Week 8: Our Last Chance!

– – 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.

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 🙂

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.

So, in case you’re just joining us, I’ve been spending 8 weeks training for an awesome hiking trip to New Zealand.

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….   🙂

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.

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 🙂

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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!!

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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 Plan post, 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 posts about New Zealand in the next month or so….

Thanks for stopping by – see you next time!  LJ