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ReFit Week 6: It’s Never Over

Most recently updated January 17th, 2022

– – Week 6 – the final week – of the ReFit Training is finished. Yay!!!

And I did go to see the Doc – which you may recall, was the endpoint for this training series because with all of the COVID-19 trail closures, it was hard to plan for a specific hike .

Here’s what I did this week and how the Doc visit went….

Week 6 Recap

Week 6 was another hot, hot, hot! week weather-wise, and I was still recovering from some dehydration from the week before.

So the first couple of days I did my main daily exercise indoors – kickboxing, treadmill runs, weights.

Some tools for indoor training in the home gym.

Midweek I was back out on the trail locally in Bond Park for a quick 6 mile walk before it got too hot.

Thursday I did the unthinkable – I took a rest day 🙂

That was also the day I went in for my checkup with the Doc.

The Checkup

The good news is, apparently I’m going to live forever!

The bad news is, I didn’t reach my weight goal. I blame licorice and chocolate sorbet…. 😉

But seriously, I’m not too worried.

My clothes all still fit, and the weight loss was my own goal – not mandated by illness or anything.

I just generally feel better and more energetic when I’m a bit lighter.

I’ll keep working on it – hopefully without obsessing too much. Because no one needs more stress these days!

Actually, with all of the stress and forced inactivity due to COVID-19 restrictions, it could be a lot worse…

Stress and Weight Gain

Stress can leave you open to a lot of illnesses.

With all that’s been going on the past few months – health worries, job and financial losses, enforced isolation, restricted movements, killings and riots, incessant political noise, etc – we’ve all had a lot of reason to be stressed out.

And we can all agree that too much stress is bad for you.

Excess stress can lead to headaches, digestive and sleep problems, and depression.

Stress can also wreak havoc on metabolism and cause stress-induced weight gain.

For some time we’ve known about the connection between stress and weight gain, specifically due to an increase in cortisol levels.

What is Cortisol?

Cortisol is a hormone that your body releases when you’re feeling physical or psychological stress.

The hormone raises your blood pressure and blood sugar and can suppress the immune system.

Higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol have also been shown to increase appetite.

Stressed to the Max

Fresh fruits and veggies are part of a healthy diet.

Psychologist Leslie Heinberg, PhD. , Director of Behavioral Services for the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute at Cleveland Clinic, agrees that the link between stress and weight gain is real.

Healthy habits like getting enough sleep, exercising and eating a healthy diet are harder to maintain when you feel like you’re maxed out emotionally, she says.

3 Tips to Fight Weight Gain

But even if you can’t fix the causes of your stress, you can make small changes to try to minimize offset the effects.

Here are three tips that might help you fight stress-induced weight gain:

ONE: Choose Your Fats Wisely

Fat is important to feel full, and it’s also one of your body’s key building blocks. But to keep it in balance, try to choose only one high-fat item per meal.

For example, if you have a healthy salad for lunch, don’t include both olive oil and avocado – just choose one of those things.

So, if you want avocado on your salad, use a balsamic vinegar dressing rather than an oil-based vinaigrette.

TWO: Adjust Your Meal Proportions

To reduce calories, shift your servings a bit to slash calories without having to eat less food.

Trading in a portion of dense grains for low-cal veggies is an easy way to accomplish a quick calorie savings that doesn’t require sacrificing volume.

For example, if you’re eating rice and veggies for a meal, shift the balance to include more veggies and less rice.

Eating 1.5 cups of veggies and .5 cup of brown rice instead of 1 cup of each can easily save you 60-75 calories. Those small savings will add up over time.

THREE: Take a Quick Post-Meal Walk

Take a short walk to boost your metabolism.

A study from George Washington University found that taking a 15-minute walk after meals helped normalize blood sugar levels for up to three hours after eating.

If you don’t have 15 minutes, even a 5 minute walk – just to break from sitting to get your blood pumping – can shift your metabolism.

It can also be a time to clear your head, connect with nature, or catch up with a walking buddy – all of which can help reduce feelings of stress.

Back to the Woods

Later in the week, the weather cooled down a bit and I’d recovered from my dehydration, so I was ready to hit the woods again!

The Lake Trail goes past the Observation Tower at Lake Crabtree.

So on Friday (after a treadmill run indoors in the morning), I hiked around Lake Crabtree in the afternoon.

It was beautiful as usual – though I miss seeing the sailboats on the lake! (They’re not allowed now due to COVID-19 restrictions.)

Saturday, That Man and I got on the bikes and had a nice 20-mile ride on the greenways and the ATT.

A new section of the White Oak greenway connects Bond park and Davis Drive Park.

It was a gorgeous day, and the trails were surprisingly un-crowded.

Sunday, was my long hike for the week, a 8-9 miler in Umstead State Park, on a combination of Company Mill and Sycamore Trails.

A great group of hikers came with me 🙂

That hike was the end of my training week, and of this training series. But I’ll keep on going!

A stroller-friendly trial in Umstead State Park — A stroller-friendly trail in Umstead State Park

Training for Life

For me, training is never really over. Many active people are the same.

Even though our goals change from week to week, or year to year, we always keep moving forward and striving to improve.

Whether it’s a hiking to a new mountain summit, getting into a new dress, or mastering a new sport or skill, training towards a goal is what keeps us motivated and interested in what we’re doing.

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing was one of my Bucket List hikes.

What’s Your Next Adventure?

Although some destinations are still out of reach due to continuing COVID-19 restrictions, many State and National Parks are opening back up now.

I’ve got my eye on a few new adventures within driving distance of home, and I’m starting to get excited about it!

I might even start some new training hikes soon 🙂

If you’re local and would like to join us, check out the I’d Rather Walk Meetup for hike postings.

The Hawksbill Summit in Shenandoah National Park is an attainable goal for most hikers.

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. Take a look at my 6 Week Training Plan post to see the whole plan.

For some ideas for your next adventures, check out my Hiking Destinations page for outdoor vacation spots for you and your family.

Thanks for stopping by – see you next time! LJ

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ReFit Week 5: The Home Stretch

Most recently updated January 17th, 2022

– – Week 5 of the ReFit Training began with a 4 mile treadmill run and arm weights on Monday. So, no big deal – but it got the job done.

Besides, I needed time to get ready for my field trip on Tuesday to Hanging Rock State Park.

The forecast called for highs in the 90’s, which is pretty hot for hiking, but it’s better than thunderstorms, so I stuck to the plan.

It’s been my habit to visit Hanging Rock every year in the early Spring, but this year the parks were closed due to COVID restrictions during the milder weather.

Most State Parks are at least partially open now, and the weather will only get warmer, so it was time to go!

Summer Heat is Back

Every year in North Carolina, sometime between March and late June, there’s a moment when you step outside and get smacked in the face with hot, humid air.

And you suddenly remember what Summer feels like in all of it’s intense sweaty glory. 🙂

We had a few hot days earlier this year, but this past week Summer let us know it’s really here to stay.

Summer includes higher temps, higher humidity and changes to the weather pattern. If you’re smart, it should include some some changes to your workout routine, too.

North Carolina heat and sun are just as intense inland as on the beach.

If you’re planning on doing anything really strenuous outdoors, you should probably get going as early as possible.

Not only will the heat get more intense later in the day, but we usually have a pretty good chance of heavy storms – possibly with lightning – in the late afternoon.

So my plan was to hit the road early, get to the Park by 9ish and be done hiking before the storms rolled in.

Midweek Field Trip to Hanging Rock

I’ve been to Hanging Rock many times over the years, so I decided to try something a little different this time.

Hanging Rock SP Visitors Center close due to COVID-19 restrictions — Hanging Rock SP Visitors Center closed due to COVID-19 restrictions

Instead of parking as usual at the Visitor’s Center (which is currently closed due to COVID restrictions anyway), I decided to park at the Tory’s Den parking lot and hike from there.

The Tory’s Den parking gives you access to the Ruben Mountain trail, plus Tory’s Den and Falls.

You can also get on the trail to Moore’s Knob from there as well – but be aware that it’s a 1 mile hike from the parking lot to get to the start of both Ruben Mountain Trail and Moore’s Wall Loop, so you need to add 2 miles to figure total distance.

Map of trails near Tory's Den parking area. — Map of trails near Tory’s Den parking area.

I’d hiked to Moore’s Knob before, but hadn’t hiked Ruben Mountain so I started with that trail.

Ruben Mountain Trail – 6ish mile loop

The Ruben Mountain Trail starts 1 mile from the parking area. It’s about 4 miles total, but with the additional miles to and from the parking, just to do the Ruben Mountain trail is around 6 miles.

Trailhead sign at Tory's Den parking — Trailhead sign at Tory’s Den parking

The trail is wide and lined with split-rail fences in some sections, and you can tell it’s a favorite trail for horseback riders.

It’s an okay trail, mostly flat and would be a great trail running route if you lived locally.

But I wouldn’t recommend traveling that far (it’s a 2 hour drive for me) just to hike the Ruben Mountain Trail.

I contemplated going up the hill to Moore’s Knob, but realized that would add another 4.5 miles to the 6 miles I’d already done, and I still wanted to be sure to see Tory’s Den and Falls before it was time to go.

So I walked back down the to the intersection with Tory’s Den Trail.

Tory's Falls at Hanging Rock State Park — Tory’s Falls at Hanging Rock State Park

The hike to Tory’s Falls was a soft dirt trail, mostly downhill.

After crossing a couple of streams, and finally going down a few flights of wooden steps, I stepped onto a large rock outcropping.

On the other side of a river channel were Tory’s Falls. It was a great place for a break 🙂

After eating an apple and chugging some water, I continued down more wooden steps (!) to Tory’s Den.

Looking into Tory's Den. — Looking into Tory’s Den.

History of Tory’s Den

During the American Revolution, Whig (revolutionaries) and Tory (loyal to Britain) neighbors occasionally clashed.

One of these skirmishes occurred in 1778 at Hanging Rock State Park.

The Tory’s Den (the cave shown above) was home to about 100 British sympathizers who lost their property to the Whigs after the war began.

After a Tory raid, the Whigs retaliated by attacking the den. No Whigs were lost in the skirmish and most of the Tories were taken prisoner.

THE TRAIL continues down a little bit further, but you can’t get close to the water due to vegetation along the banks.

Current Park Restrictions

I climbed back up all of those stairs (!) and drove about 6 miles to the Visitors Center parking area, where I hiked a couple of the shorter waterfall trails before making the drive back home.

Though the swimming area at the lake is closed for COVID-19, people can still swim in the waterfalls 🙂

Unfortunately, the Visitor’s Center (and restrooms) are currently closed due to COVID-19 restrictions.

There are restrooms available at the bathhouse. (To see current conditions and restrictions at all State Parks, click here.)

Trail head for Upper Cascades Falls at the Visitor's Center — Trail head for Upper Cascades Falls at the Visitor’s Center

Puppy Hike and Bond Park Run

The middle of the week was even hotter at home!

I contented myself through the rest of the week with some kickboxing, treadmill running and weights indoors, a shorter outdoor morning run at Bond Park, and took the puppy on a shady greenway hike to Annie Jones Park and Lake Pine.

Hot, Hot, Hot! This Week’s Long Hike – 12.5 miles

This week’s long hike was on a very hot day, but we started pretty early.

The route began on the Loblolly Trail in Umstead State Park and followed Loblolly into Schenck Forest and back out onto the Reedy Creek Greenway.

The rest of the route would continue to follow the greenway all the way to the North Carolina Museum of Art Park.

(The Museum buildings and restrooms are still closed due to COVID-19 restrictions, so we made sure to take advantage of facilities at Umstead before heading out.)

Half of the group turned back to do a shorter 6.5 mile hike options, and the rest of us continued on along the Reedy Creek Trail.

Bees hang out at the Prairie Ridge EcoStation

Prairie Ridge EcoStation, NCMA Park

We took the Reedy Creek Greenway all the way past the Prairie Ridge EcoStation and on both natural and paved trails through the NCMA Park.

Our turnaround point was the far side of the pedestrian bridge over I-440.

Pedestrian Bridge over I-440 at the NCMA Park.

Some of us were dragging a bit by the time we got back to the Loblolly trailhead parking lot, but it was a really good hike with a great group! 🙂

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!

On the way back to from NCMA to Umstead, I was reminded of how important it is to drink plenty of water before and during these hot summer hikes.

What reminded me were the excruciating foot and calf cramps I got in the last mile of the hike… 😉

Even an experienced hiker (like me) can get caught once in a while.

Drinking plenty of water before and during the hike helps by replenishing the fluids lost by excessive sweating.

But sometimes just drinking water isn’t enough.

When you sweat, you lose electrolytes, and if you lose too many, you can get dizzy, and have severe muscle cramps.

The easiest way to replace them is with a sports drink that contains electrolytes.

Carry electrolyte candy in your pack for longer summer hikes.

You can also get sports candy that does the same thing – with fewer calories.

Focus mostly on replacing sodium and potassium, but calcium and magnesium are also important.

My muscle cramps lasted for a couple of days, but with lots of water and mineral supplements they finally settled down 🙂

The Home Stretch

With 5 weeks down and one week to go of 6 weeks to get back in shape , I’m in the home stretch.

This next week I’ll keep the workouts going, but will also focus on eating a clean, portion-controlled diet – with extra electrolytes!

If you’re local and would like to join us, check out the I’d Rather Walk Meetup for hike postings.

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.

Take a look at my 6 Week Training Plan post to see what other kinds of training I’m doing, and what other hikes I’ll have coming up.

Thanks for stopping by – see you next time! LJ

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ReFit Week 4: Making It Interesting

Most recently updated January 17th, 2022

– – Week 4 of the ReFit Training began with a long group hike (<25 people in accordance with current restrictions) at Umstead State Park.

We hiked 8 miles on Company Mill trail to Big Lake and back on a combination natural trails and multi-use trails.

The route was designed to avoid the spots that were still muddy from last week’s rain.

I was starting to worry when we didn’t see our snake friend, but then we spotted him towards the end of the hike on higher ground.

And the hikers who joined were amazing as usual! 🙂

A Different Sort of Week

It was a holiday week, since the work week started with Memorial Day.

For me, that meant an extra day to hang out with That Man and explore some new (to us) local places on foot.

Specifically, we spent time checking out the Rolling View section of Falls Lake.

View of Falls Lake from the Rolling View side.

Falls Lake State Recreation Area

Falls Lake State Recreation Area is made up of seven access areas scattered around the shoreline of an undeveloped 12,000-acre reservoir.

The Falls Lake Trail (a portion of the North Carolina Mountains-to-Sea State Trail) can be joined at the Rolling View access – which was one of the places open despite COVID restrictions – so that’s where we started.

Map showing the Falls Lake Trail in Rolling View section

The Falls Lake Trail follows the entire south shore of the lake, traveling over 50 miles from the shore of the Neuse River below the Falls Lake Dam all the way to the Eno River.

We were only able to go a couple of miles before the trail was too flooded to pass, due to the high water from recent heavy rain.

But we improvised on some other trails and got about 5 miles in anyway 🙂

Strength Building Hike – Bond Park, 6 miles

The middle of the week was dry (finally!) so I loaded 20 extra pounds into my pack on Tuesday for this week’s Strength Building hike in Bond Park, a 6-ish mile hike that included the Bond Park Lake Trail.

Midweek Beach Escape

After months of being unable to travel due to COVID restrictions, I decided to gamble on the weather and take a little overnight road trip to the Coast.

Though beaches and State and National Parks are still partly closed, some trails and facilities are available, and some coastal parks have beach access.

I booked a room in Atlantic Beach, and headed for Fort Macon State Park.

Fort Macon State Park

Nearly surrounded by water at the eastern tip of Bogue Banks, Fort Macon State Park is the site of a restored Civil War-era fort, a couple of hiking trails, and offers unspoiled shoreline for swimming.

Canons line the upper fort wall on the beach side

Unfortunately, the interior of the fort and the Visitor’s Center are currently closed due to COVID restrictions, but the beach and trails are open.

There are also restrooms available.

Trailhead sign in the Visitors Center parking lot

Elliott Coues’ Trail – 3.3 mile loop

The main thing I wanted to do at the park was hike the relatively new Elliott Coues Trail.

I started at the trailhead in the far corner of the Visitor’s Center parking lot.

Raised boardwalk on the Elliott Coues' Trail — Raised boardwalk on the Elliott Coues’ Trail

The trail is a 3.3 mile loop that goes along the beach, through salt march and forest, and even along the road beside the Coast Guard station for a short time before returning to the park.

It’s a beautiful trail, with the beach side of the loop paved with a new layer of soft wood chips.

The wooded side is a combination of soft dirt and some boardwalks.

You can see different kinds wildlife from the trail: there were a lot of different birds and I startled a young doe near the marsh side.

View of the beach from inside the upper fort wall.

You can find a list of North Carolina State Parks, and a map that shows which ones are near the beach here.

Atlantic Beach

Atlantic Beach is one of my favorite North Carolina beaches, not in the least because I usually stay in a place where can get up in the morning and walk to the beach – without worrying about trying to move my car or pay for parking.

When I’m there I usually do about 4 miles on the beach in the morning, more if time allows.

This time, I was able to get 4 miles in but couldn’t do any more because of a fast-moving thunderstorm.

The rain wasn’t going anywhere, so after my run I packed up and headed back inland.

Company Mill Accidentally Underwater Hike – 6 miles

Friday was rainy at home, too. But I decided to risk an afternoon hike between rain storms on the Company Mill Trail in Umstead State Park anyway.

Unfortunately, a couple of miles into the hike a downpour started.

I was on the natural trail when the rain started, but the trail quickly became a raging stream.

Reedy Creek Lake and multi-use trail on a sunny day.

So I diverted my route to get back to the the drier multi-use trails, and ended up with about 6.5 miles and lots of mud on my boots when I finished.

In addition to hiking at home and on the coast this week, I also kick-boxed, ran on my treadmill , lifted some weights, and did some Bodyweight Training exercises.

With 4 weeks down of the allotted 6 weeks to get back in shape , I’m still not seeing the kind of results the I’d hoped for, but I’ve still got a couple of weeks to keep trying 🙂

If you’re local and would like to join us, check out the I’d Rather Walk Meetup for hike postings.

Looking down Atlantic Beach towards the pier.

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.

Take a look at my 6 Week Training Plan post to see what other kinds of training I’m doing, and what other hikes I’ll have coming up.

Thanks for stopping by – see you next time! LJ

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How To Stay Healthy Working from Home

Most recently updated November 24th, 2022

Estimated Reading Time: 15 minutes

Have you become a remote worker recently due to circumstances beyond your control? Whether you have chosen remote work, or it’s been thrust upon you, it can be a difficult transition for you and your whole family.

You can find yourself getting stressed, socially awkward, and extra fluffy 🙂

And this can add additional stress, which creates a really bad cycle that it’s best to avoid altogether.

So, that said, what’s the best way to protect your mental and physical health when you’re suddenly forced to work from your home???

Sign promoting hand-washing along local greenway trail

People who had already chosen to work remotely before any Stay At Home mandates have probably figured this out already.

But for those who became remote workers overnight due to the COVID-19 health crisis response or other sudden life change, this could be a problem – especially if there’s no end in sight.

As an aside, I joined the workforce when there was no such thing as “remote” work, because there were no laptops, internet or cell phones.

…. I’ll pause here so you can say “Okay, Boomer” 🙂

I also remember when working remotely was the shiny new Holy Grail of work situations, and only the Cool Kids got to do it.

The rest of us had to fight family, school buses and traffic to make it into the office on time despite a blizzard or an illness that had you burning with fever.

Your commute to work can be replaced by a nice long walk or bike ride

Those days are not entirely gone, but most companies now recognize natural disasters, communicable diseases, and different time-zones within Global teams as valid reasons to work off-site.

Fortunately, with today’s technology everyone is able to work remotely as needed, if your business will allow it.

Some people work remotely 100% of the time now and some younger workers have NEVER had an office-based job.

"Working from home" used to mean something very different. — “Working from home” used to mean something very different.

At this point in my career, I’ve worked in all kinds of remote, half-remote, on-site only, etc etc situations, and I have to say – I really like working from home most of all!

But working remotely is not everyone’s favorite thing.

When working from home – whether it’s as someone’s else’s employee or as your own boss – there are a lot of bad habits you can fall into.

Finding the discipline to manage your time and ignore distractions, especially if you’ve also got kids at home – never mind anxiety about world events, or depression due to isolation – may be unusually difficult.

And staying focused enough to get some exercise and eat right can be almost impossible!

There are some tricks I’ve learned over the years that might help you 🙂

Continue reading How To Stay Healthy Working from Home

ReFit Week 3: How Are We Doing?

Most recently updated January 17th, 2022

– – The persistent rain through the majority of the work week kept me indoors more than I like for Week 3 of the training.

I saved my “official” hikes for the end of the week when the sun reappeared, but earlier in the week I took some shorter walks (< 5 miles) between the raindrops in Bond Park and Davis Park along the Black Creek Greenway.

The water was really high in Bond Lake and Black Creek in Bond Park.

Strength Building – Company Mill & Multi-Use Trail, 6.5 miles

My Strength Building hike for the week went into Umstead State Park, from the Harrison Ave entrance side.

I loaded 20 pounds in the pack and walked the first half of the Company Mill trail, then took the multi-use trails past Reedy Creek Lake and returned on the last little bit of the Loblolly Trail to create a 6.5 mile route.

I saw our snake buddy near the same spot we saw him last Sunday. He seemed pretty calm….

A Modified Reopening Phase 2 started May 22….

The Guv released a modified Phase 2 on Friday, which included increasing allowed outdoor group size from <10 to < 25 people.

Snake crossing plank bridge on the Company Mill trail.

Long Hike – Company Mill & Sycamore, 8-9 miles

So I updated the week’s “long” group hike to hold up to 20 people (plus me) on an 8-9 mile loop using the Company Mill Trail and the Sycamore Trail in Umstead State Park.

(You can see all of the park’s current restrictions here.)

We ran into our favorite snake on the trail again. He’s getting to be a regular 🙂

There were a lot of people in the park, but it’s still less crowded than normal ( and less crowded than the garden centers were this weekend).

High water in Reedy Creek, Umstead State Park

We had a shorter route option but everyone – even the first timers – chose to do the longer hike. What a great group!

Beaches Are Beckoning

Even with some restrictions still in place for North Carolina beaches, it’s hard not to head to the coast when the weather is nice.

If you’re not allowed to sunbathe, you might be able to get out on a hiking trail near the beach.

Though State and National Parks are still partly closed, some trails and facilities are available. I plan to check it out ASAP – and I’ll let you know what I find 🙂

You can find a list of North Carolina State Parks, and a map that shows which ones are near the beach here.

While some State Park beaches and beach trails on the Coast are open, all inland swim beaches and swim areas are CLOSED.

(This includes the swim beaches at: Cliffs of the Neuse, Goose Creek, Hanging Rock, Jones Lake, Lake James, Lake Norman, and New River (Elk Shoals access) state parks; the swim piers at Lake Waccamaw, Pettigrew, and Singletary Lake state parks; and all swim areas at Falls Lake, Jordan Lake, and Kerr Lake state recreation areas.)

All Visitor’s Centers are also still closed.

In addition to hiking this week, I also kick-boxed, ran on my treadmill and outdoors, lifted some weights, and did some Bodyweight Training exercises.

So with 3 weeks down of the allotted 6 weeks to get back in shape , we’re halfway through. I’m not seeing the results I’d hoped for yet, but I’ll keep trying 🙂

If you’re local and would like to join us, check out the I’d Rather Walk Meetup for hike postings.

Ferns enjoy the rain in the community composting garden in Bond Park.

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.

Take a look at my 6 Week Training Plan post to see what other kinds of training I’m doing, and what other hikes I’ll have coming up.

Thanks for stopping by – see you next time! LJ

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ReFit Week 2: Into the Woods

Most recently updated January 17th, 2022

– – This week, the recent change to government restrictions meant I was able to lead a group hike (of <10 people) for my longer hike.

Our local Umstead State Park is partly open again, so I hosted a hike on the Loblolly Trail – which is officially an out and back trail – and created a loop for a 7 mile hike.

It feels great to be in the Park again and to be able to see people – even socially distanced 🙂

We shared the trail with a slithery friend

You can see all of the park’s current restrictions here.

(The next phase is supposed to start May 22, and hopefully we’ll be allowed to use more areas of the park then.)

One thing to be aware of when you go back into the woods is that the critters have had more free reign in the parks over the past 3 months, since humans have not been allowed in.

We almost stepped on a rat snake that was relaxing in the middle of the trail – – but we did some Matrix-style levitation backwards instead.

(We were seriously alert after running into that little guy.)

There are also unconfirmed reports that one hiker “screamed like a little girl” 🙂

I saw a coyote in the Park the other day, too, but from a distance and he just looked at me before slipping back into the trees.

The cemetery at Warren Hill in Umstead State Park

My Strength Building hike for the week also went into the park, but from the Old Reedy Creek trailhead side.

I loaded 20 pounds in the pack and walked all the way to Warren Hill cemetery and back to make about 6.5 miles.

Greenways are Still Good

I’ve been using our local greenways forever, but with State and National Parks closed for the past few months, I really started exploring because they were our only options for longer trails.

The Town of Cary has over 70 miles of paved greenways

If you’re on foot, natural trails are better for you and a harder workout, but I’m going to keep using the greenways weekly even after it’s allowed to use all of our State and National Park facilities again.

Especially for bikers, the greenways are a wonderful resource.

In fact, even though the State Parks were open again this weekend, That Man and I biked the southern portion of the Neuse River Trail greenway into Johnston County. It was a great ride!

In addition to hiking and biking this week, I also kick-boxed, ran on my treadmill, lifted some weights, and did some Bodyweight Training exercises.

Hiking the Loblolly Trail in Umstead State Park

It feels great on be back on the trails with some other hikers again!

If you’re local and would like to join us, check out the I’d Rather Walk Meetup for hike postings.

So that’s 2 weeks down of the allotted 6 weeks to get back in shape for my next medical checkup and hopefully a new hiking adventure this Summer.

Revisiting all of the allowed trails now that the parks are partly opened will help keep me motivated – even though I know progress towards my fitness goals will take some time.

Hikers on the Loblolly Trail in Schenck Forest

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.

Take a look at my 6 Week Training Plan post to see what other kinds of training I’m doing, and what other hikes I’ll have coming up.

Thanks for stopping by – see you next time! LJ

To get New Idratherwalk Posts
sent directly to your inbox (how convenient!) Click this Button!

ReFit Week 1: Here We Go Again

Most recently updated January 17th, 2022

– – I started to get back in shape with my Refit Training last Sunday, well before The Guv decided we could tiptoe into the State Parks again.

That being the case, I started this 6 Week training with a Strength Building hike on one of the open approved trails in Lake Crabtree County Park.

I loaded 15 extra pounds in my pack and did a moderate 6-mile hike around the lake.

That trail is pretty flat and about half and half natural trails and paved trails, so no troubles.

And of course, I’ve been doing what I can on approved greenways and my own home gym all along.

That said, it was my first time with a weighted pack in a couple of months, though, and I did notice it 🙂

(Read more here about the trail and Lake Crabtree County Park.)

My other official weekly hike was a “long”one on the Loblolly Trail.

It was only 6.5 miles, but this time it was all natural trail, slightly hilly inside Umstead State Park.

Not a big deal from a length standpoint, but it was the first time I’d been able to hike that many miles on natural, slightly hilly, terrain since the State Parks were closed in March.

Even slightly hilly trails are very different than hiking on paved greenways.

We’re Baaack!

State Parks here are currently open on a “phased” basis, with restrictions in this first phase mainly around number of people in the park at once, and limited use of parking lots, shelters, picnic areas and restrooms.

Face coverings are recommended at crowded trailheads.

They still want social distancing (which isn’t a problem on the trails) and groups of 10 or less people.

Masks or face coverings that you can breathe through are recommended if there are other people around.

You can see all of the park’s current restrictions here.

The next phase is supposed to start May 22, and hopefully we’ll be allowed to use more areas of the park then.

This week, I also kick-boxed a few times, ran on my treadmill, lifted some light weights and tried out some new Bodyweight Training exercises in my home gym.

BTW, in case you were wondering, burpees are just as horrible now as they were in Junior High…. 🙁

Hikers with two and four legs enjoy the Loblolly Trail.

It feels great on be back on the trails again!

Even though I haven’t been completely idle over the past couple of months, I feel I’ve lost some ground while we’ve been shut out of the longer natural trails in State Parks.

Revisiting all of the trails will help keep me motivated – even though I know progress towards my fitness goals will take some time.

BTW, just in case you’re new around here, I’m spending the next 6 weeks getting back in shape and ready for another hiking adventure!

View from the greenway around Lake Crabtree

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.

Take a look at my 6 Week Training Plan post to see what other kinds of training I’m doing, and what other hikes I’ll have coming up.

Thanks for stopping by – see you next time! LJ

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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?

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.

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!

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!

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

Hike and Bike Your Local Greenways

Most recently updated July 7th, 2023

Estimated Reading Time: 24 minutes

We have miles and miles of local greenways available near where I live in North Carolina.

Greenways are a great off-road resource for healthy outdoor family activities like bike rides, hikes and walks.

This is especially important these days, when most State Parks and National Parks have been closed or partially closed since March- and we don’t know when we’ll be allowed to fully use them again.

At the same time, schools have been closed, children have already been home for weeks, and they need someplace to play outside!

Fortunately, if you choose to leave your yard for outdoor activities, our greenways locally and across the State have remained open for use.

If you don’t live right next to one or haven’t explored the greenways yet, it can be hard to figure out where to go.

Best Local Greenways

Black Creek Greenway, White Oak Creek Greenway, and the American Tobacco Trail are some of the longest and most used greenways in the Cary/Apex area.

The greenways also connect through some of the most popular local parks!

Continue reading Hike and Bike Your Local Greenways

Hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing – New Zealand’s Favorite Day Hike

Most recently updated February 6th, 2024

Estimated Reading Time: 19 minutes

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing, a 12 mile day hike on New Zealand’s North Island, is one of the most popular day hikes in the country.

Located inside The Tongariro National Park, the alpine crossing is part of a larger 3-4 day hike that is one of New Zealand’s Great Walks.

Tongariro National Park was made famous – like so many places in New Zealand – by it’s appearance in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy.

The park’s alpine, volcanic scenery is the setting of Mordor, home of Mount Doom – aka Mt Ngauruhoe – the object of Frodo and Sam’s quest throughout the series.

I had the opportunity to take this trek as part of an active group trip to the North Island early this Spring.

(Fortunately, I was able to return home before travel became restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.)

Here’s how hiking the Tangeriro Alpine Crossing went for me, and some information that will help if you want to go try it for yourself!

Continue reading Hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing – New Zealand’s Favorite Day Hike