Me, Fiona's Book and Mt Kilimanjaro

At the time of conception it was a fantastic idea.

My youngest brother Conor and I were discussing possible challenges for the year ahead when one of us suggested that we should climb the highest free-standing mountain in the world, Mount Kilimanjaro. The moment the suggestion was floated, it was immediately picked upon with enthusiasm. We both wanted to do something a little different and this certainly fitted into such a category. We had heard stories from people who had been there, although feedback on the success rate was mixed.

We had said that we wanted a challenge, and anyway, how difficult could it really be to climb 20,000 feet?

Preparing the way

We set about our ambition with vigour. Each potential travel operator was evaluated and different schedules were explored. Trying to find a time that suited both of us was proving a little more difficult than anticipated but eventually we decided upon a date, a route, and an operator. Having booked it, we were now truly committed to doing it.

However, by this time our training programme was not quite going according to plan. In truth, I had not yet started my training, but never mind I still had plenty of time (four months). Conor was unconcerned as he was very active in sporting terms and at 30 years of age was in very good shape. Meanwhile, I was almost 40 years of age, enjoying my food greatly, had been known to have a pint, and would normally require a cigarette to keep the drink company.

My Training Routine!

My daily exercise routine involved walking from the car to the office, which I did with great passion for the two minutes involved, and I firmly believed that such efforts would be rewarded when I was on the mountain.

‘Tomorrow I will get into my training routine properly’!

Around that time my job became very demanding and events in my personal life had become very challenging mentally and emotionally. As a solution I focused less on the exercises and more on the cigarettes, drink, and food. As the weeks quickly passed, whatever natural fitness I possessed was being rapidly drained away.

But worse than that, mentally I was in a very negative place. Those who know me consider me a very positive person, but during this period positive thoughts were a long way from my universe. As the time arrived to depart, my mental, emotional, and physical states were far from ideal for climbing the highest mountain in Africa.

A good idea

But I had one very good idea as I packed my bags to leave for Tanzania, to bring with me a book that I had recently started reading, entitled ‘Be Your Own Life Coach’ by someone called Fiona Harrold.

The day before starting our climb of Kilimanjaro I was fervently reading the book, looking for inspiration, some bolt of lightning that would turn my fortunes around. Certainly there was no way I was going to get to the top in my existing condition, I kept telling myself. Meanwhile, Conor went out to a local store and bought a T-Shirt with ‘Kilimanjaro – just did it’ written large across the front of it. He intended unveiling it when he got to the top. Our mindsets were poles apart.

We are not going to get to the top immediately

We were introduced to the other members of the group: a married couple, plus two individuals who were married but travelling without their partners, one an American who was doing the climb to celebrate his 50th birthday. The leader of the group was Gary, an ex-marine who had been to the top five times previously that summer.

Gary said something that day that was very similar to a message that Fiona was giving in her book, at least as I understood it.

“We are not going to get to the top immediately. We will have to take it slowly, one step at a time, and as we climb we will acclimatise gradually. If we rush then we risk losing the ability to climb effectively.”

Yes, that’s it! I wanted Fiona’s book to change me overnight but instead it was something that would have to be built up slowly and solidly. I determined at that point that I would start the book again from the beginning, only this time I would take my time so as to soak up the messages. I was also going to use it to rebuild my confidence to get me to the top of the mountain.

The climb begins

My task to get to the top was enhanced by three elements of good fortune. The group bonded wonderfully and offered tremendous support to each other. It was quickly decided that no one was going to be left behind and that positive encouragement must be shared throughout the group.

Secondly, on the first night on the mountain, I was reading the book when one of the group commented about how wonderful they had found it, and would I mind sharing it along the way. Indeed it was suggested that we could take a particular chapter each day and discuss it along the route.

The final element of good fortune was that I also had my brother with me, someone who knew and understood me, someone who would support me throughout the journey.

Although my confidence was now growing daily, we were due to be at the top by Day 5. Did I have enough time? My mental state was improving but I still had little faith in my physical fitness to get me there.

Each night as I read the book, I became more and more positive about myself, and each day as we discussed the book while walking I grew stronger. Somewhere along the route I realised that the mountain in front was easy, it was the mountain in my mind that was the real challenge. I needed to climb that mental one first if I was to have any chance of making it to the top of Kili.

Life is too short to be afraid

At the end of Day 4, we were settled into our final camp before pushing for the top at midnight. It was time for a final read to give myself that extra lift. I had reached the final chapter and how appropriate it was: ‘When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Tougher’.

How fitting it was that I should be reading a section entitled ‘Life is too short to be afraid’ as I sat underneath the peak of the highest mountain in Africa. The group were leaving for the top in 6 hours and it was now my choice whether I was in or out. The group were pushing me for a Yes vote as they knew I could do it. After all, I had encountered no problems up to that point and now there was only one section left.

Yes indeed, life is too short to be afraid!

At midnight we left for the top. We only had a very light holdall bag with us for essentials but one of my essentials was the book. I wasn’t going to stop and read it along the way, but it had by now become my good luck charm.

We very, very slowly meandered our way up the mountain. For six hours we took gentle steps in freezing conditions as we sought our way to the top in the dark. We knew that there was a peak up there somewhere but for most of the six hours it wasn’t visible. We had blind faith that it was there, the same way as blind faith now drove me forward. There was no way I was going to be beaten.

‘Kilimanjaro – just did it’

At 6.10am we finally made it to the top! We hugged, kissed, and congratulated each other with passion and gratitude. Yes, we all did make it. But the longest hug was for my brother Conor who had been a source of incredible support throughout the trek.

As I write this, there is a photograph sitting on my desk of Conor and myself below the peak of Kili. We are holding an Irish flag aloft as if we are explorers about to claim some new realm. I did discover new territory on that trip but it was in the mind rather than on land.

The biggest mountains are mental

I found that the biggest mountains are mental, but with a positive step-by-step approach anything can be achieved. I discovered that I had wonderful strengths that I had never before realised or for which I had not given myself credit. All of this experience led me to further explorations of other territories so that good solutions were achieved to all of my concerns. I am tremendously happy with the life that I now lead and I am looking forward excitedly to a very successful year ahead. I look at the photograph and think ‘Yes, I did it’.

I have climbed the highest free-standing mountain in the world and nobody can ever take that from me. There we are at the top: myself, Conor, and Fiona’s book.