TMB Day 5 & 6
While I was resting in Courmayeur on Day 4 to recover from norovirus, Sabrina continued to hike part of the track and when she made it to the hotel in the evening incredibly exhausted and we both decided we needed one more day to rest. On Day 5, we walked around downtown and realized the timing of our rest day couldn’t have been better: the streets were alive with spectators and finishers of TorX, an ultra endurance race in the Alps. We found out a number of people crossing that finish line had just run 450 km (267 mile) races, a distance so large that I had trouble comprehending exactly why and HOW this could even be accomplished. One man went straight to his wife (she was sobbing) and picked up his baby to take pictures with her at the finish line. Our bodies are remarkable, but the way our mind can allow us to overcome perceived physical limitations once you have something worth struggling for is even more intriguing to me.
I set out on Day 6, one of our longest days, with hesitation and trepidation. I wasn’t sure where my body was at physically, and wasn’t very optimistic in our ability to reach the top of the Col de Ferret pass in less than ideal weather. The wind speeds were extremely high and there was still snow/ice on the trail that hadn’t fully melted away. We set out anyways, ready to stop and weigh the pros and cons of continuing at every milestone to avoid unnecessary risk. Spoiler alert: we did make it, but little did we realize that a few hours before we reached the Col somewhere that had attempted to cross had slipped, broken her ankle, and had to be helicoptered out.
Our intended 16 miles day with 4600 ft elevation gain turned into 18 miles and 6800 ft gain, we were hiking 13+ hours and pulled out our headlamps to finish the last few miles after sunset. Just two days after I felt like I was dying, spending every hour that night in the bathroom vomiting. I still couldn’t believe we pulled this off, it was another testament to how strong our mind and willpower can be to accomplish something that you might doubt yourself.
We arrived at the campsite close to 9 pm, set up our tents, and entered the shared indoor space to warm up and make our food. I sat down, feeling depleted again and wanting nothing more than to sleep, but as soon as I looked up and started to notice the people around me I saw some familiar faces. The guy from British Columbia I chatted with in the soup aisle at the grocery store about different variants on the route on Day 1. The outdoorsy girl from Utah I met while I was brushing my teeth at our campsite on Day 2. The guy from Belgium I sat with at night on Day 3 pouring over the map trying to find alternate routes through Col de Ferret to avoid getting caught in bad weather. And finally the woman from the UK that was sick in the refuge where I stopped to use the bathroom Day 3: she’s the real reason I caught the norovirus and knew just how miserable the subsequent few days were lol. It turns out she found out on Day 4 that I was sick when she ran into Sabrina on trail and asked around about me after to give me some medication she had.
Just a few of the conversations we had catching up with our trail friends after the two days we took off gave me so much life and energy after the long grueling day. It was another reminder that the people around us have so much influence in our energy and mood, and can make or break your experience. I started hiking and running as a personal journey, I liked the challenge and mental toughness from pushing my limits, but the reason WHY I’ve continued is the brilliant, passionate, and inspiring people I’ve met along the way. It makes these challenges we put ourselves through that much more enjoyable and bearable. This little band of trail friends that came together for a few days on the mountain and a week later everyone will go back to their own countries and their own lives. It’s always bittersweet, it never gets easier, but it’s always worth it Alhamdulillah.
