New Valley Hills

It’s that time of year – urgh! Cold, wet, short days, and long nights, giving reduced opportunity for carefree outdoors adventures.

The festive season is long gone yet I’m still carrying a tire round my midriff. That splendiferous hiking shirt bought for the first section in the desert doesn’t fit at the mo.

The physical prep is almost complete – that 20/20/2000 goal will be reached within 3 weeks. I’m already at 17miles/18kg/2000 feet with my training hikes.
Trouble is, can I do it every day not just once a week? My mind is gnawing away at me. Am I the endurance athlete I want and need to be? Self-doubt can creep in around the edges.

I took a week off physical training due to a head cold – these typically hit me bad due to congenitally constrained sinuses and eustachian tubes. I took the time to read self-help guides, for both body and mind, and re-watch some of my favourite PCT films.
My sister recently asked me for a list of films I’d recommend. In no particular order here are the films and books I use:-

• Film “It is the people” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiVbB7Pf2lY
• Film “Only the essential” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8A0ad_2mPc
• Film “A Pacific Crest Trail Coddiwomple Documentary” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgWAvNRH-eo
• Film “Coddiwomple II: A Pacific Crest Trail Documentary” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mES7uM1TkFY
• Film “The Art of Walking” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzCZdMyQuQ0
• Hollywood movie “Wild”. Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tn2-GSqPyl0
• Book “Surviving Section A: Surviving the first 100 miles and beyond on the Pacific Crest Trail” https://amzn.eu/d/i5iWu6h
• Book “The Pacific Crest Trail: Hiking the PCT from Mexico to Canada” https://amzn.eu/d/arOxI4S
• Book “The Ultimate Hiker’s Gear Guide, 2nd Edition: Tools and Techniques to Hit the Trail” https://amzn.eu/d/aobc9fI
• https://amzn.eu/d/gVei4iu
• Book “Happy Feet Happy Hike: The Ultimate Hiking Guide to Eliminate Foot and Ankle Injuries” https://amzn.eu/d/9hUv1BI

And still on the bookshelf:-

• Book “Adventure Revolution: The life-changing power of choosing challenge” https://amzn.eu/d/bs8cACa
• Book “Pacific Crest Trials: A Psychological and Emotional Guide to Successfully Thru-Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail” https://amzn.eu/d/0FXMiTm
• Book “Fixing Your Feet: Injury Prevention and Treatment for Athletes” https://amzn.eu/d/1hxU3UO

Launch date is 86 days away. A friend said to me last week “don’t peak to soon!”. Wise words; if I could start tomorrow I would – I’m that ready! Some of the international virtual group I’m a part of for training start their PCT adventure nearly two months before I do. I anticipate torture as I follow along their social media presence while I’m waiting my turn. Can I resolve not to look, or do I want to cheer them?

On the plus side, on the rare occasion it stops raining mid-week I have the hills to myself for training. Fresh, cool air.
On another plus, in a month I’m doing two longish day walks organised by Crickhowell Walking Festival https://www.crickhowellfestival.com. One of which is described as “The Llanbedr Horseshoe is one of the great challenge walks in the Black Mountains”, while the other “The Big Four Beacons Tops, plus a Diving Board, all in a classic linear walk”.

Nature is beginning to wake from the winter. Snowdrops are out, daffodils are just round the corner. The neighbourhood barn owl is swooping away in the back field. Life isn’t all doom and gloom!