What a trip. A grand adventure. I remember I went to Mount Baker (10,800 feet) to get to the top. I came home in awe of its beauty.

In awe of my companions, the same amazing group I summited Mount Rainier (14, 400 feet) with last year, my clients Sharon Best and Heather de Vrieze, Heather's husband Martin de Vrieze, and Tony Medeiros, along with our amazing and big-hearted mountain guide John Colver, who convinced friend and fellow guide Paul Rosser to assist him in leading our group. In addition, this year we had someone else come along, my husband Dave, a national champ softball player. I don't know many softball players who transform into hikers so I feel it is worth mentioning.

What is it that drives someone to the top of a mountain? My husband's back is crooked and cocked from hitting and throwing on one side of his body all his 39 years. His right hamstring is tighter than his left and his left quadricep is tighter than his right. By the time we got to base camp at 6,000 feet, we had hiked 3,000 feet with a 50-pound pack. He was in so much pain he had to lay down for the rest of the night and I had to practically lift his head and spoon-feed him his dinner. After some rest, at 1:30 in the morning he was ready to go and strapped on his harness, crampons, and headlamp with the rest of us.

Heather, a cancer survivor, had to try three times before she got to the top of Rainier last year. My respect for her is immeasurable because her quiet tenacity proved that she never lost faith in herself. I was on her rope team the first try. At around 12,000 feet she announced she had to throw up. That was it, our very uninspirational and unempathetic rope guide pulled her aside and bagged her, which means she had to stay in a tent until another rescue guide met her to escort her down the mountain.

On her second attempt, her altitude medication reacted with the aspirin she was taking and at 8,000 feet she had breathing difficulties and had to turn around. Finally, on her third attempt, she made it.

Heather's husband, Martin, and their then 9-year-old son Jake never gave up on her either. Every weekend was devoted to training at altitude until the day she made it to the top.

And this year, there was no problem, she made it free and clear.

Sharon, my very strong 59-year-old client, sprained her ankle the first night at base camp leaping across a stream on her way to find the perfect view of sundown. Do you think that stopped her? No way! I wasn't on her rope team but I understand she allowed herself a wince and a grimace anytime her ankle twisted just so as she made her way up and down the mountain.

In answer to my question, what drives a person to the top of a mountain? It is a will as great as life. My rope guide Paul said I sounded like a freight train as I plunged my ice ax into the steepest slope, the Roman Wall, step by step. I'll take that as a compliment because freight trains are powerful!

Heather says, "There is nothing worse than being taunted from a distance by something I have not achieved."

Now, what helps us along the way? Certain ergogenic aids like Tylenol PM to help us sleep on the hard ground in an unfamiliar environment. Zip Fizz, caffeine in powder form because there is no Starbucks at 10,000 feet in Washington. Excedrin, for the additional dose of caffeine. Nuun, an electrolyte replacement, to help us feel fresh. And Gu, a pouch full of carbohydrates to keep our fuel tank topped off.

What is an ergogenic aid? The term can be found in exercise physiology books. It is described as something that enhances performance.

Before the climb it crossed my mind that I might quit my caffeine habit all together. I hoped my body would feel so clean I wouldn't need it any longer. The actual truth is that I was on so many ergogenic aids during the four days that coffee was the only thing that helped balance my system on my return home.

In addition to an individual's will as great as life and the ergogenic aids, do you wonder what you have to do to physically prepare for such a grand adventure? It is different for everyone and probably less than you imagine.

Sharon jogged, did weights, and yoga. She also did much of her training on Mount Si and correlated it to a track. She considers them both boring but very functional because they are measurable. For a few weeks she hiked with friends on the four miles up the 3,400-feet elevation gain. And then week after week she did her steady and progressive training, "Si and a quarter", "Si and a half", until she reached "Si and 3/4."

Heather's weekly training was similar to Sharon's, with running, weights, and yoga. Both Sharon and Heather were part of an outdoor workout class lead by John Colver's company, AdventX. On the weekends she hiked with her husband Martin and son Jake on Little Si, Mount Rainier, and Mount Baker.

Martin added some 22-mile round-trip bike rides to work and also a weekly 9-mile run to Alki and back.

Dave tried to fix his imbalances by stretching his tight right hamstring and left quadricep. He also biked to work and in the month of May he won his company's competition for most miles ridden. He golfed once a week and carried his bag for the length of the 18 holes. He went on four hikes with a heavy pack, the first up the Thistle stairs, the next up Little Si, then Big Si, and then an even bigger hike on Mount Baker.

I used my triathlon training for the bulk and went on various hikes throughout the summer. I even ran half way up Mount Si, two miles up and two miles down.

As for Tony, he is a carpenter, and I would have to say that is all the training he needed. He outperformed all of us in his ability to carry weight and helped escort those up and down Mount Baker that were ready to go before we were.

All of our training regimes were a bit different and so were our reasons for the journey. Our very wise guide, Paul, told me that we all face our own demons on the mountain and I would have to agree. Climbing one is not easy but we all did it.

Annette Herrick is a West Seattle physical trainer and may be reached via wseditor@robinsonnews.com