There is no elevator to success...you have to take the stairs

First of all I give thanks to the Lord above for guiding us safely across the Tongariro Crossing yesterday.

I also give thanks for my Nana's beautiful spiritual presence, which I leaned on during some of the toughest parts of the climb. You will always hold a special place in my heart, as I know I do in yours.

I also want to extend a massive thank you to Becs, Rachel and Aunty Jackie for your tips to conquer that beast. We adhered to all your advice and managed to stay in one piece. Thankfully we didn’t need to use the survival blanket but could definitely see how important it was to be prepared as the weather certainly changed frequently.

So what was it like?

I won’t lie, it was rough! Unless you are a seasoned fitness junkie I wouldn’t underestimate how intense this 1886m beast really is. The Advanced grading by DOC is definitely that and some. (for me anyway)

Thankfully there were some flat spots along the way that allowed me to catch my breath and prepare for the next climb. They were intense but the trick is to just take your time, one foot in front of the other, unless you're in a race.

The first hour or so was pretty steady, a great warm up for what was to come. Once we reached the last ‘real toilet’ stop it was all up hill for the next couple of hours at least.

We were blessed with a cloudy day, which I was secretly hoping for. While I have no doubt the views would be even more beautiful on a brilliant sunny day I would not have enjoyed it as much so I'm grateful for the shelter provided by the clouds.

If you know the Colonial Knob in Elsdon I would say that is a great training track. The intense incline on those steps are exactly what you'd face on the Tongariro Crossing. Another good training track is the Paekakariki to Pukerua Bay track. It would have been good to have had a couple more of those under my belt but Colonial Knob was definitely just as good.

I reckon the trek itself was more than the 19.4 kms as advertised. It takes you through some amazing craters and yes loads of Lord of the Rings like scenery. Every now and then I heard Bryan call out to Frodo and we even had a few Gandalf lines thrown in for good measure.

I definitely started to fade about one km from the finish. At one point we had to stop so I could put some energy in the belly, thank goodness I had a banana left. After I threw that down me it was power on for the end. It felt more like another 3 kms than one that's for sure!

There was a sigh of relief when we heard the sound of a bus as we approached the car park from the bush. Fist pumps in the air and a 'thank fuck' may have slipped out of my mouth.

As I sat in the lobby of the hotel this morning I could overhear a group talking about their adventure today. I couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for them, knowing what lay ahead but I do know they would love it and perhaps tomorrow reflect on a massive achievement as I have done today.

My final thanks goes out to my darling husband Bryan. Thank you for your massive support yesterday. For the past 20 years you have been a constant in my life and that was one buzzy way to spend our 16th wedding anniversary.

The trek was quite the adventure much like our two decades of life together. I laugh now as I think about how you asked me, as I arrived at the very top of the peak, how Usain Bolt posed after winning his race. As I tried to catch my breath and looked at you as if WTF, it reminded me of how much fun we have even in the most challenging of circumstances.

Honestly, I couldn’t remember because I was too busy trying to breath but your pose is definitely a champion pose because you have been one of my biggest champions and I will forever will be yours. I love you, you crazy man xox.