Some people find theirs and now I finally have mine... Something to rise up to.
Finally having a project that is meaningful and has enough depth to really grab my complete focus, as a climber and even a human being! The Eiger...
I even love the sound of the word itself... The Eiger... Oooooooooooooooh!
It's great waking up and having the Eiger project consuming my thoughts. When I pull my curtains back in my small bedroom in Snowdonia, its the Eiger I'm seeing out my window. Every mountain represents it now, every track I run is the lower sections of the West Flank... I have to be 500% aerobically fitter than I am today but I know that will come with each attempt to flick that psychological training switch.
Planing with others and planning with myself how I am going to get fit enough is exciting enough to piss ma pants, scary enough to fart out loud in public places, but worthy enough to invest all that I am today in everything it turns out to be for the others.
It's the first time I've dug back into my previous self to unpack some of my project management experience to help the project be all it can be. Feels nice to use these skills that I had buried so deeply in fear of them opening old scars and losses, but after an initial wibbly wobble staring at the computer, it began to all come back, but this time, to be used for something human and kind. My biggest worry is not being tough enough for this, but quite the opposite (because my life has taught me that I'm tough), It's mixing the right level of compassion for the others on the tough environment of the Eiger.
I love the Eiger as a mountain, its simplicity as a pyramid structure, its brutality if you disrespect it, and the small precarious 10m wide summit that swirls the whole world below your feet and a vista that could make you cry.
I expect that along the way the Eiger Paraclimb might unfortunately attract a little criticism, because 'judge-mentalists!' are always present in society, but I suppose the answer just lies in the title.
So far, it has been an overwhelmingly positive response and that is what will make all the training and preparations worth all the effort and strengthen the whole teams resolve when on the mountain six months from now.
I invited my friend Colin to join me because his life has been hard and he is my best friend whom I trust and I know the Eiger will turn his life from a current dark struggle to a big shinny happy place where his self esteem will hit the azure skies of the Swiss Alps. Cant wait to see his face coming back to life on the summit with the others,.. Happy days :)
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