I have been meaning to write this for years. In one way or another, I have always known that I needed to share a reflection on life since I left behind my corporate career - not for others, but for myself.
Today is the day. It is 11:25pm as I sit in my home office in Kanab, Utah. Darkness surrounds me, my husband of two years is sleeping just across the hall. The fan is going, the windows open; a cricket makes its presence known. I can feel the presence of towering red sandstone cliffs beyond my sphere of visual perception. Zion is but a few dozen miles to the North West. The Grand Canyon is an hour to the South. I am home.
Five years ago, on the evening of my 30th birthday, I wasn’t far from where I am today. I lived in Houston at the time, but I chose to spend my birthday in the one place that shaped the path I followed: the Grand Canyon.
And what have I done since.
I quit my job without much money in the bank.
I moved into a $3000 van.
I fell in love with Paul.
I rope soloed a big wall in Zion, less than two hours from my now-home.
I climbed El Capitan. Once, twice, three times in as many years.
I summited Kilimanjaro with my mom.
I adventured in the Dolomites with my dad.
I spent four Austral summers on Aconcagua, setting two records in the process.
I started AWExpeditions.
I became a sponsored athlete.
I traveled to Nepal, three times, and became the fastest woman to run around Annapurna.
I won the Ouray 100 Miler.
I raised money to create $25,000 worth of scholarships for women in high altitude climbing.
I published photography in National Geographic, Outside Magazine and others.
I convinced Paul to quit his job.
I got married.
I hiked 685 miles along the Hayduke trail in a month.
I went on the most incredible multisport adventures with friends who changed my life.
I built out a bigger van.
I climbed in Chamonix.
I crushed a 100k men’s mountain course record in China.
I failed on Nolan’s 14.
I spent life-affirming time with Paul on Kusum Kanguru.
I bought an 9-employee desert guiding business.
Full circle. This is me. I spent close to five years blissfully exploring - exhausting the little savings that I had, maxing out credit cards, making ends meet with whatever freelance athlete work I found. Today, I am back where I was five years ago: near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, contemplating my life, thinking about what my contribution is in this wild world and how to best enjoy the days I have in this great life.
I live. I love. I work. I run. I climb. And I want more of it all. This is the beginning.
