PCT • TRAINING • LONG-TERM COMMITMENT (WITH SHORT-TERM COMPLAINTS)

This is the “big picture” of my 22-week training plan for a Pacific Crest Trail hike attempt.
This post explains the structure, logic, and how to use it. The following four posts contain the phase-by-phase details: Base, Construction, Peak, and Sharpen.

Note: This is a framework, not a court order. Adjust the volume and intensity to your body, terrain, schedule, and injury history.

How to use this plan (without thinking too much)

  • Prioritize key sessions: each week has some “anchoring” efforts that are more important (long walk, climbing work, back-to-back practice).
  • Fill the rest with easy volume: Low-intensity miles increase durability without ruining recovery.
  • Track elevation as if it counted: Raising your legs is not a personality trait; they are earned.
  • Progress the pack weight gradually: Lighter at first, heavier later, so the connective tissue adapts with the cardio.
  • Use tapering weeks on purpose: reducing load periodically is how you keep showing up for months on end.

The goal is not single-day heroic efforts. The goal is repeatable days, because the PCT is primarily an argument with tomorrow.

The 4 phases (Base → Build → Peak → Drawdown)

This plan is organized around four phases. Each phase has a specific job and the jobs accumulate:
First durability, then hiking-specific fitness, then trail simulation, then freshness.

Base phase (weeks 1 to 8)

Establish consistency, develop foot/ankle durability, and gradually increase volume and elevation.
The weight of the backpack is kept modest while the body learns to tolerate the frequency.

Construction phase (weeks 9 to 16)

Turn fitness into hiking-specific resistance. Increase weekly volume, add consecutive long days,
and develop tolerance to ascent and descent.

Peak phase (weeks 17 to 20)

Hit the trail: multi-day blocks, higher verticals, and heavier loads.
This is where you rehearse the systems that decide a complete hike: fuel, pace and recovery.

Tapering (weeks 21 to 22)

Reduce the volume while maintaining the rhythm. The goal is freshness without losing custom.
You want to arrive eager, not burned out.

What this training plan really is (beyond the “legs”)

  • Durability: tendons, feet and joints that tolerate frequency and impact.
  • Climbing legs: sustained vertical without sudden effort.
  • Downhill tolerance: Controlled descents that do not exploit the quads or knees.
  • Heat adaptation: pace and hydration when conditions are uncomfortable.
  • Trail Systems: calories, water strategy, foot care and decision making while tired.

Simple railings (so the plan doesn’t eat you)

  • Sharp pain is a stop sign: Change the intensity to make the movement easier and re-evaluate.
  • Accumulating fatigue: reduce weekly volume by 10% to 20% and maintain the routine.
  • Downhill is where you pay interest: Choose control over speed on steep descents.
  • Practice the boring parts: Fueling, hydration, and foot care decide long hikes.

This training plan is a series of 5 publications

  1. Post 1 (this post): Overview, how to use the plan, guardrails and the logic behind the phases.
  2. Post 2: Base phase: weekly structure, emphasis on durability and progression goals.
  3. Post 3: Build Phase: Back to back, plus elevation and hiking-specific resistance.
  4. Post 4: Peak Phase: Multi-day simulation blocks, heavier loads, and trail system practice.
  5. Post 5: Taper: reduce the volume while maintaining the pace to start healthy and strong.

Next: Base Phase: Where I build the kind of boring consistency that eventually turns into «follow-up stretches.»

This should get interesting.

Am Sage.

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