Does this count as training?

There is a ton of information on literally every aspect of hiking. Since I’ve been a rookie, I’ve been absorbing everything I can. There is no shortage of opinions, programs, guides, etc. when it comes to how to train and prepare for a hike. The Halfway Anywhere survey shows that it is about 75/25 when it comes to those who had a specific fitness training regimen versus those who did not. I’m trying to figure out what category I’m in. While I have been intentionally making decisions that will serve me well when I get going, I have no idea where I am.

I will be honored no matter what happens when I get going. Yes, every little workout will help, but I’m prepared to be absolutely devastated. But I also hope that my young age will help me here too.

Does this count as physical training?

• Cycling to the rhythm of Fleetwood Mac or Fred Again in spinning classes
• Lots of hot yoga to prepare for exertion in the desert heat (and regular yoga, since this is my main way to stay active)
• Going to a gym to climb stairs (very boring, but the crazy looks I got while packed with weights in my backpack were entertaining)
• Try a class led by Hyrox (this was a random one-off class, but it was fun and very difficult)
• Walk everywhere you can (this is nothing new since I live in a walkable community)
• Occasional plyometric and weight training in the gym or other HIIT training classes
• Hiking with my backpack when I could!

Haters will say that the only way to properly prepare for a hike is to walk. It makes a lot of sense! For me, living in the city during the winter, without access to a car (and therefore in the mountains), this is what I have made work. While yoga and exercise classes are easier to stay motivated, stair climbing sessions have been the biggest challenge when I’m staring at 7 flat screen TVs trying to imagine what the trail will be like.

Mental preparation

Being a rookie, the other part of this is mental preparation. I am someone who thrives on routines. Seeing that literally everything in my life is going to change in ways I can’t predict, I’ve been trying out ways to adapt to life along the way. Adopt the “hiker mentality” as much as possible.

Does this count as mental training?

• Sleeping outside in my brother’s backyard. This has been helpful for many reasons, such as testing my sleep system in New England temperatures and trying to get over the fear of sleeping outside alone. But I’m not sure any sleeping pad brand stands a good chance when a 12-inch memory foam mattress is calling my name from 20 feet away.
• See how long I can go without shaving my legs (it went surprisingly long and I’m not too worried about it)
• Sleeping in different styles of underwear (has choosing underwear unexpectedly been a big stressor?)
• Googling literally every thought that comes into my head (this one is crazy and I feel like I’ve lost some critical thinking skills)
• Visit REI 4 times in a week (for better or worse, it was a 10 minute walk away)
• Walking to my hometown post office with the biggest backpack anyone has ever seen (once again, I was imagining the views of the trail instead of the sidelong glances I was getting from people on the street).
• Reading “Pacific Crest Trials” several times
• Keep a journal of the ever-changing rollercoaster of emotions

Overall, I feel somewhat prepared for this trip! Despite the hundreds of questions I’ve Googled, the hours of research, the time spent at the gym, moving my body, and practicing packing my bag over and over again, I don’t think there’s anything I can prepare myself for except going out.

Some things can only be felt through personal experience. The subjective quality of what it feels like to be me, climbing the PCT, cannot be known on Google. This is what I am so excited to experience along the way. That feeling deep in your chest, of awe and magnitude, of courage and determination, of connection. You can only learn that by experiencing it. So despite all the training I listed above, there is no substitute for getting out there (which is why they say test walks are the best way to prepare)!

At some point (less than 2 weeks!!!) there will be no more research, training or preparation; everything will be learned through experience. It’s coming whether I feel ready or not, so let’s do it!

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