“I want to get into better shape. I want to work out more.” I said this on January 1st, 2020. And 2019, and 2018, and… you get the picture. This is the most common of all resolutions. It’s when gyms see a huge spike in membership and when health food stores see a huge uptick in business. It never lasts, of course. Most people have abandoned this resolution by the beginning of February.
This won’t be me. Not this year. Not again. The hands of the clock are ticking and, without being in better shape, they may not click for as long.
Portland, Oregon is a health conscious, outdoorsy city. If there’s motivation to stay in shape, just look outside. One activity I’ve always wanted to try is mountain climbing. I like the danger and I like the exertion and sense of accomplishment. So, when I went down to Yosemite over the Holidays, I tried it. And failed. Did I mention exertion. Exertion requires oxygen. Turns out, climbing mountains can suck the bre; ...