As December ends and we head into January, the next level of training has started.
🐍 The above photo shows one of the many rattlesnakes that I will probably come across during my hike. If you know me at all then you will also know about my deep phobia of snakes. I remember when my phobia started. I must have been around 3 years old when I had an allergic reaction to Phenergan which made me hallucinate. I remember seeing snakes coming out of the kitchen cupboards and sliding around my fathers stomach. I’ve had therapy for my anxiety for snakes, but I’ve not really put it to the test as you rarely see them in the UK. So, as you can imagine, rattlesnakes are causing me some sleepless nights at the moment, but life is full of challenges and I won’t let it beat me! This week I’ve been learning more about snakes. How to deal with them, what provokes them, where they are likely to be hanging out etc.
OTHER STUFF:-
❎ I failed my goal of walking 8 miles a day in December. My average was 6.8 miles a day. This was due to being poorly for nearly a week, and then having a few lazy days over Christmas.(Excuses I know!). My new goal for January is to average 10 miles a day which may have been an unrealistic challenge (as I also have to work!). Joining the gym will help as I can go running on the treadmill to get my miles in. Let’s see what happens.
🥾 On the PCT I will have many mountains to climb. Even on the first few days, I will be climbing over 3000ft so I need to get as many hill training hikes into the schedule as possible. On New Year’s Day, I drove to Matlock Bath and completed the Abraham Heights Trail. It was only around 5 miles but it was great training. The ascents up High Tor, Giddy Edge and Abraham Heights were quite tough. I had 24 lbs in my pack which was too heavy. I need to trim it down a bit. It was raining quite heavily and was extremely muddy so I decided not to camp.
🏋️♀️ I’ve been attending the gym a few times a week with Rachel. We are working different areas of the body such as legs on one day then arms or back/shoulders on the next. I’m enjoying spending time with Rachel and I always feel sore the next day or so, which is a good sign right?
🧘♀️ Stretching is becoming addictive! I find myself stretching in queues in shops or when having a conversation with someone! It’s a bit bizarre. But, I no longer struggle with “old lady syndrome” when I wake up in the morning and go downstairs. I have an established routine in the morning for stretching and I also stretch after a walk. My walking pole helps stretch out my neck and back muscles when I’m on a long hike with a heavy pack. It’s all good!
👩 Hair. As I type I’m nearly two weeks into not washing my hair and it’s not as challenging as I thought it would be. The first week was rather gross, but it’s starting to feel clean. I’m showering every day and just wetting my hair but no shampoo.
🇺🇸 ESTA visa thing has been done ✅
😇 Trail Angels – there are people on the trail who are usually ex-hikers, live locally and like to help ThruHikers. They may offer you a lift into town, let you have a shower at their house, feed you or provide trail magic along the way such as putting out a cool box of water or fizzy drinks. Some even cook pancakes or bacon and eggs for you or burgers etc on the side of the trail. There is a whole bunch of Facebook Groups for these trail angels, so this week I’ve joined all the groups which will be super handy and also give peace of mind that there are people willing to help that are close by. #TheTrailProvides
📕 A dear friend saw a book in a charity shop called The Unlikeliest Backpacker. It’s about a British couple who walked the last 900 miles of the PCT and they had no gear or experience. I finished the book this week and the last chapter is all about what she learned along the way. It was quite heartwarming. Thanks, Stephanie for the book, I loved it.
GEAR ⚙️
* A titanium straw has arrived
* A new water filter (Platypus QuickDraw) and my last one froze.
* New Salomon Senseride shoes are here but I’m only going to wear them to the gym. I’ll probably need a few pairs for the actual trail.
* Ordered some Microspikes from Black diamond. I’ll need these for the icy section and mountains for better traction.
I think I’m dialled in with all my gear now. My only dilemma is a mid-layer and a puffy jacket. I’m considering getting a Rab Vapour Rise Summit Jacket which will do the job of both mid & puffy (but it’s £115, so I’ve not pressed the trigger yet).
100 DAYS TO GO!
As December ends and we head into January, the next level of training has started.
🐍 The above photo shows one of the many rattlesnakes that I will probably come across during my hike. If you know me at all then you will also know about my deep phobia of snakes. I remember when my phobia started. I must have been around 3 years old when I had an allergic reaction to Phenergan which made me hallucinate. I remember seeing snakes coming out of the kitchen cupboards and sliding around my fathers stomach. I’ve had therapy for my anxiety for snakes, but I’ve not really put it to the test as you rarely see them in the UK. So, as you can imagine, rattlesnakes are causing me some sleepless nights at the moment, but life is full of challenges and I won’t let it beat me! This week I’ve been learning more about snakes. How to deal with them, what provokes them, where they are likely to be hanging out etc.
OTHER STUFF:-
❎ I failed my goal of walking 8 miles a day in December. My average was 6.8 miles a day. This was due to being poorly for nearly a week, and then having a few lazy days over Christmas.(Excuses I know!). My new goal for January is to average 10 miles a day which may have been an unrealistic challenge (as I also have to work!). Joining the gym will help as I can go running on the treadmill to get my miles in. Let’s see what happens.
🥾 On the PCT I will have many mountains to climb. Even on the first few days, I will be climbing over 3000ft so I need to get as many hill training hikes into the schedule as possible. On New Year’s Day, I drove to Matlock Bath and completed the Abraham Heights Trail. It was only around 5 miles but it was great training. The ascents up High Tor, Giddy Edge and Abraham Heights were quite tough. I had 24 lbs in my pack which was too heavy. I need to trim it down a bit. It was raining quite heavily and was extremely muddy so I decided not to camp.
🏋️♀️ I’ve been attending the gym a few times a week with Rachel. We are working different areas of the body such as legs on one day then arms or back/shoulders on the next. I’m enjoying spending time with Rachel and I always feel sore the next day or so, which is a good sign right?
🧘♀️ Stretching is becoming addictive! I find myself stretching in queues in shops or when having a conversation with someone! It’s a bit bizarre. But, I no longer struggle with “old lady syndrome” when I wake up in the morning and go downstairs. I have an established routine in the morning for stretching and I also stretch after a walk. My walking pole helps stretch out my neck and back muscles when I’m on a long hike with a heavy pack. It’s all good!
👩 Hair. As I type I’m nearly two weeks into not washing my hair and it’s not as challenging as I thought it would be. The first week was rather gross, but it’s starting to feel clean. I’m showering every day and just wetting my hair but no shampoo.
🇺🇸 ESTA visa thing has been done ✅
😇 Trail Angels – there are people on the trail who are usually ex-hikers, live locally and like to help ThruHikers. They may offer you a lift into town, let you have a shower at their house, feed you or provide trail magic along the way such as putting out a cool box of water or fizzy drinks. Some even cook pancakes or bacon and eggs for you or burgers etc on the side of the trail. There is a whole bunch of Facebook Groups for these trail angels, so this week I’ve joined all the groups which will be super handy and also give peace of mind that there are people willing to help that are close by. #TheTrailProvides
📕 A dear friend saw a book in a charity shop called The Unlikeliest Backpacker. It’s about a British couple who walked the last 900 miles of the PCT and they had no gear or experience. I finished the book this week and the last chapter is all about what she learned along the way. It was quite heartwarming. Thanks, Stephanie for the book, I loved it.
GEAR ⚙️
* A titanium straw has arrived
* A new water filter (Platypus QuickDraw) and my last one froze.
* New Salomon Senseride shoes are here but I’m only going to wear them to the gym. I’ll probably need a few pairs for the actual trail.
* Ordered some Microspikes from Black diamond. I’ll need these for the icy section and mountains for better traction.
I think I’m dialled in with all my gear now. My only dilemma is a mid-layer and a puffy jacket. I’m considering getting a Rab Vapour Rise Summit Jacket which will do the job of both mid & puffy (but it’s £115, so I’ve not pressed the trigger yet).
Another week of ramblings!
Thanks for listening.