Training to Climb a 14’er

Sep 28, 2014

“I read a quote a few days ago that said, “What you can become depends upon what you can overcome.” A year ago I found myself the heaviest and unhealthiest I have ever been; I was miserable. Based on some medical diagnoses and doctor recommendations, I decided that it was time to make a change and start taking care of myself. It was in that moment and every decision after that I had to choose to overcome life on life’s terms. As much as I wish that I could have just snapped my fingers and had an instant transformation, that’s not real life. Change happens one choice at a time.

This past year has been rough and it feels like more things went wrong than things went right. There were many times that I wondered what’s the point; if this is going to be this hard then I should just quit because I can’t do it. Transformation is hard; and sometimes it really sucks. I’m so blessed and thankful that I have an amazing support system that was put in my path to lift me up, encourage me and walk this journey with me. I could not have done this past year without them. They believed in me and pushed me when I didn’t believe in myself. Nichole is one of those people for me; she has become a dear friend.

It’s amazing the difference a year can make. I’ve lost close to 60 pounds, hiked the incline and I’m able to do a better job at my work. Last year I wasn’t able to climb a flight of stairs without having to take a break at the top to catch my breath. Last week I climbed a 14er.

I climbed a freaking mountain!!!

It was awful; it was the hardest physical challenge I have ever done. It took me 9 hours to complete and I was ready to quit 4 hours in. At that point I had a choice to make, I could do what I’ve always done and get the results that I’ve always gotten or I could do something different. I could keep going. I could take just one more step; and that’s what I did with every step past that point to get up and down that mountain. I am still amazed that I made it up to the top. I wanted to quit so bad and tried bargaining with myself the last mile up about how it would be ok to quit. Something inside me kept going and I learned that I don’t have to stop, quit or give up when things get hard. What a great lesson for me to learn! I am worth fighting for; I’m the only one that can take care of me. I’m still trying to process and take everything in from my journey up that mountain. I feel like my life is just beginning and I have so much to look forward to in the years to come. I am so grateful for Nichole and for actionwrX. She has given me the confidence I needed to achieve goals that seem impossible”. –

– Kara Anseth