Training your body for a 2,650 mile walk is not like training for a marathon. You simply cannot train for a 2,650 mile walk.
However there are lots of things we can do to help strengthen our bodies, build up our cardiovascular stamina whilst helping to prevent injury.
I love signing up to events like a 10k run, this gives me a goal and also provides my training with a sense of purpose. The PCT on the other hand is a completely different beast!
We are both quite active people anyway, albeit we can both be very lazy at times, but I recognise that our training has to be more specific to walking and carrying load.
Since January I have made a conscious effort to increase the amount of physical activity I do each week with a mix of cardiovascular training, strength training and walking.
Once a week I attend a mega circuit class which I love! This gives me a full body workout and highlights the areas of weakness I need to work on. Over the past few months we have dedicated one day a week to do a walk ~ 15 miles. I appreciate this doesn't seem much however when you work full time mon-fri it is difficult to fit more miles into the week. So with this in mind I run at least once a week and also love to indulge in Les Mills on demand classes that include a mix of combat, spinning and step aerobics (gotta love the 90's!).
When I walk, I walk in the shoes and socks I intend to hike the PCT in. At the moment I am comfortable with the Topo Ultradventure trail trainers and Injinji socks. This allows my feet to get used to the shoe and I have time to sort out any issues before we get on trail.
As we get closer to our start date we will start to add load to our weekly walks and adapt our training slightly to be more specific.
I am also very mindful of not doing too much, there has to be a gradual progression otherwise I run the risk of injury. And I know all too well about injuries!
Last summer on our coast to coast walk I badly sprained my ankle and it has taken months to recover, honestly I don't think it will ever be the same. Recovering from an injury is very frustrating especially for someone who can't sit still. But I have learnt that recovery takes time and patience, and how important it is to reduce the risk of injury by stretching and allowing your body to rest.
As we begin the PCT we plan on doing no more than 15 miles per day for the first week, letting our bodies get used to the environment (remember its cold in the UK!) and the weight. Hopefully it won't take us long to get our 'hiker legs'.
We intend on taking a small cork ball which can be used on tight muscles and on the under foot. I also want us to get into a religious routine of stretching each day which will hopefully help to reduce the risk of injury. Who knows I might be a yogi by the end of it!!
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