The member of the month award goes to Tsekira who recently ascended to the summit of Snowdon in very blustery conditions, the walk took several hours but was well worth it!
What the Hike?! – Conquering Mount Snowdon
"I embarked on a hiking adventure in Wales, camping at Llyn Gwynant - a brave departure from my usual glamping escapades. As a first-time tent-setter-upper, I expected a breeze, and boy, was I right! We set off the Saturday morning at 06:00 hours. Little did our group of 15 know that our journey would begin with a two-hour uphill hike to reach the starting point of Mount Snowdon from our campsite. Before we even set foot on the mountain, I was already wheezing like a deflated balloon. Our group ranged from hiking novices to seasoned outdoor enthusiasts. We chose the Pyg Track, a treacherously rocky path with steep climbs, aptly categorized as 'Hard/Strenuous' and reserved for the bravely fit. The Pyg Track turned out to be a rollercoaster ride of exhilaration, terror, and profound humility. It featured steep hills, endless steps, and even bouts of scrambling. The entire ascent and descent took seven hours. Starting from Pen y Pass, the Pyg Track meandered its way up to Bwlch y Moch, where we caught our first glimpse of Llyn Llydaw. Continuing along the track, we eventually crossed paths with the Miners' Track, leading towards Llanberis Path and onwards to the summit. In true British fashion, we experienced all four seasons in a single day. Llanberis seemed to possess its own whimsical microclimate, and this particular day was no exception. We were treated to a medley of rain and sunshine, which conspired to gift us a beautiful rainbow. And then, like a capricious diva, the rain vanished, leaving behind clear blue skies and bright sunshine. As we reached the summit, breaking through the clouds, the cheerful weather turned into a moody spectacle of dark clouds and a wind speed of 25 mph. It was bone-chillingly cold up there, but hey, I did it. Admittedly, there may have been tears involved. Okay, a lot of tears.
Hard but Not Impossible
I had embarked on the journey for two reasons: 1) to push my fitness limits and 2) to give my love-hate relationship with cardio a run for its money. You see, I've been strength training for six years, but cardio has always been the annoying cousin at family gatherings.
Now, let me drop some lesson bombs I gathered from this wild experience:
There were times it got hard but I discovered the magic of focusing on the next step instead of fixating on reaching the summit. When I felt like giving up, I adopted the motto of "Just ten more steps”. Life's like a tough trail sometimes, but instead of obsessing over the destination or how long it'll take to get there, focus on the tiny victories along the way.
Rest stops are your friends – seriously. Pace yourself, take a breather, and recharge those batteries. Sure, some people might have more energy than you and that is okay. It is not a race and not worth injuring yourself.
When you hit that "I can't go on" wall, take a look at how far you've come. I was amazed at the extra oomph I could muster when I thought I’d hit empty.
It was hard but not impossible – It was hard. Like, really hard. I was tired and my legs ached but hard doesn’t equal impossible."
Tsekira.
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