8 Miles
Self-limiting beliefs are toxic. These negative self-perceptions in our conscious or subconscious are often our own creation. A psychological dividing line separating you and the art of the possible. Recovery from my plantar fascia injury has been patchy; often setting me back to where I started. After averaging 10000 steps a day and climbing numerous 10000 feet+ alpine mountains for the past many years this injury left me with a self-limiting doubt if I'll ever be able to do that again.
This fine spring morning I set out to cross that psychological dividing line. I had a great company of silver birch forest along with Robins, Tits and Black Birds announcing the arrival of spring. This was the day I set out to cross my own 8 miles.
I have had the issue with my right foot ligament (Plantar Fascia) for a while. It always troubled me while coming down the mountains. I ignored it as “I was tired” or “need to work on fitness” etc. Just before the pandemic while hiking the mighty crib goch things went south. It got worse as I could not swim (lock down) and walk as much due to the paint. I’ve been on the recovery curve, pushing myself only to find back to where it all started. Five cortisol injections, shock wave therapy, dry needling and all sorts of massages have not really helped. I’m now working with a sports physio and concentrating on nutritional intake. Hopefully one day I will be back in the mountains as they have been calling for a while now.
Climbing the Great Ridge & Welch 3000ers. Click to view large
Karwendel-Durchquerung in Winter. Click to view large.
8. I was primed to look for anything resembling 8 due the target I had set. Not a very attractive number from traditional composition point of view. These 8 Silver Birch against strong back light came across as friends forever. And then the black birds landed here. All I had to do was wait to see if I manage to have only 8 in the frame.