How long have you been an FFC member?
-I joined this past spring within days of signing up for a backpacking trip in the Pacific Northwest.
What inspired you to join FFC?
-Fear (kidding, sort of). I’d never backpacked before and 4 days on the Pacific Crest Trail, hiking 9, 10, and 13 miles on the first three days in 100+ degree heat with over 40 lbs on my back, felt like a huge undertaking. Plus, the last big day of hiking included upwards of 1400 feet of elevation gain within the first three miles. In addition to training walks that I could do on my own, I wanted to get stronger.-
Tell us more about your goal of hiking the PCT and how FFC (and Angela and our other service providers) helped you meet your goal?
-When I joined FFC, I told Zach that my goal was surviving this hiking trip and I needed to get stronger. He paired me with Angela and we went to work! All of our workouts focused on whole body strength training. Most importantly, she showed me that I could do things that I’d never done before and could do more of it than I thought I could. We did a bunch of weight lifting with barbells, flipping tires, and pushing a weighted cart that we affectionately named “Chelsea.” I liked Angela’s style of telling me to do as much as I can – not worried about if it’s 8 reps a set or 12 – and then challenging me to try a little more weight and see how it goes.
If anyone is looking to accomplish a similar feat, what words of wisdom can you offer?
-Go for it, but train! When tackling the major uphill slog on that third day, I kept telling myself “you trained for this, you trained for this” followed by “one foot in front of the other.”
Anything else you’d like to add?
-A day before I headed out on the hike, I walked into a store in Portland wearing a pair of gym shorts. The owner remarked “you have strong legs!” That was another mantra I repeated to myself throughout the hike :) Throughout my training I could feel my arms, back, and legs getting stronger.
