I continue to look back over how far I have come this past year. Then I was only beginning to dream of the journey I wished to travel. I had not yet started working out except maybe a short hike at Mother Neff State Park. I was in terrible shape. I had no stamina, my cardio was poor and trying to hike hills was a killer. I was luckily and still am at a healthy weight, maybe even a little on the slim side. I knew I had a long way to go though to get in shape for the trek to EBC. I gave myself plenty of time though to prepare. I started this journey in May of 2023 with a plan of hiking to EBC in the late Autumn of 2026. I honestly feel like I will need every day between now and then to prepare.
Looking back on where I was to where I am now is a big improvement, just not as much of an improvement as I had hoped. I am being a bit more realistic in my monthly goals right now as I have learned that this old body gets injured much easier than when I was younger. I really have to pace myself. I had also been thinking prior to my trip last month to New Mexico that I would attempt a 14er in Colorado this Autumn. I have now put that on the back burner and will stay in the 9000 - 10,000 foot altitude range for this trip. I do still plan on attempting the Manitou Incline. I think it will be a good measure of where I am at and what I am capable of. Success on it will give me the confidence to travel to Peru and trek the Inca Trail before I head to Nepal. So my plan for the summer months is to hit the gym three times a week. Stair-stepper, treadmill (on a incline) and a few arm weights. I will continue my morning workouts of yoga and stair-stepper. This Autumn I plan on 4 days hiking in Colorado, then next Spring, Big Bend National Park. I am not yet sure what I will do the following Autumn. I am debating Peru then, or I might leave it until after my retirement in January of 2026 and instead return to Colorado and go for that 14'er then. Colorado in the Spring is just too muddy from the melting snow, plus the snow often sticks around until June. It is not a good Spring destination. Speaking of muddy Springs. We have had flooding rains this past week and many parks are inaccessible or are too muddy. I think it has been a month since I was at Mother Neff. I had hoped to go this weekend, but more rain is in the forecast.
My workouts have been going really well this week. Partly because I have been waking up well before my alarm. I figure since I am awake I might as well get up and have an unhurried workout. I have done 200/400 on the stair-stepper for the past three mornings and felt great afterwards (no knee pain). This is quite the improvement over the past year considering that when I bought it I could barely do 25/50 steps. Then the knee pain set in as I increased those numbers. I hope those days are behind me. Hoping to get to the gym this weekend. Maybe I'll post early next week and update this on how well (or not) it went.
Happy Mother's day!
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