A Challenge

All my adult life I've been into challenges that would include endurance.

In college, I was on the first ever Cross Country team that school had. I tried out and got a spot on the team. Back then you couldn't buy women's running shoes. I was wearing canvas deck shoes for my try out.
I eventually got a pair of boys size 6 leather Adidas. They were heavy, and ugly but they were running shoes.

In my 20's I enjoyed 5 and 10K's. I tried a half marathon 13.1 miles, but didn't enjoy it much. I think I was trying too hard and the temperatures at that race were surprisingly hot.

I turned to bicycling in my 30's. I could bike to work, I could bike on the trails close by. Eventually, my sister and I did a 48 hour trip on our bikes. We traveled 140 miles in two days. We crossed off another adventure.

For a while I didn't do anything in the distance arena until I moved to where I currently live. I met a lady who did Endurance Riding on her Arab. I joined her on my mule named Badger. He loved it. We rode 25 mile rides. We never 'won' anything. It wasn't a 'race'. It was all about getting from point A to B with an animal in excellent shape.

When I lost Badger, I took up casual hiking. Nothing intense, nothing tough, and mostly just walking along the woods and county parks with my dog looking for scenery.

In January of 2018 I decided to try the Kickapoo Valley Trail Challenge. Hikers could get a list of all the trails at the Reserve and hike each one, marking them off. The Challenge was to finish all 68+ miles in one year. That got sidetracked but I finally accomplished that goal in 2022. It involved many short hikes but I learned all of the trails in the 8,900 acre Reserve. 

Since then, I've done fun hiking. When I go with Charlie we just move along at his pace. I stop often to look at things and just dawdle along if I feel like it.

I did a route that is used for the Tromp and Chomp when I turned 65. I enjoyed that long distance hike so much, that I do it every year to celebrate my birthday now.

I recently saw a cool challenge called the Mammoth March Wisconsin ~ It offers a hike challenge of 20 or 30 miles in one day.  It is a registered event and you get goodies for doing it. However, it is 3 hours away from where I live and I'd need coverage at home.

The state of Wisconsin also has the Ice Age Trail. That is something I'd love to do...at least portions of it. Unfortunately I can't spend that kind of time away from home. I'd be travelling all over the state to do segments.

When I visited my son, his wife, and Rory, we hiked part of the Ice Age Trail. Those guys are doing  monthly hiking challenges on the Ice Age Trail.  Of course, that got me thinking.

Why not set up an unofficial challenge for myself? Why not see if I can match that 20 miler? Is it even possible for an old 'fart' to do that?

So I sat down and got my map of KVR out, marked the trails out with mileage from their information and created what I thought was a 10 mile loop.

I figured that on the rough terrain, Charlie and I usually do about 25 to 30 minutes a mile. In my estimate, that would take me 4 hours give or take.

Our usual long hikes together are at least 6 miles. I figured 10 would be a cool goal. IF I could do 6, I could do 10, if I could do 10 I could shoot for 15. Well, you see the pattern, right?

I misjudged the mileage or the GPS did. No matter. Below is a screen capture of my Saturday hike.

 I did not take Charlie. I wanted to hike steady without all the breaks that we take together. Plus I didn't want to carry him as I usually do. 

I thought this would be a good indicator of my abilities. 

Things I learned. I could walk/hike hard for over 3 hours. I picked the right shoes for it too. My Trail Runners provided my feet with better support than my hiking boots. My backpack sucks. SUCKS. Really sucks. [It is a cheap backpack from Wally world]. 

I can hike fast! For a few of the miles, I maintained 15 minute miles!

The average time overall that included 3 stops to talk to people who asked me questions -- and pee breaks [yes, that happens!] was doing

18 minutes a mile.

I routed my hike so that the first 8 miles were the rough stuff. The up and down hills, over rocks, roots, and stumps stuff. The last 2.5 miles was along a paved bike/walking trail.

My body appreciated that.

I told hubby that my feet got tender at 8 miles. At 9 I wondered about my sanity. At 9.5 they stopped hurting. No, they didn't go numb. They just stopped hurting. At 10 miles I thought, okay...I should be finished.

I wasn't. I had nearly another mile and a half to get to my car. But I felt energized and confident and quite frankly, a bit full of myself.

I did a Thing! I did a self Challenge!

And, I was not sore on Sunday morning!

Some pictures. I didn't take too many.

Kickapoo River Bridge 15

Mile 5 looking out across the Valley from 
Hanson Rock Trail.

Mile 9 looking back at Hanson Rock trail from the valley!

The pink arrow below shows you where I was on the Ridge.

Just cool trails near Hanson Rock Ridge.

And....mini me....

Happy Trails!

Dear Coach

This is written to my Coach[s] from Viroqua CrossFit. Each week the coaches ask us to share our bright spots and that can be in or out of the gym.

So I'm going to share my Bright Spots which are a cumulation of things that are positive that happened not just in the gym but because of the gym.

Friday I was working out with my Coach Angie. Since spring, she has been coaching and helping me work on strengthening and conditioning for my lower spine and hips. 

While I was catching my breath from a Tabata, I told her how much things had changed over the summer for me. I surprised myself this past week while cleaning my old saddle that I hadn't used in years.

The saddle was no longer seemed too heavy for me to lift and set on Sunshine. Wait.

Now that I think about it. I almost never used that saddle since my first of two shoulder surgeries and elbow surgery. Rich always had to help me with it. 

Huh. Did the saddle get lighter, or did I get stronger?

Nearly a year ago I was told I had Severe Osteoporosis in my lower back and right hip. The back was a huge concern. 

It made me want to stop and question every movement I made. How could I feed my equine? How could I carry water? I was suddenly terrified of doing almost anything at all!

My doctor wanted me to only hike with another person for my own safety or take walks only within cell phone range. 

My goodness. Suddenly I doubted everything I was able to do. Suddenly I was acting like a crippled person and second guessing everything.

I was miserable, so I decided to see what going back to the gym would do for me.

The Mobility Class was offered at the gym and I thought that was a great place to start. Then I signed up with a coach for one on one specific training.

What were my goals? 
My goals were simple. Increase my core strength with workouts. Keep my mobility and balance.

I am accomplishing a my goals with Coach Angie. She gives me what I can handle and kept me moving correctly with weight bearing exercises which are exactly what is suggested for Osteoporosis. She challenges me in an awesome way and I don't have to try to figure out what I should be doing. She is constantly evaluating my progress.

What were my Bright Spots for the week?

Doing Mobility with others and seeing individual improvement in others and myself.

Feeling awesome after one-on-one training.

Riding again ~

Exploring on my own again ~

I am proud to say that my CrossFit box makes a difference in my life directly. The coaches and fellow gym members are like family. I can't help but feel positive after interacting with them.

Feeling ME again ~

Setting goals and boundaries

Sometimes just a change in pace and setting up goals are what could be needed for changing a person's outlook. My outlook.

Tai Chi is another tool to use. Rich and I did it together for a while to assist with his depression and PTSD. He felt relaxed and in a better place after we did a 30 minute lesson together. It was put on by the VA mental health folks in Madison. We had received a video to practice with at home. It fell by the wayside of course.

However, I transferred the mindfulness relaxation exercise to my computer files so I could bring it up later. 
I'd forgotten all about it until another blogger mentioned Tai Chi.

I was not brought up to be open to things like Yoga/Pilates/Tai Chi. Hard work was our exercise and tension release.

Now I'm a bit more open to other ideas. Why not? After 3 days of Beginner's Yoga and giving myself a mindfulness break, I am feeling quite chilled out.

I set boundaries for us too. My hikes will be on Thursdays weather permitting. I messaged my hiking pal with that info too. I'm not going to constantly rearrange my hike times for his schedule. [This was a helpful tip from my son]

I felt stuck in a rut like a little gerbil on a caged wheel. Perhaps these things will help. I don't feel so stuck right now. Not much has changed other than an attitude adjustment and of course making some goals.

Morning view from the porch

Evening view to the west

Today's events include a hike at KVR. I'll be doing a quiet relaxing hike with Charlie while exploring a new trail. Well, a new trail to us.

Below: Long lens across the field to my neighbor's lower yard. I guess these does want to play soccer!

Challenges...

This is the map of part of the Kickapoo Valley Reserve. I took the map of the southwestern topographic map and overlayed it onto the Tromp and Chomp running route that KVR put together.
The trail run can be an 8 mile run or a 13.1 mile run. I can say I am not a fan of half marathons so I won't even try it in a trail run.

It has been so many years since I even attempted something like this. But one of my CrossFit pals was talking about it and I decided a goal for Spring would be a good idea.

Now this sounds totally insane for me right? I went out the other day for a 'run'. Let's just say it wasn't a run like 7 or even 8 minute miles. That train left MY station a very long time ago. I left any devices that could record my 'time' at home and went out to see if I could still enjoy a 'run'.
Funny thing is. I followed my son's advice and I ran, toddled, jogged, moved...whatever you'd like to call it for 2.5 miles. When I struggled hard on a hill, I slowed to a hard fast walk and recovered to go again.

When I reached our mailbox, I felt really quite good inside and outside. My feet still felt light my legs were not heavy. Nothing was broken!

Okay, two miles and a half won't get me down an 8 mile trail run will it? So I ran again yesterday. Only a mile, as our CrossFit workout in the morning was a killer workout.
The first half of the mile was a struggle, like jogging/running through soup. The last half was light and easy.
I picked up the mail and headed down the slippery driveway thanking my ancestors for good knees.

My son Eddie, has done many trail runs and he is advising me on how to approach this goal. Run a bit, walk a bit because the terrain won't allow you to actually run when you are going over boulders, roots, and through mud.
And I have hiked these trails over and over that are on the map. I agree. Parts of Little Canada can be beastly and require my hiking skills.

These are some photos from a past winter hike...I was incredibly amused by the trail markers...
Horses upside down and broken bikes. Does this mean it is a really difficult trail?

A swift hiker can do well in a trail 'race'. But my goal is NOT a race against others. It is a goal of can I do it?
Can I get set this goal and achieve it just before I turn 64.
I like challenges and goals.
That is how I live my life.

No runs today or tomorrow. Perhaps on Saturday or Sunday. Unless I can get to KVR and hike this trail again. It is a fun one.