In this episode, I interview Lee Welton (the founder of Trailside Fitness) and we discuss how to best prepare and train for a major thru-hike.

Completing a major thru-hike sits on many hikers 'one day list'. Whether it is the Pacific Crest or Appalachian Trail in the USA, the Te Araroa Tramp in New Zealand or the Shikoku Pilgrim's Trail in Japan - every hiker has dreamed about conquering one of these major adventures.

But while there are hundreds of articles, podcasts and videos around how to plan these adventures, what to pack and how to figure out logistics... there seems to be a massive black hole when it comes to quality training advice.

So today, I have Lee Welton (the founder of Trail Side Fitness) back on the show, to discuss all things preparing and training for a thru-hike. Inside this episode:

• The 3 big priorities every hiker should consider when preparing for a thru-hike
• An iron-clad argument why thru-hikers should not just 'get fit on the trail'
• What the 'perfect' training week would look like for a thru-hiker
• Some easy to do ideas on how to prepare for elevation (when you don't have any hills or mountains to train on)
• A few simple ways to 'sneak' some extra training into your week (when you are incredibly short for time)
• Should thru-hikers try to continue their training while on the trail?
• Some areas of mental preparation an aspiring thru-hiker should seriously consider (which can make or break your hike after weeks on the trail)

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Mentioned in the episode:

• Self-Care Guide For Hikers Ebook: shorturl.at/adfhK
• Mental strategies for hikers book: https://thetrek.co/appalachian-trials-book/

You can find Lee:

• Website: https://trailsidefitness.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trailsidefitness/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trailside_fitness/

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Want to get fit, strong and injury-free for your thru-hike? Check out The Online Summit Program