JENN McKINLAY: Surprising no one, I'm sure, many of my chats with myself frequently begin with "What Was I Thinking?"
And it's not just my poor fashion choices such as wearing heels on a cobblestone street in Ireland or donning a T-shirt when it's obviously sweater weather. I'm talking those moments when you think how exactly did I get here?
An example? Bouldering at the gym with Hooligan 1. Don't know what bouldering is? Yeah, neither did I. It's basically free (no ropes) solo rock climbing on indoor installations. See picture below:
How it started: Overly confident.
How it finished: Got to the top and debated do I just fall fifteen feet or climb down the way I got up? Dilemma!
I climbed down. Even with the fat marshmallow floor below -- truly squashy, might have napped on it if allowed -- I try not to fall if I can avoid it.
Who was responsible for this? Hooligan 1, natch.
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| http://www.boulderingproject.com |
Hooligan 2 and I run 5Ks, which is a whole other What Was I Thinking -- usually around the middle of the third kilometer -- but H1 is a climber. He always has been part goat so when this gym opened in Tempe, he found his home away from home. H1 talked about it so enthusiastically that when he invited me to use his guest pass and try it out, how could I pass up the opportunity? He was also great about doing "beta climbs" for me so I could figure out where to move my limbs, etc. There is real brain engagement in bouldering and also some panic. LOL.
