Wild walker seen in South Dakota

Hello again fellow hikers! It’s been a minute since you heard from me. I was attempting to complete the SHT last fall when a severe case of IT band syndrome took hold of my left knee and left me limping and hitchhiking off the trail.

Make changes to your training routine.

There is no way I can stop hiking and backpacking. It is my favorite hobby and a very healthy and healthy activity. Since that unfortunate event at the end of September last year, I changed my training routine. After doctor appointments and scans, I completed a short period of virtual physiotherapy. Since I worked in healthcare for so many years, once I had the basic knowledge of what it took to build the right muscles, I felt like I could do the rest on my own. Basically, I lacked strength in my butt, hips, and thighs. These muscles help stabilize ligaments and tendons and aid in repetitive movements, such as walking. I started taking Pilates classes and strength training at home, in addition to continuing the training I had always been doing.

I have to get back on that horse

In January, I decided to take a short(er) backpacking trip to Arizona to test the system. I tackled a 55-mile section of the Arizona Trail between Oracle and Kearny, and my knee went up! I was elated! I’m back, baby!

Since then, I’ve returned to tackle two more 40-mile sections of the Arizona Trail, and each trip has been a knee success story. Should all the credit go to Pilates? Or have I learned a valuable lesson about strength training in general? I’ve also slowed down my walking pace a bit, which is hard for me because my natural pace is pretty fast. Whatever the cause, I am grateful to be able to continue doing what I love.

Braving an even longer journey

All of this brings me to my stories from a recent backpacking trip to South Dakota. A friend and I decided to try the Centennial Trail, a 124-mile hike through the beautiful Black Hills in western South Dakota. I grew up in western Nebraska and went to college just a few hours south of the Black Hills, but I didn’t even know the Centennial Trail existed. After all these years, I recently discovered that this beautiful trail had been there all along!

After reading about this trail, I had to go! It would be like a homecoming for me to walk a trail so close to where I spent my early years. And this would be a real test of how well my knee would hold up to longer miles. After all, I plan to finish SHT this fall (and blog about it), so this would be a great way to see if my body can handle the punishment for days at a time, not just a weekend.

Spoiler alert! I did it! All 124 miles and I had an amazing time! I’m excited to share my stories from this trail with you and give you an insider’s look at the logistics and planning. Stay tuned for my daily blogs on the Centennial Trail. In my opinion, this trail is a great deal for those who want to enjoy gorgeous scenery in a shorter mileage package.

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