This past weekend I traveled to Cape Town, South Africa with my team and team Wimbi. We picked up team Ardency when we arrived and spent a few days with them. It was wonderful to see the place I’ve dreamed of seeing for the last five years.
I hadn’t heard much about Table Mountain until I knew there was a chance we would hike to the top. I didn’t know that it wasn’t a small, simple hike like we had been told. It wasn’t a hike that I should’ve started at 4:30 p.m. with only an hour and a half to finish it and catch the ride back to the bottom.
The hike was much more difficult that I had expected. It was steep. When I was close to half way up, two people I passed said the gondola was closing soon and suggested Chantai and I turn around and head back the way we came. No, I’m not turning around, I thought. I’m finishing what I started. I began to feel nauseated and short of breath. I sat to take a break and let Chantai go ahead at her pace.
I had two options. I could quit, which would result in feeling pretty crappy about myself, or I could get back on my feet and trust God would give me the strength to climb the rest of the mountain in front of me. I turned the song “Climb” by United Pursuit on repeat and prayed myself up the mountain.
When I reached the two-thirds of the way up point I met up with Jace, Kelsey, Racquel, Sarah and Chantai. Racquel, Sarah and Chantai went ahead, continuing their pace while Jace, Kelsey and myself waited for Robbie to reach us. When he did, he decided to turn around, find his wife Katie and the girls she was with and hike down with them.
We had 20 minutes to make it up the final stretch of the mountain before the last gondola headed down. I was physically exhausted and dehydrated but wasn’t giving up. I continued up with Jace and Kelsey who I honestly don’t think I could’ve made it up on time without. They’re both more athletic than I am so I felt bad having them stay at a slower pace with me but they fed me encouragement to get me to the top, Kelsey leading the way and Jace following behind.
In my life I can’t recall ever having a moment where I felt as if I couldn’t continue on without having to fully depend on God. Half way up I knew I couldn’t do it alone and so did God. He had Kelsey and Jace waiting for a reason and with their help I pushed through. The view He rewarded us with from the top was breathtaking and completely worth the journey that got us there.
Moments are going to come in the next 10 months of my race that at times are going to feel very challenging. More than likely I will have days where I feel as if I can’t continue on, but I know with the memory of having hiked Table Mountain I will be reminded of how God gave me the strength to reach the top even when I felt my weakest.
