Fun Levels

Tery: that WOD was definitely level 2 fun!
Friend: level 2 fun? define please...

Tery: level 1 fun = just being there is fun ... it is addictive and can easily become part of your lifestyle.
Friend: like a 5k run or a WOD?
Tery: definitely. For me, it'd be ice climbing in Ouray or the Cascades ...  also short climbs like most of the routes on Rainier, Baker, Hood, and Adams

Tery: level 2 fun = there are some challenging, sucky bits, but it's still fun and is something you find yourself doing over and over.
Friend: example?
Tery: for some, a marathon, a triathlon, or ironman. For me, technical climbs between 10k and 14k feet like some peaks in La Cordellia Blanca or the French Alps. Ouray, Cascades and Chugach also have some technical routes that will sizzle the body a fair bit... but when you look around, any pain fades really fast.

Tery: level 3 fun = loads of challening, sucky bits, but it's bearable and fun if you do it with a good friend ... something you definitely have to train for mentally and physically. Not something you can do very often, but when you do, it's pretty epic.
Friend: ... and?
Tery: for some people, perhaps an ultra or those century bike rides. For me, it's the West Buttress death march on Denali, doing volunteer clean up on the Everest North Col, climbing the chimneys on Alpamayo, rescue patrol on the Tetons, and making it to any ridge along Torres Del Paine ... this is a growing list

Tery: level 4 fun = sucks like hell most of the time and usually risks your life, but it's just something you HAVE to do. Chances are, you won't do it more than twice given that you and your partner find yourselves questioning your states of mind when you decided to do it in the first place. For some people, that might be K2 or Annapurna. For me, that's the West Rib or the Ferrari Route.
Friend: ...this is your favorite kind of fun, isn't it?
Tery: Usually, but after doing whatever it is for the first time, it becomes level 3 fun or I never do it again. I'm discovering that everyone has their own view of what level 4 is for them. When I was younger and had something to prove, I was all about the level 4 fun. Now I find myself sticking with level 3 and taking calculated risks to balance things off.