TRAINING FOR THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL

2,650 miles along the Pacific Crest Trail!? Overwhelmed by all my gear I need to survive? Climb mountains every day!? As!?

Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail is a extreme physical undertakingone that requires strength, endurance and physical conditioning. My biggest fear on the trail is not bears, rattlesnakes, people, or mountain passes (although they are all intimidating). My biggest fear is a physical strain or injury that will force me to end my hike early.. Having to abandon the Pacific Crest Trail due to injury would be heartbreaking. It happens to many hikers every year and I am mentally preparing myself for the worst case scenarios, but I am doing everything in my power to train and condition my body to be as prepared as possible for this enormous physical challenge.

Before I finalize my gear, before I announce my PCT 2026 attempt to friends and family, or even get my permit last November, my first priority was training. I knew it was important to be in good physical and mental shape, but even more so, to be physically prepared specifically to walk miles and miles with a weighted backpack across different terrain, ascents and descents. So for the last 8 months, starting September 2025, I have been training for my 2026 Pacific Hike the Crest Trail.

I prioritized cardio: walking everywhere I could as much as possible.

As someone without a car and an avid cyclist, I stopped biking and walked everywhere I could. I walked 2.6 miles to and from the gym every day, walked around town every week, and sometimes even walked to work 8 miles from my house. On some occasions, I would also walk 8 miles back home. I would do sprints up and down San Diego Convention Center stairs, tackling 100 at a time, usually 15 to 20 rounds. And when I was really fit and motivated, I carried a 35-pound backpack to simulate a day on the PCT. I should also mention that I make my living as a server, which involves 8 hour shifts walking on my feet. See also: btmz. On my most motivated training days, I took over 45,000 steps and walked about 20 miles, most of which I carried 35 pounds on my back. Anything to condition my body and mind as quickly as possible.

Additionally, I worked out 6 days a week at a local gym. Each workout included 30 to 60 minutes either on the main stair or on an incline treadmill (typically with an incline of 15.0 to 3 mph). This was something non-negotiable. No matter how energized or inspired I was lifting each day, I forced myself to do at least 30 minutes of weight-bearing cardio each session.

As for weight lifting, I incorporated strength training 5 days a week, rotating through different muscle groups.

I did legs twice a week, including heavy squats, leg presses (and isolated leg presses), Bulgarian split squats, weighted dumbbell raises and lowers, isolated pistol squats, deadlifts, and several other leg workouts. I focused a lot of energy on isolating each leg to really develop strength, balance, stability, and activate the core.

I also did biceps/triceps/shoulder exercises twice a week and chest/back exercises once a week. While I prioritized cardio and legs, I made sure to include full-body workouts and exercises for a more well-rounded training approach. After all, it takes strong arms to lift my heavy backpack every day, and strong shoulders are important for carrying that backpack. I’m pretty sure I’ll be using every muscle in my body for this hike. I’ll probably exercise muscles I’ve never felt before.

Other key focuses when training are stretching and nutrition. I’m no one to give advice on the latter, but from my own experience, I know the importance of properly fueling my body for intense workouts and workouts.

I should probably also address how absurd I looked walking around San Diego for 8 months with a giant yellow backpack, how people stared at me at the gym or driving their cars. Yes, he seemed crazy. But sometimes it sparked a conversation. People would randomly come up to me and ask me what I was training for. It would spark conversations about the Pacific Crest Trail. I knew people who had suffered from it years before, or people who had never heard of it. So yeah, while I looked a little crazy and weird for walking everywhere with my giant backpack, it also started dozens of fun and inspiring conversations about training and the trail.

I’m approaching the PCT with intense emotion and hopeful dreamsbeing fully aware of the possibility of injury. But I can only control how prepared I am and I’ve been training and conditioning as much as I can. I am very proud of my efforts and feel incredibly strong and prepared. I’m just two weeks away from my state date and I’m ready to put my body (and mind) to the test!

*I am not a certified trainer or doctor, simply a motivated, disciplined and enthusiastic hiker who wants to be as prepared as possible for this incredible adventure.*

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