Hill Work Starts Now

I'm 5 weeks away from finishing phase one of my Super Hike Training. Phase One's goal is to get to a 10 hour hike. It's planned for October 25. Phase One is about mental stick-to-tiveness as much as increasing time on my feet.

Phase Two's focus will be on physical strength. Climbing and core work. Starting tonight I've begun overlapping Phase One and Phase Two. Thursdays are for hills (or stairs) and yoga Mondays start next week.

I started tonight with 4 hill repeats on the 8th street hill in Media. My goal tonight was to pick a number I knew I could finish. 4 sounded good. It occurs to me that maybe that's too small but I figure I have plenty of time to build it up. And next week I have no excuse not to do it since I'm only adding one more. And one more the week after that and so on. Mind game? Maybe but if it works it's all good. So tonight I power walked up the hill three times and jogged the fourth. Next week 5 repeats probably 3 and 2. And so on each week. When I get to ten I'll find a steeper hill and start again. At least that's the plan.

No hiking this weekend though. I'm doing the Schuylkill River Heritage National Park bike ride. I'm really looking forward to it. Approximately 30 miles each day. Hopewell Furnace to Valley Forge on Saturday and Valley Forge to Independence Hall on Sunday.