Mountain Therapy

It felt like we were sitting on the top of the world. Only a 4 mile hike roundtrip but the top was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. I've spent my entire life in the mountains, having lived in some of the most incredible places and cherished some of the most breathtaking views Colorado has to offer. But for some reason, this time, the view was better.

The Royal Arch Trail is in Boulder, Co if you didnt know. A quick search of the All Trails app will take you straight to this one. It's heavily trafficked and for good reason. The short 4 miles is equipped with 1,492 feet of elevation gain and a flagstone staircase to take your breath away literally and figurativley.

The 2 hours we spent out there that day were probably the most fun I've had in a while. Since the start of Covid and "stay at home" orders which led to the transition to "safer at home", I've done exactly two things 1) go to the grocery store and 2) go for a run. Now that were in the awkward phase where no one really knows whats going on I suppose I do a third thing, go to work.

It was really on 2 months that i spent longing to be able to get out and do something other than my hour or two of exercise or the grocery store (which was stressful enough on its own). But those two months made me cherish that hike more than I ever imagined I would.

Every single person out there has struggled with Covid whether they contracted the virus or not. We live in an alternate reality from what existed in December or any other time before 2020. It can be extremely hard to adjest to change and as I look back I see how much I let it affect me. I stayed strong for the first month of "stay at home", keeping my running schedule and the remnants of the rest of my weekly routine. But then it happened, and not slowly by any means, just abruptly all at once. I fell apart. Not literally, but in the most ridiculous theoretical way. I got lost, very lost, very quickly.

I let myself skip runs until I went 2 weeks without slipping on my running shoes. I stopped caring about what I put into my body and I definitely felt a sense of depression that was new to me. Being stuck in the same place day in and day out without the option to socialize will change you, being yelled at by others at the grocery store for not conforming to their version of safety will change you, being afraid to spend time with your loved ones will change you. A pandemic will change you.

So when everything about me changed, I felt depressed. Acknowledging that was the biggest step for me. Then slowly the days started to come back as time allowed the transition to "safer at home". Eventually I felt my version of happiness creep back into me. I spent more time outside and eventually made it to the trail.

We got to the top of the Royal Arches and suddenly I forgot all about Covid. I looked out over the rocks and trees and took a big gulp of the fresh air. It was on the happiest days I had in the last few months. All my cares disappeared and I began to feel like myself again. Maybe it last just for that moment or maybe it has been carrying me through the past week. Right now, I don't know, but what I do know is nature is powerful. Fresh air will change you.

So maybe Covid changed you, but so can some fresh mountain air pumping through your lungs.