AT's AT Hiking Training Plan, Week Twenty-Five

Weeks: September 16 - September 21 (6 Days)
Miles Hiked (Total Period): 4.13
Miles Hiked (September): 12.69
Miked Hiked (September Goal): 30

Miles Hiked (Yearly Total): 149.44

Pounds Lost: 2.4
Percentage to Next Milestone: 47.00%
Pounds Lost (Total):  20.0
Weekly Goal Met: No
Nights Camped (Weeks): 0
Nights Camped (Total): 5
Nights Camped (Backpacking): 0

Another week, another steady move in the right direction. I got one good hike in, this time amid the pines and oaks of White Pines Forest State Park near Oregon, Illinois. Best of all, it included three evenings where I pushed past the dinner problem I frequently have. This was despite several days being long work days, and thus more challenging.

AT's AT Hiking Training Plan, Week Twenty-Four

Weeks: September 9 - September 15 (7 Days)
Miles Hiked (Total Period): 6.86
Miles Hiked (September): 8.56
Miked Hiked (September Goal): 30

Miles Hiked (Yearly Total): 145.31

Pounds Lost: 3.8
Percentage to Next Milestone: 35.00%
Pounds Lost (Total):  17.6
Weekly Goal Met: Yes
Nights Camped (Weeks): 0
Nights Camped (Total): 5
Nights Camped (Backpacking): 0

After several weeks without more than a mile or two of hiking, I get someone back to form in week twenty-five with over six miles. And unlike some of my recent hikes I hiked the roller coaster of a trail at Indian Lake County Park in Dane County, Wisconsin. Other than a hike up Forest Glen's infamous Hawk Hill in July, it was by far the toughest hike I've done since I got back from the southern Appalachians.

AT's AT Hiking Training Plan, Week Twenty-Three

Weeks: September 3 - September 8 (6 Days)
Miles Hiked (Total Period): 1.7
Miles Hiked (September): 1.7
Miked Hiked (August Goal): 30

Miles Hiked (Yearly Total): 138.45

Pounds Lost: 2.4
Percentage to Next Milestone: 16.00%
Pounds Lost (Total):  13.8
Weekly Goal Met: Yes
Nights Camped (Weeks): 0
Nights Camped (Total): 5
Nights Camped (Backpacking): 0

Week Twenty-Four was a rather ho-hum week. After a tough week of work, I took the weekend pretty easy, but did get out to hike Sunday afternoon. Although not a difficult hike, it was a pleasant hike at Schaumburg's Spring Valley Nature Preserve. Schaumburg and its residents should be proud of this park, as it is large for a city park, seems to be well kept, and has plenty of woods, prairies, and ponds to explore. My short hike only took me on a portion of the several trails available, and I'll definitely be going back there in the future. My plans for this weekend are still up in the air, but the weather looks like it will be a true fall weekend, with temperatures in the 60s during the day.

AT's AT Hiking Training Plan, Weeks Twenty, Twenty-One, and Twenty-Two

Weeks: August 11 - September 2 (23 Days)
Miles Hiked (Total Period): 2.2
Miles Hiked (August): 11.4
Miles Hiked, (August Goal): 40
Miles Hiked (September): 0.0
Miked Hiked (August Goal): 30

Miles Hiked (Yearly Total): 134.55

Pounds Lost: 2.2
Percentage to Next Milestone: 4.00%
Pounds Lost (Total):  11.4
Weekly Goal Met: Yes
Nights Camped (Weeks): 0
Nights Camped (Total): 5
Nights Camped (Backpacking): 0

In terms of hiking, August was a lost month. After a slow start with 9.2 miles after the first two weekends, I only hiked another 2.2 miles the rest of the month. Part of this was because of being busy with other things, but the biggest reason for my failure to hit the goal was due to a case of poison ivy. This mess robbed me of any desire to go hiking, particularly on trails that weren't paved or wide paths devoid of hazards like poison ivy.