It’s not exactly like I haven’t already been training. I count the shopping trips to buy things for the trip as a pre-training of sorts. I tried on many pairs of hiking boots (apologies to salesman), bought the special wool hiking socks ($20 a piece – seriously?), and even weather tested two jackets before eventually buying the exact same one my hiking-adventure buddy purchased. The thought of us in our twin ensembles on top of a Peruvian mountaintop makes me smile! I’ve also worn my new hiking boots around the house and to walk the dogs almost daily since making the purchase. But this morning I woke with a sense of panic about really getting serious about this training thing.
It’s hard to know exactly how to begin a training program for a hike to Machu Picchu and I do intend to research this and implement a “real” training program, but today I felt like I needed to get started with or without a plan. After walking the dogs on our usual one-mile through the neighborhood trek I drove across town to a trail I’ve wanted to try since we moved here over a year ago, the Gun Club Trail. It isn’t exactly a trail yet, but according to a Facebook page it will be someday. Now it is a two mile road one has to share with automobile traffic.
In west Texas it is difficult to find any elevation, but I gave it my best shot. According to a runner who was kind enough to post the following route: http://www.mapmyrun.com/s/routes/view/run-jog-map/texas/san-angelo/60214096
I can see that the elevation is 1,968.5 feet. Not quite the 8040 feet of Machu Picchu or the 10,800 feet of Cusco, Peru where we will spend three days acclimating to the altitude. Training for high altitude climbing will be a challenge. I’ve heard there is a mask to simulate high altitude, but I feel certain I would be arrested if I attempted to hike while wearing it.
Today I hiked two miles. Tomorrow I will do more. Surely I can get myself in shape in 98 days. My adventure awaits.
1 comment:
Interesting post !
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