Last August, the sun streamed down over mountaintops onto a milky blue alpine lake. My best friend and I waded into the frigid water of Wedgemount Lake, atop one of the toughest trails near Whistler, British Columbia, an 8-mile excursion with an elevation gain of over 3,000 feet. We scrambled up rocky terrain, wandered through lush coniferous forests, and shrieked as we plunged into the shockingly cold lake water. We threw our hands up in the air with abandon, breathed in the fresh air, and drank in the once-in-a-lifetime views.
In recent years, I’ve begun seeking out adventures like this—expeditions in nature that test how far my determination and perseverance can take me. That’s what led me to run a half-marathon in Vancouver a few days before the hike, or…
