AT's AT Hiking Training Plan, Week Four

Week: April 22 - April 28 (7 Days)
Miles Hiked (Week): 7.34
Miles Hiked (April): 20
Miles Hiked, (April Goal): 20
Miles Hiked (Yearly Total): 26.40
Pounds Gained: 5.8
Percentage to Next Milestone: 0%
Pounds Lost (Total):  0
Weekly Goal Met: No
Nights Camped (Week): 0
Nights Camped (Total): 2
Nights Camped (Backpacking): 0

OK, so the first half of week four was the textbook definition of a bad week. Things just kind of fell apart, in large part to work stress, and I just got off track. I am pretty shocked that it went that bad, but apparently it did.



It was certainly a bad week. So bad that I considered not reporting it this morning, and just focusing on the good (more on that later). But even though I would have reported it next week, that would violate the purpose of these posts and my plan. What good are these weekly check-ins if I am just bending them and manipulating them to spin the best possible result for me? As embarrassed and a little frightened by the result of this past week as I am, to withhold it would be even worse. Better to just rip the bandage off, air it out, and do better the next week.

Without optimism, achieving anything over the next two years will be impossibly difficult. Therefore, I'd like to focus on the good that happened in this week. As bad as the front of the week was, the back half was pretty good. Sure, I could have eaten better or hiked at a faster pace, which would have made the week not as bad. However, I hit over seven miles, each of which included some strenuous up and down climbs. Most importantly, I was able to hit my month's hiking goal. The goals keep going up from here, so seven miles will become a low mileage week instead of a high one.

So where do I go from here? There is only one direction I can go, which is forward. I just have to shake off this bad week, and do better. Already things are looking up, and there's another weekend of hiking awaiting me. Here's hoping it'll be a good week.