Hiking Training Plan: Week 5 Recap

Week: July 15 - July 21
Miles Hiked (Week): 0
Miles Hiked (Month): 9.5
Miles Hiked, (Month Goal): 10
Miles Hiked (Yearly Total): 17.03
Pounds Lost (Week): 0.6
Pounds Lost (Total): 10.2

Sometimes it is good to just take a weekend and relax. I had intended to make it out to Forest Glen while I was home visiting my family, but rain and lethargy kept me from it. Considering this, and how poorly I ate over the weekend, I'm a bit surprised that I ended up losing weight for the week. I've gotten pretty good at figuring out how to keep at it during the week. Weekends, however, are still a problem.

So, here I sit, with only one weekend left in July and a half mile left to hit my monthly goal. I suppose now would be a good time to share what constitutes a hike. Basically, any amount of walking that is either done with a pack on my back, or is done on a surface that isn't paved, or is a trail in nature. In other words, there is some leeway. For example, road walking at a state park or forest preserve would count as hiking, but walking along a road in my neighborhood does not. Basically, if I'm doing it after work, it is walking, not hiking. As such, I only really have two days to hit that goal. I think I can hike half a mile either Saturday or Sunday.

With the significant loss of weight, I've been noticing my clothes fitting better. I've also noticed an increase in energy, and an improvement in how I handle inclines and strenuous terrain. Instead of being absolutely spent when I go uphill, and I'm now only mostly spent. It's a small but noticeable improvement.