have a great support team. Going up to the race with me, I had my close friend and new business partner, Jenni, some friends from college and the coworkers from the triathlon store that I work for.

My team calmed me down, refocused my energy and made sure I got to the race safely with all of the necessary equipment. By race morning, I felt much better. Focused, rested and ready to race hard! It wasn’t the smoothest morning, with a few mechanical issues to attend to, but I made it to the start line with lots of encouraging words and thoughts.

The race didn’t go quite as planned. The swim was slower than expected, and the conditions made for a tough day, but I couldn’t let my support crew down. I had shared my goals for the race with them, so I was kept accountable for my efforts. That accountability led to perseverance throughout the entire race, even when I felt like giving up and walking.

The support I built around myself for the race not only kept me focused, on track, and accountable for my efforts on the race course, but it also ensured that I had a wonderful and fun time throughout the whole process. I crossed the finish line knowing I raced hard and gave it my all. I could be proud of my efforts and had great company around me to share in the joy.

We all need the support of our friends and family from time to time, and having that support around us makes it so much easier to stay on track. It keeps us accountable and pushes us to do things we never thought we could do. We have our own little built in system of support at Rough-Fit, with the trainers and all your classmates keeping you accountable each morning (or evening). So remember that we can all help each other by working together, cheering each other on, and being there to share in all of the great accomplishments.