A Prime Example

A couple of weeks ago, Allison and I took a quick trip to Tahoe.

She wanted to hike Mt. Tallac in Desolation Wilderness.

Starting at 5000ft elevation and finishing at 8700 ft.

10.5 miles took us 5 hrs and 40 min with a 45-min rest at the top.

The views were breathtaking, and the climb up (but even more so down) was a grind.

The hike has all types of terrain, from forest floor dirt to skree, to bouldering.

The point of this blog isn’t to regale you with stories from our 48-hour “vacation,” but to talk about how consistency is the key.

25 years ago, Allison was hit by a car from behind while running at the old Crissy Field.

She suffered pretty traumatic soft tissue injuries but eventually recovered.

Many of you know that she was a D1-college-athlete-turned marathon runner, backcountry backpacker, who even had a stint as a competitor at the highest level of CrossFit.

Four or so years ago, her back finally relented from that 25-year-old injury: while picking up one of our dogs, she herniated a disc.

The recovery process was intense. No surgery warranted.

Since then, Allison has endured a few smaller episodes with that disc, where she has had to take time off and listen to her body.

This past spring she suffered a stress fracture in her hip.

No major event. It just, happened. For six weeks, she backed off on anything with pounding, and she recovered from that, as well.

Allison needs to exercise or move every single day, multiple times per day.

Her Iphone tells us that she averages 15,000 steps per day.

Wherever we are on the planet, whatever else is going on, she will workout unless it’s one of her built-in rest days.

Intelligent and intentional movement through her injuries was the foundation of Allison’s recoveries.

We were some of the oldest folks walking up that mountain.

The drive was to get above the tree line—Allison’s happy place.

The climb down was hairy and jolting at times, but the accomplishment was worth it.

As you all know, Allison runs the business side of the gyms.

She’s also a licensed psychologist and educational consultant with a booming college-consulting practice with a side of sports psych with high-level teen girl athletes..

She treats working out, work, family, and relationships with the same relentless approach: Be consistent, be honest, be safe, and always strive to be better.

It’s Allison’s birthday today, and I want to take a moment to use her as an example of what this life is about.

Ups and downs, tough and good times.

Intensity isn’t always possible, but consistency will always carry you through.

Happy Birthday, Allison!