Tuesday, June 7, 2011 at 10:00AM | Amy C Climbing Kilimanjaro at 63: Late-Blooming Athlete Lynne Knutson Shares Her Journey
Lynne, age 63, at the summit of Kilimanjaro | 2011Today’s late-blooming athlete spotlight brings me great joy and inspiration.
I believe we are all athletes at our core. Some recognize this earlier, and a little easier than others. And sometimes, it takes us decades to connect with our bodies and feel the power, strength and empowerment this connection gives us.
I define a “late-blooming athlete” as someone who has discovered their innate athleticism as an adult and I am incredibly honored to share today’s story with you.
Lynne Knutson describes herself as a suburban mom and wife. For the past twenty years, she’s raised her daughter, made sure there were home-cooked meals on the table and attended every dance recital. When her daughter left home for college, Lynne found herself feeling pretty restless.
When I asked her about this restlessness, she told me:
After she had been away at college for a couple of years, the realization that I was no longer needed as a “hands-on” mom finally sunk in. All at once, spending my life on anything home related did not make sense. Being older forces you to prioritize. There is not time to waste. How I kept our home is not what I want to remember; or be remembered for. When this feeling hit, it hit hard. I wanted out!
So what did she do?
What any restless suburban mom does... she headed to Africa and climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Of course.
In reality, this wasn’t an automatic “of course” for Lynne. It was a journey of re-discovery. One of reconnection with the woman she had been long ago, and with the one she was becoming.
At 63—yes, the amazing Lynne is 63—there were a lot of questions on her mind about her ability to keep up, her general fitness level and the scary question deep in her mind: could she do it?
Despite these questions, she was drawn in by a photograph of women summiting a mountain in Africa with the Peaks Foundation*, a non-profit that “organizes global mountain challenges for women who seek adventure, a sense of personal achievement, and an opportunity to make a positive difference in the world.” (Their 3 Peaks 3 Weeks programs take women to Africa, the Himalayas and South America.)
For Lynne, the seed had been planted and she was ready to bloom.
Lynne and I had a wonderful conversation recently where she shared her incredible journey from the Illinois suburbs to the very top of Africa, redefining what it meant to be feminine, gaining confidence and a passion for being alive that is directing her life on an entirely new trajectory.
And just to be clear, Lynne didn’t climb just one mountain. She climbed three:
- Mt. Kenya (17,057’) on January 13, 2011
- Mt. Meru (14,980’) on January 20, 2011
- Mt. Kilimanjaro (19,341’) on January 29, 2011
Here’s her story.
a phenomenal woman climbs kilimanjaro at 63
AC: What led you to apply for the 3 Peaks 3 Weeks program?
LK: I saw a picture in a magazine of a previous year’s team. It was like a bolt of lightening drew my gaze to the picture. I probably broke a sweat looking at it. Those women looked so alive and happy!
I pored over the website. It was an act of courage for me to apply because I was so much older than anyone who had done it.
AC: There are a lot of expedition and travel companies out there. What was it about the Peaks Foundation that drew you in?
LK: The fact that the trip was all women, and it was a team setting made the Peaks Foundation trip unique.
We had a common goal to work toward. During the year, we gradually got to know each other. We shared triumphs and struggles in emails and conference calls. By the time we met in Nairobi, I knew and cared for each person on the team.
I loved being selected way in advance. I had over a year to prepare mentally and physically.
AC: You’re also raising funds for a charity, right?
LK: Yes. The other unique aspect to the Peaks Foundation experience is the fundraising. To make an investment rather than just being a tourist completely changes the way you feel about the trip and the people.
We got to visit each organization that we raised money for. These visits were inspiring and thrilling.
My favorite was The School of St Jude. I felt as though I was witnessing an ongoing miracle.
It would have been far less meaningful to simply go to Africa and climb three mountains. To climb each mountain with a purpose took it to a whole new level.
Peaks Foundation carefully selects grassroots community organizations to support. I felt that I truly made a difference for our organizations; and it still feels wonderful!
a little history
Lynne KnutsonAC: Were you active growing up?
LK: I grew up on a midwestern dairy farm. Tasks were assigned on a gender basis, i.e. my sisters and I learned to cook, preserve food and sew while my brother learned to drive the tractor. Having the space of a farm allows for greater outdoor play and exploration than in a city.
My young adult years were in the midst of the late 1960’s “sex, drugs and rock-n-roll” era. My lifestyle did NOT include exercise, or anything particularly healthy.
When Frank Shorter won the Olympic marathon in 1972, the American running boom began. Title IX was passed around the same time. It started to become cool to be a female athlete.
I started running a couple of years into this wonderful period of time. I was 32.
There were races of all distances everywhere. I met my husband in a running group; and we ran to the local courthouse to get married.
I probably ran 10 or 11 marathons. And then, when I was 41, I had my daughter and I really focused on raising her. I still ran a little bit here and there, but it was definitely not like it was before.
I lost focus on my sport. For years, I either did not run, or it was minimal. I even started smoking again (in the garage) for a while. What was I thinking?
I ran when I could, but it was all as a mom. I love that role, but I didn’t feel strong or athletic.
redefining feminine
Lynne with team at the summit of Kilimanjaro | 2011LK: When you were growing up, what was your impression of being active? Or an athlete?
I grew up before Title IX. Women athletes were not admired. In fact, a woman who was athletic was “strange” and suspected of gender confusion. Muscle definition was not considered attractive.
I remember coming home from a 2-1/2 mile bike ride and feeling rather proud of myself. I was cautioned to be careful about exercising—it could give me big muscles, and that was something to be avoided. Big muscles were not feminine.
I had zero interest in girls’ sports. The strong cultural message that I bought in its entirety was that appearance determines the value of a woman.
The acceptable appearance was feminine and sexy; certainly not sweaty, messy hair, or an unsexy outfit.
AC: How did you define feminine back then?
LK: Meek, docile, pretty and slim. I don’t know where I got that. It’s what I took in.
My dad had a volatile temper and was tough sometimes. I remember him making remarks about women that weren’t complementary like, “Oh, look at her.” And then he’d say something really derogatory.
So I gleaned what he thought was attractive. To be feminine was to be attractive and pleasing. You know, you had to please men.
I could figure out what would please them. And that was being feminine.
Well, those days are over for me.
AC: What does feminine mean to you today?
Feminine to me today is somebody who is accepting of herself. Who figures out what she wants and works toward it.
A woman who is friendly, humorous and loving to everybody. I don’t mean doormat. I mean you reach out and relate to people.
I’m thinking of my daughter, who is so amazing. She is in touch with who she is.
She accepts who she is and accepts how she looks. She works hard in her classes. She worked hard to figure out what to do after college. And she’s funny. And she’s a pleasure to be around.
preparation
At the summit of Mt. Meru | 2011AC: You applied to 3 Peaks 3 Weeks and got accepted. What was your biggest fear once you realized this was real?
LK: There were so many fears for me. It is hard to pick out one over the others.
Age, being older, was the factor that stirred up all my anxieties. Remember the message about appearance. Older appearance equates with lower value, hence, lower self-confidence. I know in my brain that this is NOT TRUE; but the old mental tapes still play from time to time.
Would I be able to keep up? Would my body break down? Would I get altitude sickness? Could I relate? Could I actually reach my fundraising goal of $10,000?
AC: How did you train?
LK: As soon as I received the wonderful acceptance email, I had the best motivation to train.
For a year prior to the trip, I did something active every day.
I joined a health club and met with a trainer. She showed me how to use the machines as well as free weights. This opened a whole new world!
Running develops a strong heart, and good (big) leg muscles. Machines and weights develop upper body. I have muscles in my arms and back now. It is glorious!
I did some amazing hikes to get ready. My favorite was a solo 16-mile walk with a weighted pack. It was fairly warm that day. Blisters were a huge problem; but I kept going.
I also ran in every local long distance event that I could find. Ten mile races to half marathons were my focus.
AC: Was there preparation with the Peaks Foundation?
LK: There were conference calls every other month for a year leading up to the climb. They provided a workout plan and some nutrition plans. As the calls went along, they helped us visualize what they would need. It wasn’t enough for me.
My husband was really supportive and encouraged me to seek help with a personal trainer. I needed a lot more than a sheet of paper with exercises.
AC: What was the most surprising thing you learned/experienced during the months leading up to the trip?
People were so encouraging and interested in the project. They were surprised that I was involved in something so far out of my normal realm. I was surprised too!
As the months rolled on, I began to enjoy telling people what I was doing and then asking for their donations. The generosity of Americans is heart warming!
Being older, I know more people. I never ran out of people to ask. The result was that I ended up being the top fundraiser on the team.
AC: You're 63. Was that ever a concern for you?
LK: I worried needlessly about being able to keep up with the rest of the team. I had to train harder in preparation than the younger women; but it was worth it. I suspect I had to work harder during the trip as well. Sometimes I think I was more tired than the rest of the team at the end of the day. I probably took a few more naps. Why not!
It was never a big enough difference between me and the other girls. I really wanted to not stand out as the ‘old’ one. I worked really hard to fit in, to relate and to keep up.
africa
AC: So you arrive in Africa. What was it like?
Lynne at the summit of Mt. KenyaLK: When we landed in Nairobi, everything was laid out for us. The Peaks Foundation hires an outfitter to handle everything, so each day was laid out for us.
The first days we were there we went to visit the organization we raised money for. This was one of the biggest surprises... how friendly the African people are. They don’t have pretty homes like we do, but they’re outside all the time.
There’s constant community there. Those with nothing invited us into their homes and served us tea with bread and butter. It was wonderful. I learned so much.
The porters and guides were wonderful and very much a part of the team. We had to carry a day pack, they carried everything else. They sang us into camp and up the mountains.
AC: You climbed three peaks over three weeks. Can you talk a little about the progression of the climbs?
LK: None of the climbs were a life or death struggle for me. It was mostly a matter of acclimatization. It took the first two climbs for my blood to build up more red corpuscles for oxygen delivery to my muscles. By the time we climbed Kilimanjaro, I was physically adjusted and I did not need to hold anything back. I could just go for it.
Lynne & team at the summit of Mt. Kenya | 2011
AC: Were there mental shifts between each climb as well?
LK: Yes. Especially with Kilimanjaro. Kili was the last one. It was the tallest one.
I had three things: I was a little bit scared, I was really determined (I’m 63. This is my only shot to try this, so I was determined), and then I was confident. I’d done other two mountains and I had my head together. No negative thoughts.
And I had the word phenomenal in my mind.
It’s definitely as much a mental game as it is physical. I had my mental game together, more than I had on the other two mountains. And part of it was it was the last one. It’s the big one. And I wanted it.
AC: Tell me about the word phenomenal.
LK: It’s from Maya Angelou’s poem, I Am A Phenomenal Woman.
I love that poem. And I use that whenever I need a little lift. I just remind myself, I am a phenomenal woman.
And it works for me. I haven’t gotten tired of it yet. She just nails it.
AC: Tell me about summit day for Kilimanjaro.
LK: I piled on all my clothes. I mean I had three layers of pants on, two layers of socks. I had foot warmers in my boots and then shirts, I probably had on two shirts, two jackets, and then I had an extra down jacket that I put on when we stopped ‘cause we would take breaks.
The minute you’re not moving, the cold just starts coming in. So I had this compressible down jacket and two hats and a facemask. It was really, really cold.
In fact, we delayed our departure from camp by probably two hours hoping that the winds would die down a little bit. So we left at 2am instead of midnight.
AC: Did the winds keep up the entire day?
LK: It was so amazing, yes. We used trekking poles. I had never used them before this trip, but now I’m a believer. They really help stabilize.
The wind kept up until we got to Stella Point. It’s probably another mile or mile and a quarter to the actual summit, but it’s pretty much a flat walk. From camp to Stella Point it’s very, very steep.
We sat at Stella Point for awhile until everybody made it up. We were bawling because we knew if we could get to Stella Point, we could get to Uhuru Peak, which was the actual summit.
So we got to Stella Point and the wind stopped.
The sky was clear blue and when we got to Uhuru Peak, there was no one else there. We had the summit to ourselves, which is unheard of.
It was the best celebration. We could’ve stayed up there all day. It was great.
returning home
Lynne KnutsonAC: How has your life changed since January 2011?
LK: Before 3 Peaks 3 Weeks, I felt like an ordinary older suburban woman. No longer.
Self doubt, lack of confidence, fear are all dragons that I have slain because of this experience.
Before 3 Peaks, I avoided most things that made me afraid. I now seek opportunities to get out of my comfort zone.
AC: What inspires you?
LK: Courage. Transparency. And integrity.
And mostly I’m inspired by women. Maybe because I can relate to them. And say “I want to be like them.”
AC: What motivates you?
LK: I want to feel alive and in the moment like I felt on 3 Peaks.
I think for a lot of my life here in suburbia, my life was making lists and juggling the demands of raising a child and being a wife and keeping a home and working full time.
But that phase is over for me now. I want to feel alive myself and accomplishing something other than just keeping a home and checking stuff off a list.
AC: What’s next for you?
A couple of half marathons coming up. A potential job in Africa at one of the schools we raised money for. Maybe the Appalachian Trail or the Pacific Crest trail with my husband when I get back. I want to do something like that.
There’s also a talk, Reach Your Highest Potential, at REI on June 9th at the Northbrook, IL store. (Editor’s note: Anyone in the Chicago area, go hear Lynne’s talk and tell us all about it!)
AC: What advice would you give to someone just starting?
LK: Move toward it one step at a time.
Go ride a bike. Go for a walk. Go canoeing. Get out there.
Those are the times when you feel alive. It gives you strength.
Exercise. It’s the secret. It lessens depression. It helps you think through problems. And you start feeling strong.
And that is one of the best feelings in the world. To feel strong.
So my advice is get up off the couch, turn off the TV and go outside and go for a walk. Run if you can, but at our age you can’t always. And walking is just as good.
AC: Lynne, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me. What an beautiful and incredibly inspiring experience.
Along with the 3 Peaks 3 Weeks expeditions, Peaks Foundation offers several 1 Week challenges in Africa, including Mt Kenya and Mt Kilimanjaro, in support of female-focused initiatives. If you would like to join a challenge you can email climb@peaksfoundation.org for further information or visit www.peaksfoundation.org.
welcome
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