I finally found the time and effort to go for a 3 mile hike in the hills behind our house!
It’s been almost two months since I started training and here we are, my first time going 3 miles in one hike. It seems like a pitiful amount. I used to be able to hike 5 miles no problem. And when thinking of walking 8-12 miles nearly every day for three weeks on the Tahoe Rim Trail, I know that I am far from my goal.
However, I am happy with the hike in that I was hiking through snow (again), I gained quite a bit of elevation, I didn’t feel too bad on the hike, and I didn’t feel too horrible the next day.
I said in my post about my training goals that I want to get to where I am hiking 3 miles in one hour while carrying a pack just about every day.
Well, I am proud that in two months I have graduated from only going 1 mile each day to 2 miles fairly consistently, and now bumping it up to 3 miles here and there.
I know I’d be even further along if I hadn’t broken a rib and been laid up for several weeks. Hmmm, sounds like how I feel about our house construction. And speaking of building our house, I’d have waaaay more time to hike if I didn’t have a house to build. But, if I keep this training pace up, I know that in just a few more months I’ll be at my daily hike goals. And if I can hike 3 miles in one hour, gaining 500+ feet in elevation in 1½ miles, while carrying a pack and do that on a consistent basis, then I’m pretty sure I’ll have no problem hiking longer distances when I have all day to do it.
So, my first 3-mile hike was a success. Soon I need to try carrying my daypack again. I haven’t carried it since I broke the rib. But I think I’m healed enough to start carrying it again. Not that I need to carry a lot when I’m only going a mile or two from home. But if you want to be able to carry a heavy pack, you’ve gotta train by carrying a pack.
Oh, and as a side note, snow isn’t all that bad to hike in. Not only does it help the training (by making things harder), but it can be fun as well.
Happy Trails
-MammaBear
Journey in the Wilderness 