Hiking: “the activity of going for long walks, especially in the country or woods.”

To me, hiking is one of the best forms of mindful movement, where you are fully able to disconnect from reality and give your all to that moment. It truly is therapy, medicine, and magic. Every hike is unique in its own way, presenting different challenges and lessons. Phones go on silent and you can become one with nature. Some of my most favorite conversations and creative ideas have come from getting lost in the woods. 

Last year, I was gifted a 52 hike challenge. You had to complete 52 different, at minimum one mile hikes during the course of the year and 2020 couldn’t have been a better year to escape reality and get outside. Those 52 weeks simply solidified that my heart and soul are meant to get lost (& found) in nature. 

I could talk about hiking and nature all day long, but the point of this blog is to fill you in on some mistakes that were made so you can learn from them before you do your first 14er! 

What is a 14er?

A 14er can be any length / difficulty, but has a peak of at least 14,000ft of elevation and last year I had the honor of completing the tallest one in North America, Mount Elbert. While it may not be the most challenging of all 14ers, it was my first, in which I may not have been entirely prepared for and maybe a little overzealous. 

Here’s why (It’s okay to laugh and shake your head at me, I still do it to this day). This list was made out of pure fun and hindsight of course, so please note the hike was magical and quite the adventure regardless of the circumstances. 

10 things you shouldn’t do before hiking your first 14er

1. Run your first half marathon in the mountains 2 days prior 

While it was an amazing experience, running a half marathon in 10,000+ elevation than what you’re used to, THEN planning a big hike two days after, leaves the body zero time to recover and prepare! 

2. Not give yourself enough time to acclimate to local elevation 

It was a quick trip, so I arrived one day before the race and hiked the 14er two days after, making it a bit hard to give the body enough time to acclimate.

3. Not eat enough calories before or during 

Once I realized the ENTIRE hike up was a large incline (1,000ft per mile) I just wanted to get to the top, leaving me little time to realize I was even hungry!

4. Drink less than 1 liter of water during your 8.5 hour hike 
5. Not wear sunscreen 
6. Go during peak allergy season 
7. Not sleep the night before 

I mean, I was anxious and excited, leaving it a very early, very sleepy morning

8. Hike with blisters (see #1)

13.7 mile hike, with hiking boots, and blisters from a run did not make for a pleasant experience on the feet. 

9. Believe the reviews on all trails, 9.9 miles quickly turns into 13.6

All trails can be great, but they can be a bit deceiving when it comes to distance. Especially here. 

10. Choose the more difficult route when there’s access to a more accommodating route 

Pride may have gotten in the way here. Didn’t want to wake up any earlier to race others to the trail head, meaning, the beginning of this hike started on the “road less traveled” side. It all made sense about ½ mile in!

Long story short friends, eat your foods, get your sleep, and no matter what happens make the absolute most of it because life’s too short to dwell on the things we should have or could have done. 

This hike was the second most challenging fitness experience of my life (next to my first half marathon, two days prior). It felt absolutely magical to make it down off that mountain and indulge in a heavenly pizza. And while there were a lot of things I wish I would have known or maybe done differently, I had never felt more successful and accomplished in my life than that week. 

If you’ve already hiked your first 14er or even your first hike, what are some valuable lessons you learned? Share them with our family below. 

Love you, mean it!

XO, Trainer Jen