[pct-l] Lets have some fun these last weeks before D-Day

["Paul Nickodem" <Dharmabum64@worldnet.att.net>]

Hey All Lets all have some fun and exchange some info on some fun topics
..so I can hit the trail in three weeks with a light heart and a few laughs
as well.

    Question-  What type of training do you do to get ready for a long hike?

Answer-  My pre-hike regime has always been one of simplicity (just like
me!)  I never over train at all.  For I truly believe that the only real way
your going to get ready for 6-10 hours of hiking every day is to hike 6-10
hours every day, no matter what you did you still will go through a trail
fit process when you get on.  I follow a regime much like at British
Mountaineer -Dave Scott who always shows up for his climbs with a good beer
belly on to whittle away on his long climbs.  Not to say I pack it away and
have an extra twenty pounds of flab for the trail, I just don't get on
weight watchers and starve myself for a trail that is going to strip away
any flab I have anyway.  Now I've been on a lot of long distance treks so I
know what my body goes through over the months so I don't recommend the
"Beer and Ben and Jerry's" Diet to everyone.  I just try and have some great
meals before I leave to make up for the non variety I'm going to put my body
through in the coming months.
The best physical activity I personally do to train for long hikes is my
snowshoeing.  I snowshoe up the 6000 ft Chugach mountains all around
Anchorage and then I snowboard back down and do it over again...and again,
and again.  I think the most important thing is to not tear yourself down
for the hike, I do mix in some light weight training as well, but no
running.  I don't want to put my knees and ankles through anymore pounding
then they are already going to receive.  Then I go on trail and for the most
part it all works out, but that's just me its my system I've worked out over
ten years or so.  Everyone else has something different I'm sure and I would
love to hear it!
Cheers
Dharmabum


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