I first climbed at 29029 Snowbasin in 2022.
By dinner, I had finished five laps, but the aches had started creeping in.
The story in my head started to turn negative.
You’re not going to finish. You’re taking longer than you should. You wasted so much time earlier in the day.
My sixth ascent took almost twice as long as the others, and on the gondola ride down, I started doing the math.
At this pace, I can’t finish.
Staring out the window, I had already decided the outcome.
I assumed the mountain was linear.
That I would only get slower from there.
So instead of pushing through the night, I went to sleep.
The next morning, I went back out. And when 36 hours came to a close, I had finished eight of thirteen ascents, reaching Elbrus.