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
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 😉
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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
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!
– – 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.
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 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.
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!
