How tough are you REALLY.....Just tell yourself the truth.

[Sourdough]

Yes, this a quasi recurring theme with me. I have been reflecting on the @ss'wooping that the Gull Rock Trail bestowed on me last Saturday.

Yes....I am in fairly good shape for a old man, but I had made a serious miscalculation about my fitness, which could have proved dangerous at best, and fatal at worse.

I could make all kinds of excuses, to myself to trick myself into a illusion of my skill-set, and physical abilities, but that would be counter productive.

No response is necessary to this thread, I wanted to reinforce the need to accurately asses your personal ability, and the ability of everyone on your team.

For myself I have decided that I need to loose another ten pounds on my body weight, and the pack needs to be reduced 8 to 10 pounds also.

[doug1980]

This is a very good topic. Health and fitness is very important and one must know their limits. I got winded just walking your property so I know I need to get off the couch more. I would like to lose about 30 more pounds and work on conditioning my body more. Being out of shape makes everything more difficult which isn't fun.

[BENESSE]

Spot on, SD!
Denial is not some river in Egypt. We need to get real with ourselves first, for we are our worst enemy

[Rick]

I don't know that it's even about fitness. Age places weights around your ankles regardless of what shape you are in. I've been defeated by a local trail no less than three times. Okay, I get it, it's better than me. Like you, I finally figured out I can't haul as much as I used to. I'm not becoming a minimalist but I am becoming a "what on earth can I still carry" ist.

[Tundrascout]

I think this is someone's polite way of saying "ARE YOU CRAZY?"
I was thinking about this today as I drove back from Kenai.
Besides fitness, its also a good trailer to what I've been reading hear about "Boots on the Ground."
How insane would it be to go hike 5 miles in extremely rough country with somewhat miserable weather coming in and using completely untested gear?
I dont think owning Rambo and K2 on DVD qualifies me as a Mountian Man, for some reason...

[canid]

two words: Rick Moranis.

[Sourdough]

two words: Rick Moranis.

Over my head, Please explain

[canid]

you asked how tough i really was.

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[Sourdough]

Sadly still over my head........but I am guessing it is a movie.......?

[canid]

he plays a little nerdy guy in a lot of movies.

[Tundrascout]

AS, I think he was refering to Rick's last name

Moranis (pronunciation = As - a - 9)
-noun
Someone who does something crazy

[tsitenha]

Is it really about how tough you are or more how you can resolve your present limitations?
As a young man I was as tough as they come and equally stupid, if I couldn't bull my way through I never tried to solve the problems that arose.
Now I have no choice, I have to consider the many limitations that I have; not by youth and force but by guile and experience.
That why older men have a gut in middle age (old age in paleotimes) that stores the fats (energy) that will hopefully keep me in the game with only a few strides behind those young fellows. Life and field experience will do the rest. No need to haul that heavy load (bring a younger one along and let him carry it, this is all to make him better of course.
Now that doesn't mean I can excuse myself from not being in better condition but I have to accept my limits and act accordingly.

[your_comforting_company]

With the thumb infection which I'm still fighting, and a pulled muscle, I've been asking myself lately, just how much I can stand. I do it on a daily basis as a way of making a living.. sort of self-torture, but lately, I'm wondering just how LONG I can take that kind of torture.. what used to be a week or two, here and there, is turning into 2 months, with no end in sight so far.
Is it a test of spirit? of will? of human endurance? I don't know. I do know that it is important to test ourselves daily, assess our "comfort" relative to our situation, and compare that to what the situation could be if our lives depended on it.
Am I tough? Dang right. Am I a fool? Probably. Am I willing to do what has to be done, regardless of my comfort? Absolutely. Can I do what has to be done? I guess we'll see.
I did deliberately overload my pack a few weeks ago, to go on a hike, and I made it. Last weekend, I had a "proper" load in my pack while hog hunting in some very unforgiving territory, and I made it out of there too. BUT.. there is a dire need to quit smoking. It's amazing what we learn about ourselves when we put us to the test.
++ on this thread. Thanks for bringin' it up.

[Sourdough]

I thought that 13 or 14 miles wouuld be so easy that I did not depart till 1:PM and I knew it would be dark at 6:45. I was shocked at deep I had to dig deep with-in to grind out what I expected to be a cakewalk on a cool clear day.

[Alaskan Survivalist]

I have to stay active. I have so many bad habits I have to get my blood pumping to blow all the crap out of my system. I know you hear about peoples 80 pound packs but those people don't carry them they just say they do. Even if they are physically capable of doing it it's no fun and how much do you do things that are not fun? I don't think of it as toughness. How would it apply if I was not tough enough to carry a tent and sleeping bag but tough enough to sleep under a tree? You just have to find a way to get it done. I find new ways every week.

[Sourdough]

With the thumb infection which I'm still fighting, and a pulled muscle, I've been asking myself lately, just how much I can stand. I do it on a daily basis as a way of making a living.. sort of self-torture, but lately, I'm wondering just how LONG I can take that kind of torture.. what used to be a week or two, here and there, is turning into 2 months, with no end in sight so far.
Is it a test of spirit? of will? of human endurance? I don't know. I do know that it is important to test ourselves daily, assess our "comfort" relative to our situation, and compare that to what the situation could be if our lives depended on it.
Am I tough? Dang right. Am I a fool? Probably. Am I willing to do what has to be done, regardless of my comfort? Absolutely. Can I do what has to be done? I guess we'll see.
I did deliberately overload my pack a few weeks ago, to go on a hike, and I made it. Last weekend, I had a "proper" load in my pack while hog hunting in some very unforgiving territory, and I made it out of there too. BUT.. there is a dire need to quit smoking. It's amazing what we learn about ourselves when we put us to the test.
++ on this thread. Thanks for bringin' it up.

That is exactly what I am talking about, It is not about a contest of me as opposed to another. It is about not biting off more than you can chew. It is about being honest with yourself, about what you can do, and being clear about what you can not do.

[DOGMAN]

"How tough are you REALLY....."

Not nearly as tough as people think I am

[sthrnstrong]

I aint as tough as I once was, But I'm as tough as I ever was

[finallyME]

How heavy was your pack? You should try and get it under 30. Under 20 is even better. Your body can only take so much.

[klickitat]

Sourdough, this is funny because after my bear hunting incident that was caused by a heart problem, I have had to stop and put things into perspective. This was a very depressing thing to me. Now I just need to figure out how to over come things and move forward.

I figure a blend of loosing weight, physical activity and mechanical assistance to help me move forward.