The fitness journey so far...

 Yesterday I was looking back at a few older posts. It was motivational for me to see how far I have come with my workouts. Just over the summer the improvement has surprised even myself. My first time on the Stair Master I was only on for less than ten minutes at 45 steps per minute. I now do 55 steps per minute and do 2000 steps in about 38 minutes ( I slow it down briefly when I take a sip of water). My first few times on the treadmill I did about a forty minute workout at varying inclines from -3% to 15%. I don't think I was on any setting for more than five minutes. This past Tuesday I did an hour with fifty minutes of it at 15%. I started at 3.5% for five minutes, then did the 15% for  the fifty then back to 3% for about five minutes. I did not do the Stair Master though on Sunday or Tuesday as it was not working. I did however on Saturday do my 2000 steps and then thirty minutes on the treadmill with half of that at 15%. 

This time last year I was in Alaska at Denali National Park. I attempted Mount Healy but came up well short of the summit before turning back. It was very disheartening but eye opening too as I knew I had to be more committed to getting in shape. My workouts then only consisted of a morning Yoga routine and around 300 steps on my little stair stepper I had at home. I hadn't yet started hiking regularly due to the summer heat. By late December I was taking on six mile hikes with steeper inclines some up to 30%. I was improving. In April my daughter and I went to Cloudcroft NM to hike at 9000 foot elevations. The trails were moderate with most inclines under 25%. The altitude is the killer there the first few days. We were just getting acclimated when it was time to head home.

Since returning from New Mexico I started working out at the Fitness Center. I go three to four time a week and work out for an hour or more on the Stair Master and Treadmill. It is quite a bit more intensive than any home workout or any of the hiking trails in my area are. It won't be much longer until our Autumn hiking trip to Colorado for me to see if this hard work has paid off. 

Planned hikes for Colorado:

Rock Pond/ Ravens Ridge Combo -  Steepest Incline - 20%, Length will be 5.5 miles, the elevation gain approx. 800 ft.

Crags Trail - Steepest incline  is 20%, length is 4.9 miles (out and back) with an elevation gain of 833 feet.  

I am also looking at some shorter hikes and the possibility of a longer one - either Rainbow Mountain or Putney Gulch, both of those are slightly more challenging than Crag's Trail, but I don't think as scenic. 

I am debating some trails at Garden of the Gods or hiking near the peak of Pikes Peak. But the big hike will be the Manitou Incline returning down via the Barr Trail.

The incline with the Trail is a four mile hike. 0.9 mile is up 2768 steps up an elevation gain of 1978 feet. The steepest grade is 47%... it is no walk in the park. I plan on taking it slow, plenty of breaks for water and pictures. I'm not worrying about how long - just getting to the top. The trail back down is narrow, rocky and twists and turns. It has descending inclines of up to over 25%. It is 3.1 miles downhill. 

I feel confident that if I can make it to the top this year I will keep to my workout schedule and attempt next year to do it twice in one day. To be able to do that will be a challenge as close as I can get to the Dead Women's Pass on the Inca Trail. I have until March of 2026 to get in shape for it. But right now my focus is on the Manitou Incline. 

The Joy of Reading

 I am an avid reader. I read on my lunch break, before bed, and any other quiet times I get. When I go somewhere where I know I will have to wait (oil change in my car, Doctor's office) I have something to read. I have a Kindle that I carry with me. Sometimes it will have the only book I am reading, other times I will have a physical book that I read while I am at home. All my books by Thich Nhat Han about Buddhism are physical books. I also will have others that were either gifts or a book I knew I wanted to keep. I buy most of my books from a used bookseller on Ebay. I recently purchased four books from them. I already finished Beast of a Little Land, by Juhea Kim. It was an excellent historical novel set in Korea from the late 1910's to the early 1960's. I am currently reading the Midnight Library, by Matt Haig. It had been on my list of books to read but I kept putting it off. I must say though that I am really enjoying it. It hits home as I sometimes wonder myself how my life would be if I had made different choices.  I am also currently reading on my Kindle The Stars Don't Lie, by Boo Walker. It was a Prime First Read Pick for August. While I was reading it today there was a line that said "Allowing yourself to be absorbed by the largeness of what's out there will put you in a different state of mind. "

Allow yourself to be absorbed into the largeness of what's out there.

It resonates with me as that is how I feel when I hike alone. 

     Lost Maples State Natural Area

The Mental Journey

 The mental journey to get fit can be as big of a challenge as the physical one. The multiple challenges some days just makes me question what the hell am I doing? I look forward to my workouts on the weekend, but the weeknights are more problematic. I am tired at the end of the day. My day is long as I am usually up by 5:30 am, I have a 45 -50 drive into work followed by a full workday and then the long drive home. The gym is usually busier on weeknights then it is on the weekends so getting on my preferred Stair Master and treadmill can be a challenge. They only have two Stair Masters, one has a fan blowing directly on it, it is the one I prefer, the other one only catches an occasional breeze. I get overheated easily when I am on that one and have to cut my workout short. Last evening it was the one I had to use. It was frustrating as the young mother that took the other one was just placing her water bottle and phone on my favorite one as I walked in. She then spent five minutes stretching before actually getting on the machine. She then did a very slow pace ( 25spm) and was often hopping on and off to go tend to her daughter that was being a nuisance. I only made it to 1200 steps before deciding to go do  more intense workout on the treadmill. I did get on my favorite treadmill that has a good breeze from a nearby fan. I was distracted while on it though as the daughter of the lady on the Stair master started playing around on the treadmill next to me. I was really surprised she didn't injure herself as she was increasing the speed and incline (she was too small to see what buttons she was pushing). I cannot fathom why people bring small kids to the gym and just let them run wild. I really have to bite my tongue to not scold them. I really am a bit too introverted for the fitness center, but I've no other choice if I want to get fit. I easily get stressed when there are people around. Luckily the weekends when I go seem to be a prime time for us oldies to exercise and it usually isn't  too busy. I do make a point on Sundays of getting there when it opens as it is usually very quiet for the first half hour. 

Self- doubt is another challenge I face. Am I biting off more than I can chew (as the saying goes)? The days I struggle with my workout makes me wonder if I will be fit enough to take on these treks and hikes. Then there is the photos I see of some of these hikes.... some are terrifying, others are inspiring.

This one of the Manitou Incline terrifies me.

This one inspires me.

It is much the same with the Inca trail and Everest Base Camp trek.  There are so many inspirational sights to see, but some aspects of the treks are quite daunting. I am more nervous about the Inca trail as there isn't an option to go on it at your own pace. The only way to do it is with a group that is led by a licensed company. For the EBC trek I will hire a private guide/porter and can go at my own pace. I know it will be a long trek though at very high altitudes. 

Staying healthy is another concern. I am 65 years old. I will be 66 by my camping/hiking trip to Big Bend National park, and I will be 67 when I go to Peru, and nearly 68 when I go to Nepal. I do not feel old. I am in excellent health. I exercise, I eat healthy, I do try to stay positive. I meditate and do yoga daily too. I just need to avoid injuries. I always hike with poles. I wear appropriate footwear. I hydrate with plenty of water and I don't take risks. I really should not let the "what ifs" worry me. 

I just need to stay on track and keep focused on the goal. I need to look at how far I have come in the past year. I know that this Autumn's trip to Colorado will either boost my confidence or beat me back down. It is a lot of pressure to succeed on these hikes I have planned. I need to be determined, and to know that it is not a race to get to the top. I just need to get there at my own pace. I see people posting every day that make it. I know that I am as capable as they are. 

I can do this...

Right?

 

Journeys

 The week started off a bit tough.  I awoke Monday morning to some knee pain. I put on my knee-brace then headed off to work. I wore it again on Tuesday and it was really feeling better by the end of the day. I wasn't able to go to the gym though as I had a appointment for a haircut that evening. I was planning on going to the gym on Wednesday, but as I stepped out of the car when I got home I felt a sharp pain in my left knee so I knew I would have to skip the workout. I put on the knee brace once again and rested my leg for the evening. I wore the brace again all day Thursday and felt well enough to go workout that evening. I hopped on the Stair-master thinking I would do maybe 1500 steps then get on the treadmill. It was a tough workout, but my knee held up. By the time I hit 1500 steps the treadmills were all busy so I stayed on the stair-master until I hit 2000 steps. I was done then and headed home. It was probably the most difficult stair workout I had ever done. I'm not sure why, but I was glad to walk out of the gym. This morning (Friday) my knee was a little sore so I put the knee-brace back on. I think tomorrow's workout will focus on the treadmill, I might do 1000 steps on the stair-master first, but I'll see how it goes tomorrow. 

Campsite reservations opened for the dates I was planning to go to Big Bend National Park next winter. I reserved five nights for myself plus one. I'm thinking my daughter will probably join me. But if not her maybe my grandson will come. The two big hikes I have planned for there are located near the campground. A third one will be a drive to the river canyons. I also hope to do a tour across the river into Mexico while we are there. I may finish up the week with a night at the Indian Lodge at Davis Mountain State Park if I can get a reservation. They have been closed for renovations since February of 2023. They hope to re-open this Autumn. My daughter and I stayed there five years ago and just loved it. We will also hopefully go to the McDonald Observatory while there... another favorite of ours. 

So another trip to look forward to. I know we haven't even been to Colorado yet, but Campgrounds fill up fast during the winter at Big Bend. Too hot to go there in the Summer! I am really excited to hike there. We didn't get the opportunity to do so when we were there five years ago as it was too hot (early May) and we didn't have a lot of time to spend there. I'm just hoping we don't freeze while we are there this time. 

The trip to Big Bend  and success hiking there will be one of my final tests before I decide to book the trip to Peru and the Inca trail. I will need to decide after it as I will need to contact the agency that will organize the volunteer work that I want to do before I start the trek. I will also need to look into agencies that do the 5 day trek instead of the traditional 4 day one to see what dates they will have available. The Inca Trail and Machu Pichu tours can sell out up to six months in advance. I will also start looking into getting a volunteer job in Nepal fairly soon as I want to get a placement near Salieri in the Himalayan area. I am hoping to get placed at a Monastery teaching English, but also so I can get more in depth learning about Buddhism myself.  So much to look forward to. Now just to stay healthy and injury free.        

        Big Bend National Park

GOAL!

 Friday, August 2nd I took a day off work to tackle some projects around the house. I made time to go to the gym on Friday afternoon as I had to skip my Thursday evening workout. I had decided to do as many steps as I could on the stair master. I set my pace at 55 steps per minute. I would drop the speed when I took a drink of water and then would go to 50 steps a minute for a few and then back to 55. I knew when I hit 1800 total steps I could keep going and go for the goal of 2000. I did it and in under 40 minutes! My goal when I started was to reach 2000 steps by early September. I was a month ahead of my target. I finished my workout with 25 minutes on the treadmill.

My Saturday workout was treadmill only for an hour. I varied the incline: 5 minutes at 3%, 5 minutes at 8.5%, 10 minutes at 15%, 5 minutes at 7.5%, then repeat. 3%, 8.5%, 15%, 7.5%, 3%. I finished with a five minute cool down at 1%.  I think that was harder on my body than the 2000 steps. 

On Sunday I repeated the Friday workout. I am going to hold at 2000 steps until I can easily complete them. It is still quite the challenge to get there. I was so excited to do so. My confidence has soared! I even rewarded myself with  new blue-tooth noise cancelling headphones. I hope that they work better than my old-fashioned wired ear-buds. 

So I continue to make plans for this Autumns big hikes in Colorado. Myself and my daughter are both so excited and impatient for it to get here. I do need to sort through my camping gear and see if I need anything else. I think I am mostly outfitted for it and I sent my daughter a list of things she could use. I think I am about ready... mentally and physically to accomplish those goals there.