1 Hour and 20 Minutes

1 hour and 20 minutes… that's how long it took me to climb to the top of Table Mountain. Now, yall know I'm not the 'one with nature' type, but Kaitlin convinced me that it would be the perfect start for my 27th birthday. Now, Kaitlin almost made it to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, so I'm still trying to figure out what I was thinking when I agreed to go with her. So, Saturday morning, Kaitlin, Sarah and I set off for what turned out to be an extremely fun and rewarding experience. I should have known that it was going to be hard when painted on a rock at the beginning of the trail was 'R U Sure? IF NOT YOU CAN GO BACK NOW!' That right there should have triggered something that made me turn around! I can honestly say that climbing that mountain was one of the hardest things I've done in a long time. I was pretty much miserable most of the way up, but Kaitlin and Sarah were so positive and kept me going. I definitely would not have made it without them. I felt bad for slowing Kaitlin down because I'm sure she would have made it up in under an hour if I had not been there winded and saying 'Kaitlin, I think I need a break!' To say I was struggling would be an under statement! Kaitlin was singing and dancing, and I was barely able to keep my breath! Once I made it to the top, (and took a second to catch my breath)I was so proud of myself that I forgot all about the fact that my legs felt like jello and my heart was pounding so hard that I felt it was going to jump out of my chest. The view from the top was just as beautiful as I remembered it, but the sense of pride and accomplishment I felt made the experience even more memorable. On the way up Kaitlin suggested I think of it in terms of a step for everyday of my life, and year 27 was waiting for me at the top! I feel truly blessed to have made it to 27, and I can't wait to see what this year has in store! I can say 100%, without a doubt that I will not be climbing Table Mountain again. I may try Lion's Head in the near future, but that's still up for debate...