Getting out to hike used to be something we did multiple times a week. It was fun, we enjoyed it and looked forward to it. Three to four years ago Eric and I would hike a 2 mile loop with plenty of short butt kicker hills to stay in shape and to prepare for backpacking trips. We would try to do longer hikes on the weekends to take advantage of all of the wilderness parks we have in this beautiful area we live in. I also was a member of a women's hiking group that hiked every week during the summer, and did 4-5 hour hikes one Saturday per month . Oh what fun it was to be in shape.In the last few years, our hiking habit has waned. Hell, it takes practically begging from Eric to get me off of the couch to go for a walk around the park on the weekend. I just don't seem to want to move much anymore. Perhaps it's depression, perhaps I've gotten lazy, and perhaps I don't want to really own up to the fact that I'm not a teenager anymore and moving kinda hurts. OK, so there are no 'perhaps' involved, it's all of those things.
Today we were invited to join some friends on a hike in a park we haven't visited yet. It was great to see our friends, and even better to actually darn those hiking books and get out into the sun. I really don't know why I complain about getting out when Eric wants to. I do love it out there. I did fall behind the group a few times because my cardiovascular health isn't doing so great, my hip flexors started shooting me with pain with every step up those freakin' hills that were not ending, and by the end of the hike the back of my knee was hinting to me that I'd be sore tomorrow. Even though I was already anticipanting the difficulting I'd have getting out of bed in the morning, the burn in my butt and thighs and even the shooting pain in my hip, all told me that I was working my body and it felt great.
A few hours later I'm already sore, so I'm drinking lots of water, I've taken Motrin, and I'm taking it easy tonight. Getting back in shape doesn't happen overnight. I hope we are able to get in some more great hikes before the trails are all pure mud... but even then hiking will be fun.
4 comments:
Great pictures! I'm glad you got out there. :)
Really, it was fun, though, wasn't it?
Looove the first pic.
I know what you mean about lovin' the sore muscles. They don't feel good, but with every aching step you take, it's a reminder that you've done something good for your body. And when you get the endorphins going, that helps ease the depression a bit, too, so it's a cycle of good stuff that keeps getting better. :) Good for you.
Hiking is hard work. What a great way to get a good workout!
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