(Don't) Climb Every Mountain

I love the movie The Sound of Music as much as the next person, but the advice to "Climb every mountain," not so much.

Before I thought of the song more figuratively.  The idea of achieving your dreams and what not.  Today I thought about it in the literal sense for the first time, and there is no going back.

This was brought on by my mad sprint across the King's Buildings (which are very confusing) to try and find the Royal Observatory (sounds cool, right?)  I get to the road google maps told me the observatory was on and all I see is a basically vertical slope of mountain in front of me.  It was at that moment I knew I was doomed.

But I continued my accelerated pace for about the first fourteen steps.  Then it became really icy (apparently they don't believe in salt/sand for the sidewalks in Scotland).  After nearly falling and rolling right back down the mountain (although there wasn't too far to go because I hadn't made too much progress) I had to slow down.  Then my calves felt like they were bowing outward and they were just going to snap off.

I finally made it to the top of the mountain (10 minutes late for a 50 min class...ugh) and I go to the Visitor's Center to check in and find out where I was supposed to go...AND it was another walk about a smaller hill that was equally as steep.

I didn't walk into class.  I stumbled in.  Sweaty, disheveled, and beyond out of breath.

I walked as quickly as possible (which was about a snail's pace at this point) and sat in the back.  Well, I didn't really sit, I more like slumped and tried not to wheeze too loudly.

I get to do this twice a week.  It was either make me really in shape or kill me off.  Probably the latter.

SO my personal advice to those who are out of shape: DON'T CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN.  DON'T CLIMB ANY MOUNTAIN.

Disclaimer:  I am not trying to turn people away from accomplishing their dreams in this post.  I mean this in the literal sense.  Figuratively do whatever you want.