It felt so good to get back to the Y today and resume my upper body training for the Alps, including pull ups.
I think I am currently looking at a 50-50 chance of summiting an Alpine peak next summer. I won't go back to Switzerland unless I can get that up to 75-25. There's no sense in traveling all that distance and spending all that money unless you stand a better-than-average chance of accomplishing your goal. I'll decide somewhere around next March. Which gives me 5 solid months of training left.
As a goal setter, I've discovered that there's no use in making goals unless you have action steps and target dates for completion. Incidentally, there are three basic types of goals -- those you can live with, those that are a slight stretch, and those that are a dream. Climbing one more peak in Zermatt is in the latter category. I am trying to set myself up for being successful, but the truth is that this is a HUGE stretch for me. The main thing is that I give 100 percent to everything I do or attempt to do, and to always expect the best of myself. To do this you have to leave both self-doubt and perfection behind. You have to listen to your body. You also have to give yourself permission to fail.
I've committed myself to the Alps, but I'm still not at the point where I believe it's actually going to happen!