Hike Your Own Hike.

Recently, I opened Instagram to see the picture above. To see it looming , warning me about my upcoming 10 year High School Reunion. What. The. Heck, where did the time go?

 

4 Things I Learned the Hard Way (so you don’t have to)

 

So last spring/summer I went on the trip of a lifetime (most of you probably already know this, but I am hoping that I am getting some new readers at some point). I spent 5 months backpacking the Appalachian Trail.  I lost some weight, climbed some mountains, made some friends and learned a lot about myself. Since I’ve been back, people have asked me what exactly I learned on the trail, and how it’s changed my life.  While I still feel like the same person, there are a few things that have really stuck with me, and (I think) can be applied to many people’s goals in health and fitness.

Appalachian Trail Extra Credit.

When I was planning my trip on the AT, I scoured the internet for information, resources, and advice.  The information out there was spotty and mostly based on how the AT made them feel.  Those of you who know me well, know that this is not really my style.  I wanted to know about the physical challenges, preparation, etc., but was left somewhat lacking.  Part of that is why I decided to start this blog.  Recently, I received my first real question from a future AT thruhiker! 

You don’t choose your passions.

Since returning from the Appalachian Trail I have been asked the same 2 questions over and over again.  “Did you see any bears?” and probably most frequently, “Why did you do that in the first place?”

First off, yes I saw bears, about 6 in total, mostly in New Jersey.

Secondly, to answer the question of why is to ask a much deeper question. A question that has been asked lots of times, by both curious toddlers and Freshman philosophy students, and that sometimes, there is just no answer to.

“Why?”

The Hidden Costs of Chasing your dream

This isn’t some big “Oh look at how amazing I am, I hiked for so long, and it was so hard.”  This post is about something more amazing that happened.  While on the trail, I realized that I was slightly unlike my fellow hikers.  Sure, I was a white guy in my 20’s with a beard (the most common description of an AT hiker), but I was really the only married guy under 40.  I hiked for 5 months because I wanted to, and because my wife was on board.

The Appalachian trail: by the numbers.

My Appalachian Trail Thru Hike undoubtedly changed my life and my outlook on life. Settling back into life at home, I have struggled with finding the right words to describe how, and why, this trip affected my life (I know, it’s surprising to me too…. I rarely have trouble finding words).  So in an attempt to quantify what could be called the unquantifiable, here’s some of the concrete facts about my trip, starting with distances:

The Real Meaning of Community (Guest Author: Mollie Christiansen)

In CrossFit, we talk a lot about community.  Despite what many people might think, that is the foundation of this new sport.  People coming together from all walks of life, with different skills, experiences, strengths, and weaknesses.  People joining together to push themselves to their limit, and therefore grow, together.  A similar statement could be made about the military community:  it’s communal suffering, mutual understanding of experiences, often called “the biggest Fraternity in the world.”

Logan and I are lucky enough to be a part of both of these special “communities.”  Through them, we have made lifelong friends and lasting relationships.  To all of those people, our friends, family, and even to our acquaintances or those who with we have lost some contact,  I just want to take a moment to say THANK YOU.

Since Logan left for the trail, about 6 weeks ago now, I have felt an unprecedented outpouring of love and support from our family, friends, and even acquaintances.  Because of this, being apart has been a little bit easier.  Because of this, I continue to be in awe of my husband and this crazy dream of his.  Knowing that so many people are rooting for Logan, and for us, is pretty amazing.  Whether it’s a simple “like” on a Facebook post or blog post, a text message just to check in, or those going above and beyond to come over and cut the grass, reaching out to me to help keep me busy, (you all know who you are!), every single one of you are a part of this adventure.

THIS is a community.  It’s not just spending time together at the gym or at work, it’s people who genuinely care and are engaged in each others lives, even when they are thousands of miles away.  People who encourage and support each other, even in the smallest of ways.  Every single one of you reading this blog, or following Logan’s journey on Facebook, is a part of this community, and it’s a community of 172 people!  That’s pretty incredible.

So, for being a part of OUR community, for your support, encouragement and love, I sincerely thank you.

I’m on a journey. So are you (whether you know it or not).

On March 19th, 2015, I started  walking at Springer Mountain in Georgia, and began heading north to Mt. Katahdin, Maine. I hike pretty much every single day.  I’ve been hiking through rain, shine, sleet and, on one occasion, snow (not unlike your friendly neighborhood postman). When the weather is nice, I put on my nice dry (although somewhat smelly) hiking clothes, and smile as I hike. There’s not much better.  However, when it rains I put on my wet clothes, carry my wet tent, and sometimes scowl and my unfortunate luck.

Now I know what you’re thinking: “What does this have to do with me?  I already know you’re hiking every day.”  Here’s the thing thing that you might not realize though, my dear reader: You too are on a journey. For some of you, it might be a lifelong journey of fitness, for others, it’s recovering from an injury, training for an event, going back to school, or furthering your career.  If you really think about what your goals are, I think you will realize that everyone is on their own personal quest.  While my journey might be a little more obvious (and seemingly outlandish), I hope that you can use some of the lessons I am learning out here to accomplish YOUR goals.

You pack your fears…

On this great adventure, there’s a lot of time for reflection and thinking.  I hope to use this time to come home smarter than I was when I left.  This is my first post from the trail, so I’ll share with you, my devoted readers, one thing I have learned so far:

Don’t pack your fears. 

A few days ago, well really a few weeks ago, (sorry… my wife has been slacking at the distance editing!), I was at “Neels Gap.” This is the first real outfitter and stop on the Appalachian Trail.

Pre-trail jitters.

On Wednesday, I leave for the Appalachian Trail.  All of the big boxes are checked:  I’ve taken a leave of absence from my job, (Thanks Amy and Mimi), made a deal with the devil, (Thanks Texas National Guard), and I’ve registered for classes in the fall, (Thanks Texas State University registrar).

By Thursday, I’ll be on a trip I’ve dreamed of since I was a little kid.  Dreams really do come true!

Despite all of my excitement, I’ve been having some mixed feelings about leaving.  In particular, I’m struggling with one very unfamiliar emotion. For the first time in a very long time, I’m worried. Let me explain.