Step by Virtual Step

What I learned walking the length of the Pacific Crest Trail

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How it All Started: a Longing for Adventure

In early 2024, a former colleague concluded a virtual meeting with an important announcement.

“I have something important to share,” she said, leaving us hanging for a moment. We stared silently into our computer cameras, anticipating her big news.

Perhaps she’s pregnant, I thought. She’d recently changed her name to her husband’s, so this seemed like a logical next step.

But what she announced next came as an even bigger surprise. She’d be taking the entire summer off – from May through September. She planned to hike most of the Pacific Crest Trail. She’d start at the California/Mexico border, aiming to arrive at to the Oregon/Washington border by mid-September.

Blinking into the Zoom camera, fatigued and uninspired, envy coursed through my exhausted body. I’d read Wild by Cheryl Strayed. With romantic notions I’d watched the Reese Witherspoon screen adaptation. Secretly, I longed for an adventure such as this. I yearned to escape the insanely stressful reality of everyday life to focus solely on putting one blistered foot in front of the other and watching the terrain slowly roll by.

But alas, with two young kids and a full-time job that paid our bills, this scenario wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. So, instead of spending the summer hiking the PCT, I spent the next 20 months traveling its distance on foot – virtually.

The Challenge: 2,500 Miles in 20 Months

To meet my 20-month goal, I had to average about 4.2 miles. Every. Single. Day. While this wouldn’t have seemed like a lot during my distance-running youth, during the current “Mom” phase of life, this took a degree of discipline and consistency that certainly challenged my ADHD brain.

It didn’t help, either, that shortly into the journey, I discovered that I needed to do more than walking alone to keep my body stretched and strong. I started practicing yoga and lifting weights multiple times a week. This meant more workout time each day that didn’t contribute to my total steps.

Yet, somehow, I did it. I invested in an affordable fitness smartwatch and a treadmill and got to work. Whenever I could, I’d park far away or take the long route. I’d slip out during 15-minute breaks and cruise around the block. I walked during lunch and worked out on vacations. And it all added up. I completed the challenge with two full weeks to spare.

What Walking Taught Me

By the end of this marathon journey, I discovered quite a few things about myself.

1. Having a concrete goal and a deadline really helps. Many of us ADHD folks thrive when there is a clear end in sight. The perfectionist side of me also refused to fail at a challenge this big. I pushed myself harder because I knew exactly what I needed to do to meet my goal.

   And as soon as I completed this challenge, I did not delay in signing up to virtually walk the Appalachian Trail over the next 12 months (seriously – what is wrong with me??)

2. Cardiovascular fitness requires more than just walking. One key thing I realized after this experiment is that walking doesn’t really get your heart rate up. On days that only allow for a quick walk around the block or a long tour around CostCo, my watch didn’t register any cardio. My nearly 50-year-old joints don’t especially like running, so that option was off the table.

   Two months ago, I started doing consistent, 20-minute cardio workouts on a stationary bike several times a week. I feel much better and can tell this was a missing piece of the puzzle. As I embark on my next challenge, I’ll be focused on equal parts walking and cycling.

3. A balanced and aligned body needs more than one thing. Doing just one form of exercise, while helpful, generally isn’t well-rounded enough to keep systems running smoothly. Take a look at people who only walk or only run. While their hearts might pump well, unless their alignment is stellar they often have muscle imbalances that could increase joint wear and tear and possibly lead to injury.

   For me, adequate stretching and strengthening made it possible to keep walking without pain and stiffness. I also saw more changes in my body when I incorporated strength training into my routine. For those intimidated by weights, I highly recommend checking out a body sculpt-type class, or for more one-on-one support, working with a trainer at a local gym.

4. Sleep is essential to motivation. The desire to work out depends largely on how much quality sleep we’ve had. On the days I stayed up too late, or didn’t sleep soundly, exercise seemed unappealing (and often I chose to skip it). Many of us know all too well this downward spiral of sleep/exercise – not sleeping enough, electing not to exercise, then not sleeping well because we haven’t moved our bodies. Seek out rituals and supplements that help you get a good night’s sleep. For me, it’s getting sunlight during the day, taking magnesium glycinate, avoiding late-night food and reducing alcohol to a maximum of 1-2 drinks per week, and switching from a screen to a book by 9 p.m.

5. Weight loss from exercise alone is tough in midlife. Although losing weight was not one of my goals, I did not lose any during this challenge. Nope, not even an ounce. My weight went up and down a couple pounds here and there, but that was about it. And while I’d like to think I ended up slightly more muscular, the physical changes in my body were not that noticeable. I tried not to be discouraged and chalked this off to midlife “mom body”. Frankly, I’m happy to be able to move and maintain during this phase of life where hormones go awry and we are fighting just to find some equilibrium.

6. Diet should ideally change more (but often can’t). Many of us midlife women have heard the incessant talk about us needing more protein. Yes, it’s true – I can’t seem to get enough. Yesterday, for example, I wolfed down about two pounds of chicken without flinching. It felt great. Pretty much any sugary carbohydrate, on the other hand, causes my brain fog to go into overdrive. One soda, and my mind swims a viscous mashed potato soup. Any bread or dessert clings to my body like my kids when they were toddlers.

   While I occasionally manage a few days of eating a Whole 30-type meal plan, I somehow always revert back to eating the kids’ chewed-up leftover PB&J sandwiches and mac and cheese to save money and avoid waste. I suspect that I would lose some weight and feel better overall if I could consistently access healthy protein, nutrient-heavy meals, and endless colorful salads. Unfortunately, budget and time limitations, as well as picky family members, are inescapable realities. #Momlife, amiright?

7. Walking is a low-impact way to build in more movement. For many of us, it can be easy to fall into a sedentary lifestyle because it’s the path of least resistance. When I lived in the city, I walked everywhere — to the store, the coffee shop, to commute to work, to bring my daughter home from school. Now, living in the suburbs, it can be tempting to give up and just drive everywhere.

   Yet, if we keep on moving, we’ll find that the momentum continues. On days when nothing else works, walking is always there. It’s a way to see the world from a different angle, explore new places, connect with friends and coworkers, and get things done.

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