8 Weeks to Awesome (Again) – Hike Training Plan

Most recently updated January 3rd, 2024

Estimated Reading Time: 12 minutes

Somehow we’re back again to the time of year when everyone resolves to change their lives (or themselves) for the better.

That also means it’s time to get into my hike training plan “8 Weeks to Awesome” again!

It's time for New Year's Resolutions again! Or, just set some goals .
It’s time for New Year’s Resolutions again! Or, just set some goals .

So, that’s why this year I’m calling it:  “8 Weeks to Awesome (Again)”.

Also, my hiking group and this 8 week hiking plan was recently featured in Cary Magazine, so I guess I gotta keep doing it 😉

Though I don’t really think New Year’s Resolutions work, I do believe you can set a goal and achieve it!

This hike training plan starts with setting your own individual goal – basically, deciding what you’re training for.

One of the fun T-shirts available in the IRW Merch shop.

Your goal may be to increase your ability to:

      • Hike a longer distance, or
      • Hike at a faster speed, or
      • Be better at elevation gain – or even, yes,
      • The dreaded weight-loss goal!

Or, your goal could be to complete an epic Bucket List hike on a planned (or dreamed of!) trip for the coming year.

If you’re looking for a way to get back into shape before Spring – even if you don’t have a big trip coming –  this hike training plan could be just what you need!

Read more to learn how to set up a hike training plan for your own individual goals!

Continue reading 8 Weeks to Awesome (Again) – Hike Training Plan

Get Back in Shape with a 6-Week Training Plan

Most recently updated November 27th, 2023

Estimated Reading Time: 15 minutes

It’s time to get back in shape after…..whatever happened to make you feel less than your optimal buff self.   

Maybe you’ve just been really busy, or worn out from your Summer and Fall adventures, or – like me – you’ve been laid low by allergies or seasonal cold and flu?

Or maybe some of you – also like me – can’t remember how to dress yourself to go anywhere if it’s not 100 degrees and 99% humidity outside?  

Author ready for a hike
Author ready for a hike

Well, you’d better get over it pretty quick, because Fall is here, and you know what that means?

Resort travel and Holiday parties.  That’s right, and you won’t be able to hide under that bulky “ugly” sweater for all of them.

Some Resort travel will require swimwear (ack!!) and some gatherings will require the dreaded slinky dress. 

Ugly Christmas Sweater
The Ugly Christmas Sweater isn’t appropriate at the beach…

And then there are all of those relatives and former classmates – perhaps even at the same resorts and gatherings…..

In North Carolina, it’s pretty much always warm enough to get outdoors and exercise – even in the Winter.   

So, now that it’s cooled down enough that spontaneous combustion isn’t a concern,  I’ll start getting serious again 😉


Get The FREE PDF!

Sign up and get your FREE pdf download of this training!
Sign up and get your FREE pdf download of this training!

Everything that you need to start your 6 week training plan is included in this post. 

But it’s a long read and may be hard to refer to while you’re training.

For your convenience, you can click here to sign up and download your FREE “Get Back in Shape” PDF file.

Then you can print it out and refer to your plan anytime you want. Happy training!  LJ


Honestly though, I never really stopped hiking.

That said,  ever since late May, when I returned from my epic 2-week hiking trip to Greece, I HAVE slacked off on my indoor cross-training – and it shows!

View on Mount Olympus
View on Mount Olympus

I worked my butt off for months prior to that trip, so I’d be able to do the 2-day Mount Olympus hike without hurting myself – and it was great!

But that was a few months ago, and now I could use a quick tune-up before slipping into that slinky party dress.

Keep reading to learn more about how I’m doing a quick tune-up for my  upcoming Holiday trips and gatherings – and how you could, too!

Continue reading Get Back in Shape with a 6-Week Training Plan

8 Weeks to Awesome – Hiking Training Plan

Most recently updated February 3rd, 2023

This is the time of year when everyone resolves to somehow change their lives for the better in the coming year.

This past year, my goals were pretty easy to define – at least for the first couple of months.

You see, I’d been battling a really vicious head and chest cold – since late November.

I'll be hiking on New Zealand's North Island - where all the volcanoes are!
I hiked on New Zealand’s North Island – where all the volcanoes are!

Then, that turned into an infection (of lung and sinus type) for a few weeks and that went away but the original cold came back!

This illness plus inclement weather and Holiday shenanigans kept me from doing my usual basic maintenance workouts or scheduling as many hikes as usual.

AND  – here’s where the goals come in –  I’d planned a hiking trip to New Zealand for early Spring.

So, my goal was to be healthy and strong enough to do all the things in New Zealand without any struggle. 

I had about 8 weeks to make that happen.   The good news is I did the training, went to new Zealand and had an awesome time hiking the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

I squeaked back into the US literally hours before they shut down international travel to New Zealand.

Fast forward to now, and we’ve had some version of COVID-19 lockdown in place, limiting our activities, since I got back home in March.

That Man and I had planned a trip to Hawaii – Kauai, to be exact – for April that had to be rescheduled for this coming winter’s Holiday season.

That’s where my training program “8 Weeks to Awesome” – or Auckland, to be specific – comes back into play.

I’ve got to get back on the plan to be ready for the Hawaii trip – assuming we’re allowed to go this time.  (As of this writing, prohibitive quarantines and testing requirements are still in place for out of State visitors…)

If you’re looking for a way to get back into shape before the Holidays – even if you don’t have a big trip coming –  maybe you’d like to do it with me!

Continue reading 8 Weeks to Awesome – Hiking Training Plan

Lose Weight and Get Fit for Epic Hikes – Easy Training Plan

Most recently updated January 5th, 2023

Summer is undeniably coming.    I know this because the days have started getting the tiniest bit longer… 😉

Sadly, many of us emerge from Winter’s shapeless warm layers not as much the “beautiful butterfly” as we would like.

We must lose our Winter insulation!

Each Spring, we feel the need to  improve our weight and fitness before we can flutter confidently in the sunshine.  Or even wear shorts….

(I don’t mean to suggest that anyone needs to be a certain size.  It’s up to each individual and their medical advisors to decide what’s best for them.)

For myself, the main goal is to be fit enough to do any hike I’m interested in without a struggle.

I want to be a beautiful butterfly!

Also, I want to buy clothes when I need something new, not because I’ve outgrown my current size.

Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to lose weight hiking and get more fit at the same time!

 

Why Hiking Is A Great Way to Get In Shape

The great thing about hiking is that pretty much anyone can do it, it doesn’t cost a lot of money, and it gets you outdoors. Continue reading Lose Weight and Get Fit for Epic Hikes – Easy Training Plan

Get Outdoors with Your Toddler at JC Raulston Arboretum

Most recently updated September 22nd, 2022

Years ago, when my daughter was about 3 years old and I was looking for outdoor activities for smaller kids, a friend introduced me to the JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh.

For my daughter – and for me, too –  it was a magical place.

This was partly because we were living in a rented townhome with not even a minimal yard, and partly because the arboretum really is magical!  🙂

But seriously, it does seem to be getting more difficult to find simple inexpensive fun outdoor activities for toddlers, especially if you don’t have a home with your own yard.

This is a real shame, because toddlers love getting outdoors to run around in the sunshine, play with bugs, and eat dirt.

Part of a border garden at the JC Raulston Arboretum
Part of a border garden at the JC Raulston Arboretum

Fortunately for me, the JC Raulston Arboretum was only a short drive away, and was a great place to get outdoors and explore without any admission or parking fees – or even funnel cakes or anything-on-a-stick that I had to say “no” to.

Fortunately for everyone, although it has grown a lot in the past 20 years, the JC Raulston Arboretum is still a magical and inexpensive place to take young children to play outdoors.

They can feel the sunshine, eat dirt, and maybe learn a few things about trees and plants, too.

Continue reading Get Outdoors with Your Toddler at JC Raulston Arboretum

Eat to Breathe Easier – What is the Best Food for Asthma?

Most recently updated July 7th, 2023

The best food for asthma – or any kind of diet – is healthy food that you want to eat and keep eating for a lifetime!

Even when you know what foods to avoid, it’s hard to always stick with it, especially at family events and Holiday gatherings.

I’ve been looking for the best food for asthma and perfecting my own anti asthma diet for a long time – and my own strategies for being social and still sticking to foods that are good for me.

My earliest memory is being inside an oxygen tent when I was a toddler.  (I’m in my 50’s now.) 

That’s a lot  of years’ living with the disease and learning what kind of diet and exercise helps.

Relaxing on a picnic break during a hike in the Mont Blanc range. 
A picnic break during a hike in the Mont Blanc range.

Through research and trial and error, I’ve created a diet that helps me breathe easier.

Over time, thanks in part to my diet,  I’ve gone from being a medicated Bubble Girl who couldn’t take a deep breath to a 50- something year old woman who does alpine hiking and leads weekly 6-12 mile hikes.

If you’re looking for additional (non-medical)  ways to minimize or even eliminate asthma symptoms, this diet could help you, too.

The photos in this post highlight some amazing places I’ve been able to hike in spite of severe chronic asthma.   Diet and exercise does make a difference 🙂  Continue reading Eat to Breathe Easier – What is the Best Food for Asthma?

Top 5 Gifts for Hikers – Basic Day Hike Gear

Most recently updated January 17th, 2022

Hikers on the Triple Crown in Virginia.

There are plenty of gifts any hiker or outdoor enthusiast on your list would be happy to get – whether they’re just beginners or experts.   

Gifts for hikers come in all price ranges, too, so you can be sure to find something in your budget.

Basic day hike gear is a gift that any hiker would be thrilled to get, and I’ve included links to some of my top picks. 

FYI, every image in this post – not just the specific recommended items –  is also a link to merchandise.

You’ll also see “Related Products” sections that allow you to browse more if you want to go beyond the items I’ve called out.

So, if you see something you like, click it! 

If you want any of these things for yourself,  you could also send this article to your family.  Just sayin’ 🙂

Continue reading Top 5 Gifts for Hikers – Basic Day Hike Gear

Green Exercise – Workout in Nature to Look and Feel Better

Most recently updated January 16th, 2022

If you’ve read any of my other posts, you know that given the choice I most always prefer to be outdoors – hiking, walking, gardening, dining, listening to music and whatever else I can do outside. 

Hikers picnic in the Mont Blanc range

Frankly, sometimes my friends and family find my need to be outdoors a little tiresome.   To keep the peace, I’ve had to occasionally move activities indoors because they want to be “more comfortable”. Continue reading Green Exercise – Workout in Nature to Look and Feel Better

Walk or Run on Stroller-Friendly Routes in Bond Park

Most recently updated June 21st, 2023

Bond Park and Umstead State Park in Cary, NC are a couple of local places that I go to hike, walk and run that are easy to get to and always deliver a really good experience.

Minimum driving, maximum time on the trail is what I’m usually looking for. 

Entry sign at Bond Park in Cary, NC
Entry sign at Bond Park in Cary, NC

I’ve been using the trails and other park amenities both on my own and with my kids since I first moved to the area in 1996.

Like all of us, the park has changed over time and also – I hope like all of us – has improved with age as well.

Actually, I recently took an afternoon break to walk Bond Park’s Lake Trail, and found significant improvements to all of the the walkways and bridges along the way!   

Updated bridge on the Lake Trail in Bond Park.
Updated bridge on the Lake Trail in Bond Park.

Read on to learn about the Lake Trail and other trails and combined routes inside Bond Park.

Continue reading Walk or Run on Stroller-Friendly Routes in Bond Park

Hiking for Beer – A 5-Step Calorie Counting Plan

Most recently updated July 31st, 2023

Alcohol and a diet plan for weight loss don’t really go together – especially if you’re calorie counting to lose weight. 

You can drink beer on a diet - if you plan for it!
You can drink beer on a diet – if you plan for it!

I should probably also mention that alcohol and altitude don’t go together, either – even though you can really burn calories hiking

(Seriously, don’t drink if you’re hiking at altitude.)

That said, when you’re sweaty and parched after hiking umpteen miles of vertical gain (then back down again) carrying a heavy pack, nothing tastes more like victory than a nice cold beer.

Surely, after all that, you’ve earned it.   Right??  Well, yeah.  But you’re still going to pay – with lots of extra calories. 

And that’s not all… Continue reading Hiking for Beer – A 5-Step Calorie Counting Plan