I was just looking back at a post from a year ago to see how far I have come. I was struggling to do 300 steps on my Stair Stepper. That and yoga were the extent of my workouts. I am now going to the gym twice a week, doing well over 1000 steps on the Stair Master, followed by one hour on the treadmill with forty minutes of that at the 15% incline. My hikes have increased substantially in difficulty and my recovery is quick. I have no problems doing 5 to 8 mile hikes several days in a row. I've gone with just surviving 500 - 600 mile altitude gains to more easily completing hikes with altitude gains of 2000 feet.
I am getting excited about taking on new goals of more challenging hikes. I've ten months until retirement and will probably only get to go to Manitou Springs in the Autumn before then. I will keep pushing myself at the gym and maybe do a few local hikes just to get outdoors. Oh but once I retire.... I'll either be at the gym or on the trails every day. I am already planning a trip probably next February to Guadalupe Mountains National Park with the goal of making it to the top of Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas. I will also try to get to many of the State parks that have good hiking and camping so I can keep challenging myself to do some long hikes, even if I can't get the altitude gains.
The Inca trail in the Spring of 2026 will be my biggest challenge. It scares me. Day two across Dead Woman's Pass is unlike anything I have done. But when I look at how far I have come in the past year, I know I can be ready to take on the challenge successfully. I just need to stay focused, stay positive and know how great the reward will be to complete these challenges and more.
Top of Guadalupe Peak
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