Conquering Mount DeLand

Conquering Mount DeLand sounds like a Herculean task. Until you realize that DeLand is in Florida & we have NO MOUNTAINS in Florida.

Mount DeLand is a joke my husband created at the height of my "sick period" when I was trying to become a little more active by walking the dogs.

Each night, we would take the dogs for a 5-6 block stroll (I do mean stroll) around the neighborhood. At the end of the walk was Mount DeLand (cue scary music!). Each evening, I would dread the final steps up this HUGE hill to get home.

My husband would encourage me. I would get out of breath. I would almost double over in pain. Mind you, we were strolling!

To fully appreciate how ridiculous this situation was, you have to understand the topography. I recently put "Mount DeLand" into Google maps. Here are the results: 0.05 miles 0 feet elevation change! Honestly, I swear there is an elevation change! It's probably only 1 to 1 1/2 feet, far too small for Google to bother with measuring. Mount DeLand isn't a mountain...it isn't a hill...it hardly qualifies as a bump in the road.

But Mount DeLand became my challenge!

The walks continued. The jokes continued. At first I was mad! How dare he joke at my misery? But soon, it became a little easier to climb the road at the end of the walk. Each evening I psyched myself up for the climb. Breathing into it. Celebrating the accomplishment.

I'm happy to say that the other night I was feeling pretty lousy (bad food). My dear husband, at the end of our dog walk, suggested I run home the last few blocks - up Mount DeLand!

After a moment's protest I did!

Thanks to his encouragement (in that strange way of his), I have conquered Mount DeLand, and have moved on to much greater accomplishments in my health & wellness journey!

Got a mountain you're facing?