Three Months To Go

My excitement level for this hike has tripled in the last week. The energy and encouragement from other hikers at the PCT Kickoff really amped me up.

And, my countdown timer is down into double digits! That means in just over three months time, I'll take my picture at the mileage sign at Happy Isles and point to the very bottom of the sign! I'm getting fired up just thinking about it.

A few people have asked me recently how I train for the John Muir Trail. As you may have guessed from the name of my journal, I hike and practice yoga.

I hike between 3 - 7 miles twice during the week, and try to squeeze in a 10 - 15 mile hike on the weekends with a semi-loaded pack. I supplement my hiking with yoga - the perfect cross training activity because it keeps me strong and aligned.

I LOVE yoga and prefer it over running, lifting weights, and climbing stairs because I have done all those things in the past and none of them come close to the benefits of yoga.

Yoga provides me with a great workout, while simultaneously relaxing my body and mind - just like hiking and backpacking. If you've never practiced yoga, you may find it hard to believe that I sweat as much on my mat in 90 minutes as I did when I ran my half marathon. You'll also be surprised how fast your heart can thump inside your chest with such minimal movement. It still surprises me.

Enough about yoga, let's talk backpacking. Although I will use much of my existing gear on the JMT and therefore don't require any shakedown hikes, I'd like to spend a night or two in the backcountry on at least two separate occasions prior to my hike.

Why? Because it's fun and I can! Besides, the mountains have been calling for a while now and those calls are turning into screams because they have gone unanswered for too long. Must silence the voices :)