Tag Archives: fitness

Northbound: diabetes on ice

Leave a reply

Winter is more or less here…and even the warm refuges of the southwest are begrudgingly submitting to the influx of less comfortable temperatures.

But it’s not all bad-while climbing has been a grind due to the abundant moisture, it has allowed for some beautiful pictures and moments that capture a very different Zion from the one most people experience in the warmer months.

20121227-115841.jpg
So I figure if you can’t fight em’ the next best option is join em’! On that note I am heading north to try ice climbing with Rob who will be meeting me in Salt Lake City. I have wanted to try ice climbing for a long time since that is one arrow I really must have in my quiver if I am to be really capable in the big mountains.

20121227-120229.jpg
Ice climbing is scary. It’s not comfortable. It’s cold and wet and contains new hazards that I am not used to managing. And maybe that’s the point of going north for now rather than south–it’s time to push my limits again to keep the growth happening.

20121227-120544.jpg
So I got all packed up and I am hitting the road–with plenty of camera gear to chronicle my experience. This morning got off to a bumpy start with a series of over corrections to my blood sugar but I know with a little patience that will smooth out and not stop my progress.

I am still not 100% sure where the final days of project 365 will be, but stay tuned because I have a few ideas and I will be sharing them here once they are a little more certain!

Where does it end?

Leave a reply

Or does it? I’ve gotten two questions repeatedly for the last several months: 1-where will the last day of the project be 2-will you keep climbing after its over?

I’ve been back in Zion for a couple of days and getting out with my partner “Broccoli” Rob while trying to figure out some answers to these questions. I like to jokingly quip that on day 366 (Jan 17, 2013) all my climbing paraphernalia will be listed on eBay and that I will take up golf.

20121203-215836.jpg

20121203-215934.jpg
The last few days I Rob and I have been going out, looking for unclimbed routes and boulders. Lines that are beautiful but guarded by steep and unpleasant approaches and scary landings that threaten to punish the careless without mercy.

20121203-220416.jpg
There are gems upon gems…and so much beauty, without even having to leave the canyon. There is so much just here that makes me want to get stronger and faster and begin to physically push myself in ways that I have held back from in order to ensure that I am able to climb each day consecutively for this project.

20121203-221222.jpg

20121203-221304.jpg

20121203-221323.jpg
So we took in some of the potential, climbed a few unclimbed (as far as we know) easy routes up some very impressive boulders that have many more routes that exceed what we can currently climb.

20121203-221912.jpg

20121203-221938.jpg
So to make a long story short, there are a lot of unanswered questions, but Project 365 is only the beginning. But the beginning has to have an ending and in the coming days I hope to share with you my thoughts on how I intend to close out this amazing chapter. Meanwhile I will be heading to Joshua Tree for a few days for the Insulindependence wilderness festival which will be a great opportunity to connect with friends and just get out to climb!

This year I am thankful for…

2 Replies

A lot has happened in the last week and it has been good–this whirlwind started with my attending a World Diabetes Day event put on by the folks at Roche in Indianapolis. Aside from getting to make a lot of friends, this event really allowed me to see (again) the support and impact that Project 365 is having. It also gave me a greater appreciation for ALL of the people who have done so much to help us keep going.

Sharing a light moment with Rob, the Social Media guru at Roche at the top of the wall. One of many amazing moments that day!

Cherise from DSMA came out and we climbed together! It was really exciting and although I had to do a little arm twisting at first, she totally crushed it and got to the top like it was nothing!

Our sponsors were super helpful in keeping us charged (Thanks Goal Zero!!!)

and fed! (Thanks Clifbar!!!!)

It was so cool seeing this shot Stefanie captured in Moab on a poster! Totally surreal!

More than 150 Roche employees came out to chat with me and share their stories and what this project means to them. I never thought of people who spend every day working to make the supplies that I (and millions of others) use to survive as being affected by diabetes awareness. Sometimes the most obvious things escape me…but it was a powerful reminder of just how far Diabetes reaches beyond those of us who live with the condition personally. Seeing the teamwork and the amount of effort that was put into World Diabetes Day and the climbing wall and the Big Blue Test was awesome! Then, just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, this happened…

In an instant, a LOT changed. I had been constantly wracked with worry about being able to finish the project and I wanted to really be able to focus on wrapping up the climbing and shooting without having to worry about the fund-raising on top of all the other responsibilities I have to cover. Now, I am able to finish the project and there is funding to produce the documentary on top of that once it’s done. I am so thankful for the opportunity to take the next step in Project 365.

Not to be forgotten in the excitement, I want to extend a special thank you to everyone who chipped in to our 100 day challenge. We made huge strides in increasing our Facebook following and each contribution is hugely appreciated. I am grateful for all of the support that has come in so many ways. I have had an opportunity to communicate this to many of you personally and I am looking forward to showing my appreciation by taking what I have been given and making the most out of it.

To whit: some highball bouldering which Stefanie shot–more great captures to add to the over 2 TB of media that we have so far…

Perfect light, perfect timing. College rock, near Boston.

I cant begin to explain how unsavory this topout was. Downclimbing was a much better option.

So, moving forward, I have been in the Boston area and last night I gave a Project 365 presentation to a group of students from Tufts University as a guest of the College Diabetes Network and the Tufts Mountain Club. As with all such events, a lot of work went into coordinating it and I am indebted to Jo Treitman from the CDN and Rose Eilenberg from TMC for bringing it all together. It was my first slideshow (hopefully not the last!) and I am happy to have had an opportunity to present to such a warm and receptive audience. Afterwards we went out to MetroRock in Everett MA and climbed our faces off till 11PM. It was inspiring to see how the act of climbing can bring people together.

Today was day 308 and I went back to College Rock, this time to meet Maria Qadri for some dia-bouldering and top-roping. Maria has been one of Project 365′s most ardent supporters and a fellow T1. We climbed together in the summer in central park and she has been a good sounding board for a lot of decisions I have wrestled with–a very level head and a great perspective on things.

Thanksgiving is up next on the agenda and I have a long list this year…

My humble thanks on World Diabetes Day

1 Reply

The last 301 days have had a lot of ups and downs. Project365 started with an idea and little else. From the get-go this has been a haphazard patchwork of input and effort from all over the world, literally.

Days like today, world diabetes day, when we have the opportunity to step back and see the bigger picture come together I am so thankful and so humbled. I often get so caught up in my role in this project and so worried about what comes next or what I should be doing, that I forget the mission and the support for the mission from so many of you.

Advancing the LivingVertical mission is my goal in Project 365, but regardless of how the project itself fares, this project and the ensuing documentary are only vehicles for a hands on message of being empowered, strong and free despite having to negotiate the challenges of diabetes.

Of late I have felt like the project has been out of my control–and I struggled with that realization. The last several days I have refocused and accepted that it has never been mine to control, and that, at the risk of sounding like a fortune cookie philosopher, the journey is the destination.

The support, the discussions, the help, the social media connections have led us to a point where today, I will be representing the LivingVertical mission at Roche event held for diabetes awareness.

20121113-215719.jpg
This logo- which started as a photo taken on our first climbing trip in Bishop, CA in 2008- and was edited by Stefs sister and then later finished and retouched by Terrie from ClimbAddict will be seen on special shirts created by Roche for World Diabetes Day.

A year ago, the LivingVertical mission was an idea and this logo was just a photo cluttering my hard drive. Now it is a part of the community, out in the open, where we are part of the framework, able to serve others who don’t want to be victims and who refuse to be kept down by the need to regulate their blood glucose. We are making a difference together and showing the world that diabetes is what you make of it.

Thank you all so much!

Support Project 365 by raising diabetes awareness

Leave a reply

This blogs publication marks day 300 of Project 365. We are two days away from world diabetes day and this weekend was my strongest bouldering outing yet–something I am still surprised at considering my inability to have recovery days so vital for building power.

20121112-001215.jpg

20121112-001237.jpg

20121112-001307.jpg

Over the next few days I will be lightening my climbing load to turn my full attention to World Diabetes Day and using this occasion to raise awareness. While the window of opportunity is open. I want to extend the opportunity to join me in raising awareness through wearing a Project 365 bracelet or necklace available through our funding campaign for three remaining days.

20121112-002309.jpg

There is special significance to the Monkey Fist knots and we want to continue the effort and partnership with the diabetes community that they symbolize. The wristbands are a bit more obvious and straightforward and also help to raise awareness.

Project 365 is at a crux right now-we are at the point of breaking through and are beginning to reach more people but there is a funding gap that I have to address and your showing solidarity with this project through wearing Project 365 jewelry will also help us to close that gap and finish strong-aside from looking great!

I am looking forward to the last days of Project 365, not because I want a rest day but because this is just the beginning of something great and the best is yet to come but I need help to make it happen. Stay tuned for World Diabetes Day on the 14th of this month- the LivingVertical mission will be getting a fantastic platform to raise awareness and empowerment and I hope you can join in and follow along as WDD unfolds!

I am looking forward also to answering more questions in videos and sharing the LivingVertical mission in presentations in the coming weeks!