Home school kids need to get outdoors in the sunshine and play – for their physical and mental health and for ours, too.
If you’ve recently become a remote worker AND a home-schooler all at once, courtesy of COVID-19, you’re probably already running short on patience.
Getting outdoors, either in your own yard or in a local park or forest, can help boost the entire family’s mood and immune system.
Footpath in Lake Crabtree County Park
Sitting still for long periods of time is hard for everyone, but it’s especially difficult for energetic young ones who may have shorter attention spans.
When children have the space and freedom to move around, they can work off their excess energy and be more focused on learning when playtime is over.
Through physical outdoor learning activities children can improve their speed, strength, stamina and motor skills, too.
Here are some ideas for incorporating outdoor time into your new at-home daily schedule, and some tips on places to go for outdoor fun where you can still avoid crowds, for social distancing purposes.
– – Training Week 8 started with a wonderful hike in Umstead State Park – with 6 mile and 10 mile options.
We combined Umstead State Park’s Company Mill trail, Sycamore Trail, and the Reedy Creek Multi-Use Trail. It was a little brisk (about 30 degrees) to start with, but warmed up quickly to about 50 degrees by the time we finished.
The weather was gorgeous and we had a great group of hikers – what a wonderful start to the day!
I had a moderately weighted pack and was planning on going a bit more slowly than normal, but some of the group wanted to go faster, so I added more frequent and a little bit longer breaks along the way.
Carved tree along the Sycamore Trail, Umstead State Park, Raleigh NC
For this week’s shorter Strength Building hike, I returned to Bond Park.
I’ve been slacking off in the pack weight department, so I added 5 more lbs to my pack.
The 5-6mi route around the lake is partially natural trails, and partially paved trails.
The route is pretty flat, but unfortunately the natural trails have a tendency to get muddy after a rain.
Luckily for us, the weather was pretty dry for a couple of days before the hike so all we had to deal with was bright sunshine 🙂
Canoe rack on Bond Lake
This week’s training included these two hikes along with kick-boxing a few times, treadmill runs (on rainy days), shorter fast walks and a gym trip or two.
I’ve done all I can to train for the hikes, the biking, canoeing, and yes – even zorbing. But how do you train for excessively long air travel???
My flight from the US to New Zealand will take two calendar days, while on the return I will actually get home BEFORE I leave New Zealand.
Time travel is REAL!!! I knew it…. 🙂
Stargate or boarding tunnel??
Seriously, although I have taken flights this long before (Patagonia comes to mind), I can’t say I’m looking forward to it.
But I think I’ve done everything I can – other than purchasing the incredibly expensive Business Class pod – to make this trip more comfortable and less exhausting.
Some people sedate themselves (herbally or otherwise), but I’m not a fan.
Besides, as soon as I land, I’ll need to board a shuttle (I already have tickets) to get to a kickoff dinner, and then we leave the next morning on our first hike.
So I will literally need to hit the ground running – and the less travel-worn I am, the better.
There a few things I’ve learned to do, both to make a long flight more bearable and to deal with jet-lag once I’ve landed.
TIPS TO SURVIVE YOUR OVERNIGHT FLIGHT
Choose Your Seats ASAP for the Best Choices
I always start with the least expensive Economy flight I can find, but somehow end up paying much more for things that I think should just be included.
(“What? You say you want to breathe while you’re in flight?? That’ll be $40 more! And a pint of blood, please.”)
Sometimes, they won’t let you choose a seat online before check-in UNLESS you pony up more cash. And we all know you’re more likely to get bumped if you don’t have an assigned seat.
As annoying as it is to be financially nibbled to death, for overnight flights and tight connections, I’ve learned to just suck it up and pay extra for at least a Priority seat.
Choose the Best Seat for You
I prefer the window so I can lean against it – and away from my neighbor – to sleep, but you might want the aisle for ease of access or to sneak your long legs into the aisle. (My legs are pretty short.)
Nobody wants to be in the middle seat, imprisoned by seat backs and stranger’s shoulders for longer than you usually spend in bed each night….
Priority seating may also allow you priority boarding (to ensure space for your carry-on) and put you closer to the front of the plane so you can exit more quickly when you land.
The time you save de-planing may let you make a connection with time to hit the restroom, or beat the rush to Immigration.
Hydrate Before You Travel
I always bring water on the plane with me, but try to use the restroom just prior to boarding and drink sparingly while in flight so I don’t have to use the plane lav more than a couple of times.
Especially since my trips tend to be outdoorsy, I don’t want to be dehydrated at the outset.
So I drink a lot of water the day before I leave, and chug a bunch of water when I reach the destination airport. Getting hydrated again ASAP will also help with any jet-lag.
Airplane Food
Eat real food at home before you go. It’s healthier and less expensive than airport food.
But once you’re imprisoned in the metal tube, eat sparingly. (You probably won’t have to work hard at this… 😉
Once you’ve landed, though, try to eat and sleep in accordance with your destination time-frame.
Toiletries and Meds
Don’t put all of your toiletries in your checked baggage – make sure you’ve at least got your toothbrush and any daily meds you need in your carry-on.
You may even want to bring a change of clothes to freshen up before you leave the plane.
I just realized Daylight Savings Time is also happening during my trip. Man, am I going to be messed up when I get home….
Take Care of Nagging Details
Before a major trip, I always try to wrap up any of life’s details – paying bills in advance, finishing up projects if I can, answering any emails, etc.
When I return, I likely won’t remember much of what I was in the middle of before I left, which is kind of the point.
A big trip is supposed to bring you home with fresh eyes and a “cleansed” brain.
The Tardis has more legroom than Economy Class
Bonus Week – The last planned Training Week is over, so now it’s time to try on all of my pants! Seriously.
I”ll continue with maintenance training as long as I’m here – but nothing too ambitious.
I’ll be resting up for time travel 🙂
TAKEAWAY LESSON: Training towards a goal should include a rest period just before the event. Relax, trust in your excellent training work and your body will know what to do!!
I hope you’ve found my Training Log ramblings to be helpful in your training process – or at least amusing! 🙂 To see more of them go to my Training Log.
You could also take a look at my 8 Weeks to Awesome Training Planpost, if you want to see what kind of training I’m doing. It might work for your goals, too.
Keep an eye out for new postsabout New Zealand in the next month or so….
– – Training Week 7 began with the longest training hike yet – a combination of Umstead State Park’s Loblolly trail, the Reedy Creek Greenway, and multiple trails in the North Carolina Museum of Art Park. We even added in the short tunnel to the back gate at the Prairie Ridge Ecostation on the way!
We took a short break near the NCMA amphitheater then made our way to the I-440 pedestrian bridge – our mid-point on this 14 mile hike.
On the return, we took the long way around so we could stop and take a look at the community apiary (beehives) before we left the park.
This was a beautiful day with a great group of hikers – even so, 14 miles is a long way! Plenty of sunshine and good conversation made it go quickly, though 🙂
Community Apiary at NCMA Park
Due to the length of the hike, I cut back my extra pack weight to only 10lbs, and because my knees were hurting I kept it at 10lbs for this week’s Strength Building hike on the Loblolly trail and MUT in Umstead State Park.
Technically the Loblolly Trail is an out-and-back from the trailhead to the edge of the park, but I add on a portion of the Schenck Forest Loblolly and the MUT to create a 6.5mile loop.
Sign at the Loblolly Trailhead
This route is primarily natural trails with a portion of the compacted dirt multi-use trail and paved Reedy Creek trail.
The Loblolly route is not as rocky as the Company Mill Trail, and has less elevation gain, though there are a couple of long uphill climbs.
I wasn’t totally wiped out at the end of the hike, but I sure was happy to get rid of my weighted pack!!
This week’s training included these two hikes along with the usual kick-boxing a few times, short walks and a gym trip or two.
A snowy day in the neighborhood
PLUS another bonus walk just for fun – because we had fresh snowfall and it was sunny outside 🙂
One of the optional activities on my NZ trip is Zorbing. Honestly, I don’t know how to train for that – maybe turn cartwheels down a steep hill?
What the heck is zorbing, you ask?
Zorbing in Rotorua, New Zealand
Although it’s one of the stranger sports out there, zorbing is actually pretty simple:
You climb inside a big inflated ball and roll down a hill.
The zorb rolled onto the scene in the mid-1990s in New Zealand, and hit extreme sports in 1998.
The ball has two skins, and the area between them is inflated, but the inner chamber is always open to the outside – so you have fresh air coming in all the time.
I will have the opportunity to try this, and I might. But I think I want to take a look at how steep the hill is before I commit 🙂
I’m closing in on all of the trip planning details, but still have a few things to do to get ready.
There’s still time to get it done, but no more time to procrastinate. Focus, focus focus…..
Week 8 is coming up – the last planned training week!!
TAKEAWAY LESSON: Training towards a goal is a planned process, but you should be able to respond to unplanned events like injury or weather changes without giving up your training entirely. Just keep going – but safely, of course.
I hope you’ve found my Training Log ramblings to be helpful- or at least amusing! 🙂 To see more of them go to my Training Log.
– – Training Week 6 started with a morning hike combining Company Mill, multi use trails and the Sal’s Branch Trail in Umstead State Park for a total of about 12 miles.
Sign for Sal’s Branch Trail
The route crosses the park from the Harrison Ave entrance all the way to the Visitor’s center on the Glenwood Ave side of the park.
This week’s long hike was a few miles longer than last week, so I kept my extra pack weight at 15 lbs.
It’s a beautiful hike beside the lake to Sal’s Branch and then it’s into the woods again until you reach the Visitor’s Center at the halfway point.
We took a brief break at the Visitor’s Center, and then hiked down the other side of Sal’s Branch back to the lake for the return.
The natural trails portion of this route is rockier than the Loblolly trail, and has more elevation gain, especially on the return trip because a long stretch of the MUT is all uphill from the lakeside.
I was delighted to find that even with the extra miles, I wasn’t nearly as tired climbing the last hill on Company Mill back to the trailhead as I was in Week 5. The training must be working!!!
For this week’s Strength-Building hike, I chose another mostly multi-use trail hike because of very wet weather through the week.
Old Reedy Creek Trailhead
I started from the Old Reedy Creek trailhead beside Lake Crabtree County Park. and walked from there over the I-40 bridge access into Umstead to the Warren Hill Cemetery and back.
I carried an extra 20lbs and total hike distance was about 6 miles – mostly uphill for the first half.
Even with extra weight and elevation gain, average speed for the hike was at 3.75 mph – which is a respectable speed even without a pack!
This week’s training included those two hikes along with the usual kick-boxing a few times, short walks and a gym trip or two. On one of the gym trips, I tried out a new machine (to me) – the rowing machine!
My NZ trip includes canoeing in the Whanganui River, so I figured it wouldn’t hurt to do some rowing ahead of time.
View of the Whanganui River
The Whanganui River – in the heart of the heart of Whanganui National Park – winds its way from the mountains to the Tasman Sea.
The area has a unique history and Maori culture is an important part of the park.
I’m getting more excited about the trip, but worried that I may have slacked off a bit this week due to the rainy weather and an overwhelming need for coffee sorbet…..
That said, there’s still enough time to focus and get back on track before it’s time to go. Okay, then- gotta go work up a sweat somehow.
Week 7 is next, and it’s a doozy 🙂
TAKEAWAY LESSON: Don’t give up if you miss a workout or snarf too many doughnuts: every day is a new opportunity!!
I hope you’ve found my Training Log ramblings to be helpful- or at least amusing! 🙂 To see more of them go to my Training Log.
– – Training Week 5 started with another 8.5 mile morning hike combining the Company Mill and Sycamore trails in Umstead State Park to create a big figure-8 shaped route across the center of the park.
This route is rockier than the Loblolly trail, and has more elevation gain, especially on the return trip to the trailhead.
It’s a beautiful hike alongside the creek for a good portion, with a few bridges and step-stone crossings.
Hikers take a break at the tree carving near the Sycamore trail
For a little change of pace, I took us on the MUT for about .5 mile on the return trip.
This allowed us to take a break and also admire the wonderful trailside wood carving!
The length of the long hike this week was the same as last week, but I had 5 lbs more in the pack, and the trail had more elevation gain.
I was doing just fine until we got to the last mile or so on the return – which is all uphill! I admit, by that point the extra pack weight was kicking my butt….
My extra pack weight for Week 5 was 15lbs on the Company Mill-Sycamore route, and I upped it to 20lbs for the shorter Lake Crabtree circuit.
One of the spots that can get wet on the Crabtree Lake Trail
My Strength-Building hike, the second posted hike this week, was around the lake on paved greenways and natural trails in Lake Crabtree County Park.
Total distance was about 6 miles.
This route can get very muddy after hard rains, and sometimes they close access to the natural trails.
When that happens I come around from the other side – starting on the paved greenways – and if I’m lucky the trail won’t be too bad and the park’s access gate will be open by the time I get around to that side!
If you do this, there’s a chance you’ll need to turn around due to trail conditions and end up hiking more miles than you planned. I got lucky this time 🙂
Along with the usual kick-boxing a few times, short runs and a gym trip, this week I took advantage of the Spring-like weather to get out on my bike and ride some of the paved greenways in and around Bond Park.
– – Training Week 4 started with a 8.5 mile morning hike of the complete route on the Loblolly trail in Umstead State Park with the addition of several miles in Schenck Forest and on the Reedy Creek Greenway to create a circuit.
Sign at the Loblolly Trailhead
Loblolly trail has a little bit of elevation gain/loss, but is mostly fairly flat and smooth.
There are a couple of creek or fence crossings, but no big deal.
I love the Loblolly-Schenck loop because of all the ferns along the trail, and in the Springtime you can see colts and wildflowers in the NC State Veterinary school corrals.
Again, a really great group of hikers made this hike a lot of fun!
My Strength-Building hike, the second posted hike this week, was around Bond Lake and on the White Oak Greenway, and other natural trails in Bond Park. Total was about 6 miles.
Week 4 included carrying extra weight on every hike, so I carried an extra 15lbs on the Loblolly-Schenck, and the same for Bond Park.
I also kick-boxed a few times and did some running on the treadmill again, kept trying to get to the gym – and finally did!!
I kind of hate the gym, especially in the cold and dark – which is actually when you mostly need to use the gym – so I’m counting that as a personal win.
– – Awesome Training Week 3 started with a 6-ish mile morning hike on the Company Mill trail in Umstead State Park.
Millstone and plaque along the Company Mill Trail
Company Mill trail trail has a little bit of elevation gain/loss, and is a bit rocky.
I had a great group of hikers with me, and we sped through it with no trouble.
My Strength-Building hike, the second posted hike this week, was around Lake Pine in Apex Community Park – 3 loops – for a total of 6 miles.
Week 3 goals also meant increasing extra weight on every hike, so I carried an extra 10lbs on the Company Mill, and upped the weight to 15lbs for Lake Pine.
Lake Pine is paved and generally pretty flat, but we added on some of the natural trail spurs for variety on the 2nd circuit.
Neither one of this week’s hikes whupped my butt, which was a good indication I’m back to my regular healthy self and now can concentrate on making strides forward!!
I also kick-boxed a few times and did some running on the treadmill because the weather was crap, and frankly I was binge-watching something addictive, and wanted to finish it!
I really enjoy exercising in my home gym (if outdoors isn’t do-able) because I can watch a movie while I’m on the machine.
Or sometimes I have a time-crunch and it’s faster, and also if I work out at home I don’t have to care about how I look AT ALL.
You can accomplish the same level of Fashion Freedom if you hike or run outdoors in a remote enough area…
I don’t care much about how I look when I’m going to the gym, but if I’m going out in public for any reason, at the very least I don’t want to frighten anyone. 🙂
And that takes some effort…clothes, hair, makeup blah blah blah. Sometimes it’s just exhausting to have to make myself “presentable”…
And grumpy workouts aren’t any fun!
The Lake Pine Trail is a 2 mile paved loop that circles 50-acre Lake Pine in Apex Community Park, located near the dividing line between the towns of Cary and Apex, North Carolina. Lake Pine is a great trail for running or walking, is smooth and wide enough to use your stroller, too.
But if you’re feeling anti-social, short on time, bloated, or even just grumpy, don’t let it keep you from your workout!
Find a way to get some exercise anyway, and I guarantee you’ll feel better about everything when you’re done.
You also won’t have the added guilt or feelings of failure from not sticking to your plan.
Okay are we ready for Week 4? It’s going to be intense. Here we go!
TAKEAWAY LESSON: Stick to your workout plan, even if you don’t feel like it. You’ll feel better physically after you exercise, and you’ll be proud of yourself.
I hope you’ve found my Training Log ramblings to be helpful- or at least amusing! 🙂 To see more of them go to my Training Log.
It’s been more difficult than I thought it would be to go back to my usually pretty Spartan eating habits and disciplined training routine.
Over the past couple of weeks, along with more focused and increased physical training, I’ve also been trying to clean up my diet.
Pile of forbidden fig cookies
Specifically, now that the socially condoned – almost required! – Holiday eating extravagance is behind us, I’m working on getting back to my normal (pretty healthy) eating habits before Super Bowl Sunday.
Because of my asthma, I’ve adopted a “clean” diet ( you can read about my Anti-Asthma Diet here ) that focuses more on protein and veggies, and less on dairy and grains.
I think my increased activity (and the colder weather) has me craving carbs.
Newtons will always be “fig” to me.
I used to be able to get a package of fig cookies and not touch them for a week, and then only have 3-4 cookies, but now I’m snarfing down a whole sleeve in a single sitting!!
(And, BTW, this whole “fruit” Newtons thing is just bogus. It’s fig or nothing, baby!)
At least I’m eating cookies INSTEAD of dinner, not in addition to dinner.
Jellybeans are so small…
Clearly, I can’t be trusted, so no more fig cookie dinners for me.
I won’t even bring them in the house.
But perhaps just a few jellybeans…they’re so small, right?
TAKEAWAY LESSON: Any diet begins in the grocery store!!
I hope you’ve found my Training Log ramblings to be helpful- or at least amusing! 🙂 To see more of them go to my Training Log.
I first used this 8-week training plan in early 2020 to get ready for an amazing hiking trip to New Zealand, which I’m thankful I was able to do before travel was cut off due to the pandemic.
Hiking the Tongariro Alpine Crossing
Then I used it get ready for a postponed hiking trip to Kauai that never happened in 2021 (or 2022 or 2023).
In 2022, I kept it closer to home and did some great multi-day trips to hikes on the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains – including the amazing hike to the summit of Old Rag, which was probably one of my most uniquely challenging day hikes of the year.
Finally, in 2023, I used the 8 Weeks plan to get ready for an epic 2-day hike on Mt Olympus in Greece– a trip I’d had to postpone for 4 years due to Covid travel restrictions. (The link goes to my training post from 2023, when I decided what my goal hike for training was.)
If you’re training for a specific bucket list hike or even if you’re just training to get in better shape – and maybe lose a few pounds before the Spring – my 8 week plan could work for you, too .
Spring flowers line a trail in Shenandoah National Park.
This year, I’m hoping to make it to more of my exotic Bucket List hikes, but I haven’t chosen my exotic destination yet, so for the moment I’m focusing my “8 Weeks to Awesome” training goals on hikes that I can drive to from home!
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Everything that you need to start your 8 Week training is included in this post.
But it’s a long read and may be inconvenient to refer to while you’re training.
For your convenience, you can click here to sign up and download your FREE “8 Weeks to Awesome” PDF file.
You might find some encouragement in training notes and videos from previous years’ 8 week training journey.
Keep an eye peeled for the new log entries I’ll be adding each week as the 2024 training is completed 🙂
Most recently updated February 29th, 2024Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes – – Training Week 5 started with another nice day, and leading another great group...
Most recently updated January 27th, 2024Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes – – I began this year’s second week of training on Sunday 1/14, leading another...
Most recently updated January 21st, 2024Estimated Reading Time: 2.3 minutes – – I started the Awesome hike training again this first Sunday, with a 30...
– – The second week of training started with a great 6 mile hike on the Loblolly trail in Umstead State Park.
Loblolly trail has a little bit of elevation, but it’s generally pretty flat and I still hiked with no extra weight in my pack.
What I did have was some great hikers on the trail with me! 🙂
I know 6 miles with no weight seems kind of wimpy, but I’m still trying to get back to my normal self after a prolonged illness.
I’ve learned that it’s far better to level up your training slowly than to go too fast and injure yourself. An injury could cause you to miss your hiking trip altogether.
I’d rather build up strength and endurance slowly and live to hike another day!
Speaking of strength training, I also did another outdoor strength-building hike this week, adding an extra 10 lbs to my pack. This hike was solo.
I hike both solo and with a group – and I’m good either way. Hiking is an activity that’s good for introverts and party animals as well 🙂 Whatever gets you moving is your best option!
On the other days I kick-boxed, hiked on my treadmill with a heavy pack, and climbed the stairs to nowhere at the gym again. I also got out for a long bike ride to cross-train a bit.
Bikers on the Cape Henry Trail
Cross-training helps keep me from getting bored, and also keeps me from working the same muscles every day while neglecting others.
This will improve my overall strength and help me avoid injury, too.
So much of my training is more fun outdoors, I try to seize the moment and take it outside whenever the weather is good.
TAKEAWAY LESSON: The right workout is one that you will do – so be ready to seize the opportunity to make your workouts fun!
I hope you’ve found my Training Log ramblings to be helpful- or at least amusing! 🙂 To see more of them go to my Training Log.
So, just in case you’re new around here, I’m spending 
