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A 'lil HooHaa

Messing with the blogging world since 2005

Exercise

It’s time to actually fix myself

April 19, 2016

I’m grossly out of shape.

For those of you who know me, this isn’t any breaking news (despite that being the “in” thing on the Internet).

As a diabetic, this isn’t a good thing. And I know it. And I’ve let my numbers get worse, which is really sad considering my A1C was immensely awesome a year or so ago. Now, not as much. But I know I have to do something about it.

I’ve said that before, right? And there’s never a guarantee things will improve, but one has to keep trying.

I don’t know why, but I decided Monday was the time to start. And by that, I mean I am going to start tracking everything. What I eat. What I drink. How much exercise I do. What my numbers are and how what I’ve eaten makes them go up and down.

Basically, I am going to start taking myself to task.

I need to start utilizing my Fitbit more – especially the web interface and the phone app. I can track everything (food etc.), I just need to make sure I do it. It’s a bit of a pain, though, so I’m trying to figure the best way to do it.

Any of you have an app or web interface that’s easy to log your food and all the other good stuff? I’d love to find a one-stop shop for apps when it comes to this as I think it would be beneficial. I’m also doing it old fashioned — pen to paper.

Which way to go?

Which way to go?

Anyway, part of doing all of this is to try and get me into doing more outside. Whether that’s finding new trails to hike on and challenge myself, going for a walk, or riding a bike. Or, heck, doing something not on that list. Anything to get more active.

So, Monday, I went out after dinner to explore one part of a new set of hiking trails. I won’t lie – I was looking at it twofold: Getting some exercise as well as looking for potential geocache sites. I found many possible spots in the parts I explored and I haven’t even checked all of the trails yet.

First, let me say this, my cardio is awful. The trail goes … well, up. Then it evens out a little. But it’s on a mountain, so there’s going up … and up. And I was winded (I’m being nice about that statement). Now, that’s not a bad thing. It got my heart rate up. I knew when to stop a little. It made me challenge myself. The good part is I know how I felt when I got to the top. I know I want to be able to do that much easier in the future.

I also want to eventually run a 5K. No, I’m not some runner in my past. It’s more of a personal goal. I have the one picked out I want to be my “first” and I have plenty of time to train for it, so this is only a start. But for me to be able to run 3.1 miles, I need to get my cardio up.

With diabetes, I know it can be controlled. I need to lose weight and exercise. I need to challenge my body to get better the best I can and utilizing places in my area will help. I’ll be out on my bike. I’ll be working on it the best I can. Eventually, I’ll hopefully be lowering my numbers and getting my health back in order.

The plan, too, will eventually to start posting my “Living with Diabetes” posts. In the past, they’ve helped me kind of keep on track and hopefully it can do that again.

Reality, too, is that I won’t be able to do this every night. Some nights, I work late. Others I might be pooped. But I need to challenge myself to get out as much as I possibly can to get some exercise in.

Monday was a good start though. I look forward to eventually exploring those trails a tad more and seeing what is out there and, hopefully, getting into better shape.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please Like HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Filed Under: Diabetes, Exercise, Health, My world Tagged With: delhi, diabetes, eating better, exercise, food, getting exercise, health, hiking, hiking trails, losing weight, nature, outside

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Fitbit review: A good tool to get motivated for exercise

June 13, 2014

After years of looking and looking at them – I finally invested in one.

A Fitbit.

For those who don’t know what one is, A Fitbit is an amazing … for lack of a better term, pedometer. It’s oh so much more though.

See, a Fitbit comes with the ability to hook it up online – either through your computer or a smartphone. I’ve been syncing mine through my iPhone.

My only question is why did it take me so long to get one?

On reason was finances – these aren’t cheap little toys. I purchased the Flex, which is one you wear on your wrist. It was about $100. The cheapest one is a $50 one that has fewer options and isn’t on the wrist.

So far, I love it.

It’s not annoying to wear and it seems to do pretty well. The steps seem pretty accurate and I’ve attempted to jiggle it to see if it miscounts different things and it hasn’t so far. There are pros and cons to this, as always, but so far I am enjoying it. I have a lot of goals I need to start hitting when it comes to health and the Fitbit is going to be something that helps me do that.

If you are considering something like this, it’s definitely cool. But allow me to tell you a few things about it.

Pros

There are several pros to this product.

1. The online/smartphone feature is excellent. It allows you to do your thing and see the results on a bigger screen, not just on the face of a pedometer. There are graphs and things like that. You can also add certain other items – different activities (biking etc.), and keep track of your food and water intake among other features.

2. The interactive part of it helps you push toward your goal. You can earn badges and such, much like other social media platforms.

3. There is a friend network, so if you know others who have a Fitbit, you can friend them. Maybe this will allow a friendly competition to get people out and walking some. Theoretically, that should get you to do a bit more.

4. Motivation. With everything out there to help, why wouldn’t it motivate you to do more than, say, a regular pedometer would? The software, if you fully use it, can be your one-stop place for exercise needs.

5. Sleep tracking. Though I’m not sure how much I believe this, it tracks sleep and tells you how well or not well you sleep each night. No matter what, it’s at least interesting to see what it claims I am doing when I sleep.

Cons

1. No screen. At least on my Flex, there’s no screen. You do have some lights flash when you get close to your daily goals and such. There was a bracelet one that had a screen, but Fitbit recently recalled it. Looking at the company website, the other Fitbits do have screens. This isn’t a major thing to me – and I knew it before it came – because I sync it with my cell phone. But for those who don’t have a smart phone and might have to wait 8-10 hours to see results, it could be a turnoff.

2. The Fitbit had a calorie counting thing, but it’s based you your height/weight and a couple of other things. I realize calories can be burned while sleeping – but 900-plus? I don’t understand how things like that fully work, so it’s possible I imagine. I did look it up and this can be turned off, but until I know how to add those things a bit, I’ll leave it on.

3. A tad bulky. Once the summer fully hits and I am wearing short-sleeve shirts, it might be difficult to always have it on. The main part – where the “machine” is – is a tad bulky. We’ll see how that works, though.

4. Battery. The Fitbit I have has a rechargeable battery that lasts about 5-7 days. So you have to pay attention and charge it at times or it can, and will, die on you. I had it happen once and it was quite frustrating.

Overall

The reality is this – I needed something to start pushing me to do more. Will this be the item to get me to always get off my duff? No. But, it helps. I can see real-time results, which is pretty sweet. And it is also a social media platform, to an extent. So friends who have a Fitbit, or are on the website, can see what others do etc.

I’d love to see who all has a Fitbit in the blogging world. It would almost be fun to come up with a friendly summer challenge. I have a few ideas, but I’d first have to see how many bloggers have it and would be interested.

Back to the original topic though – why I am truly enjoying this. It’s a way to help you push yourself. I haven’t used the entire website yet, but you can input food, other exercises etc., to be able to keep track of other aspects of your life. The program is, in all honesty, a really in-depth piece of software. And, with it being all web-based, it’s even nicer so you can access from more than one platform.

I eventually do want to do more with the website and the program. I don’t know if I will ever be that good at logging everything I eat, but it could be a good thing. I got this as a way to help with my diabetes to show I am getting at least some exercise. There’s no doubt that I am just starting to move along and need more exercise, but that’s OK as I realize it and will keep pushing forward. I am excited to see where my new plan and all takes me, and this will just be a small piece of the puzzle.

If you are looking for a more fun way to try and push yourself to get out and walk more or do more, take a gander at the Fitbit. It’s a fun and seemingly accurate way to keep track of your steps and more, as well as keeping an accurate look at your exercising and more.

Price ranges start at about $50. The model (Flex) I purchased was a little more than $100, but I am fully happy with it so far. I hope my opinion doesn’t change anytime soon as it’s a neat little product to push me some and hopefully it remains that way.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Filed Under: Exercise, My world, Product review Tagged With: exercise, fitbit, fitbit flex, fitbit flex review, fitbit review, pedometer

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Guest post: Having a reason to become a runner again

February 2, 2012

Sarah at the ING race expo, which had many vendors in Miami on Jan. 27.

Running isn’t something that is easily done. Many people do it for fun. Others compete. It’s a fantastic way of exercising and it seems that more and more people are doing it. Still, if you haven’t been a runner in a long time, it’s a bit off the wall to think you’d jump back into it and know you had four months to train and prepare yourself to run a half marathon — yes, 13.1 miles.

A former co-worker and friend Sarah Weber did just that. It was in the name of charity as well. (If you recall, I wrote a post about this last week). Below is Sarah’s account of her quest to run the half marathon in Miami, what she learned and how she overcame several obstacles. Enjoy!

—

I used to be a runner. I wasn’t a particularly good one — the only medals and ribbons adorning my walls in high school were for participation — but I did lace up sneakers and put feet to pavement for consecutive occasions.

Most importantly, I enjoyed running. And, in the Descartes sense of things, because I enjoyed running, I was a runner.

But, like many if not most of the adult population, casual participation in high-school sports gave way to collegiate laziness and post-collegiate time crunches. I convinced myself of two things: I no longer had time for running, and I couldn’t be a runner because I didn’t look like one. And so I sat and pined for the days I was active.

All participants received this medal.

My younger sister Anna — a runner in high school whose medals and ribbons represented races won, unlike mine — gave me a clipping from Runner’s World magazine on how to train for a 5-kilometer race in 6 weeks. It utilized something called the “run/walk” method, wherein the runner took walk breaks, or intervals, to actively recover during runs. I pinned it to the bulletin board in my cubicle and continued sitting and pining.

One day in late September, my office held an information session on Team in Training. A friend had completed a triathlon through TNT, and in the process raised thousands of dollars for cancer research with TNT’s partner, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). Based on this name recognition, and not much else, I attended the session.

I entered that room as an inquisitive co-worker. I left as a teammate, with a free T-shirt and a booklet containing key facts on the endeavor I was undertaking. In approximately four months, I would train to complete a half marathon in Miami. I would also raise a minimum of $3,200 for LLS.

The ensuing four months were some of the hardest and most rewarding times of my life. Each day presented a series of choices that I made differently. Instead of taking the subway home, I went to Central Park to run with teammates. Instead of going out to the bar and watching hockey and drinking beer, I stayed in and used a foam roller on my legs to massage knotted muscles. Instead of telling myself I couldn’t – that I was too out of shape, too slow, incapable of doing hill repeats in the pouring rain – I told myself I could.

And yes, that included hill repeats in the rain.

Beyond any motivation toward attaining a level of fitness was the knowledge that I was out there training because I could. I was a healthy 27-year-old whose only excuse for not running was laziness. I was not a cancer-riddled 27-year-old whose excuse for not running was failing health. I was running because others couldn’t. And I was going to try and help them.

Along the way, I met incredible people and mentors, all of whom reiterated what I needed to hear — I could achieve my dream of completing a half marathon.

Sarah (right) and teammate Jenn doing a little relaxing the day before the race.

The beautiful thing about running (and I count run/walking when I use the term “running”) is it’s egalitarian.

You will see all shapes and sizes when you’re out running, and you will see a host of running styles. Run/walk will be one of those styles. It was championed by Jeff Galloway, an American Olympian whose website notes you can run “injury-free.” The great thing about run/walking is you can avoid injuries by using this “active-recovery” time. Your muscles get a small break, and because the interval is timed, it’s consistent. You don’t stop to walk when you’re anaerobic and therefore dead; you walk consistently and thereby maintain a pace. Best of all, it gets runners out there who otherwise may be too scared to run 3 miles. Intervals are a great trick to the mind, which can look forward to a break every six minutes in a 5-minute run/1-minute walk interval routine.

January snuck up on me.

It’s one thing to sign a piece of paper saying you’ll run a half marathon in four months. It’s another thing to realize, four months later, that you’re boarding a plane to Miami to run that half marathon.

I knew I was ready.

My training had not only prepared my legs; it had prepared my mind as well. The key to a good race, as one mentor put it, is to allow you to not have one. One must allow time to be upset over unforeseen circumstances – a cramp, dehydration, blisters, and bad weather – and then get over it. Put it past you, and keep running.

I was one of 25,000 runners who gathered in downtown Miami on January 29th to run the 2012 ING Miami Half Marathon and Marathon. I was in Corral I, the last one and therefore the one for the slowest estimated finishing times. The old me would have slotted this as yet more proof I was unworthy of running; the new me was on an adrenaline high, soaking in the experience and focusing on keys to success.

Ideally, according to coaching strategy, I would break the race into three parts: Miles 1 through 5 would be slow-paced, at about 10:50 minutes per mile, to warm up and make sure I didn’t blow my stack on the early portion of the race. Miles 6 through 10 would pick up at 10:40 per mile. Miles 10 though 13.1 were the full-blown race, with a 10:40 or faster pace.

All told, this should add up to a 2 hour, 30 minute race.

In fact, the race day was humid, and I entered the start gate with bad shin splints. I had at one point even been told a stress fracture was not out of the question. But, I told myself, I will embrace the pain if and when it comes, give myself five minutes, and get over it.

The best part? The pain never came.

Miles 1 through 5 were slow (my first mile was a whopping 12 minutes, way off pace because of the crowds), but once I hit Mile 7, I knew I was going well. The wonderful thing about distance running is you become lost in your mileage; I was genuinely surprised when I hit Mile 5. The first couple of miles always hurt; the key is to not let it deter you. Your body will click into place, and your stride will come more naturally. When it does, it’s the best feeling in the world.

Did I have doubts? Yes.

Mile 8 was tough. It was in the “back end” of the course, through a residential neighborhood with narrow roads and not many fans cheering along the sidewalks. This was in sharp contrast to running through downtown streets with local adulation, booming music, and decorations. The desolation, coupled with the inevitable exhaustion, started to creep into my mind. “I don’t really want to be doing this anymore,” I thought. “I have a lot of the race before me. If I’m going to feel this dead in my legs for the remainder, this is going to really hurt.”

The finishing straight of the race.

Two things helped — I gave myself five minutes to pout. Then, once out of the pouting stage, I thought of my Grandma Betty.

Grandma Betty was a vivacious woman who loved the color red almost as much as she loved her grandchildren. She was my paternal grandmother and the matriarch of a large brood of Webers. She was a physical-education teacher before she married my grandfather, and she was involved with Lions Club charities for most of her adult life.

Grandma Betty died of complications from breast cancer in October 2004. In October 2011, I decided to dedicate my fundraising campaign to her memory.

On January 29, 2012, at Mile 8, I thought of her on the streets of Miami as my legs tired.

I thought of her smile and how I loved to make her laugh. I thought of how proud she would be of me. And I thought of all the grandchildren who also missed their grandparents who had been cut out of their lives by cancer.

My pace quickened by Mile 9.

Miles 10 through 13 were speedy and some of the best moments of the race. The tail end wound through downtown Miami again, and the home straight was festooned in the ING colors of blue and orange. As I sped through that straight, I raised my arms and began to cry. I had achieved a dream.

Now that I can call myself a marathoner, I have become a sort of proselyte for the marathoner cause. “If I can run a half marathon, anyone can,” I tell anyone who will listen. All those articles you read in Runner’s World, those commercials you see on TV, those co-workers who tell you that you can do it?

They’re right. You can.

What you need is a good support system, a consistent and safe training program, and the knowledge that while you are working to remake yourself, you won’t be besting Haile Gebrselassie any time soon. Set modest goals. I constantly reminded myself I wanted only to complete a half marathon. I ended up doing so in 2 hours, 36 minutes, only 6 minutes off pace. Join a running group. I recommend Team in Training because not only do you get mentors, coaches, and teammates, you have the added motivation that you are running for a cause.

Most of all, believe in yourself.

You may not look like a runner in your mind, but you will be when you cross that finish line.

To see Sarah’s breakdown, click here.

Filed Under: Exercise, Guest Post, Sports Tagged With: half marathon, ING Miami Half Marathon and Marathon, miami, runner, running, sarah weber, team in training, tnt

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Running for a cause and raising money along the way

January 25, 2012

Sarah, left, as part of the Team Viacom fundraiser in New York City.

I don’t often try and get people to give money through this blog.

Usually, it’s once a year when I am trying to solicit a few bucks for our Relay For Life team (don’t worry, that will be coming soon enough).

But this time, it’s for a friend and former co-worker, Sarah.

Sarah is trying to raise a bunch of bucks for a good cause. And to do this, she’s running a half marathon in Miami this Sunday. In other words, a 13.1-mile stroll. No problem, right?

Well…

I worked with Sarah at the newspaper for a couple of years. She started as a part-timer in the sports department and eventually became a copy editor. She’s a happy-go-lucky person, but if somebody had told me Sarah would be running a half marathon a few years ago…

… I probably would have laughed in their face.

See, Sarah has been known to injure herself in odd ways when it comes to athletics. So a half marathon? It took me off-guard when I saw it, that’s for sure!

Sarah, right, after competing in the Seaford Wellness Hot Chocolate 5K on Dec. 3.

OK, humor aside, this is serious.

Sarah is a kind-hearted soul and her undertaking this is amazing enough. Heck, anyone deciding to run 13.1 miles for a charity should be applauded. That’s not an easy undertaking.

Sarah is running for the The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through Team in Training. She’s competing at the ING Miami Half Marathon this Sunday.

TNT Training works to prepare people for endurance sports. In turn, those people work to donate and raise money for charities. According to a its fact sheet, TNT has prepared more than 500,000 people to compete in a marathon, half marathon, triathlon, 100-mile bicycle ride or hike adventure. Those people have raised $1 billion to support blood cancer research and patient services.

As she competes, she’ll keep the memory of her paternal grandmother, Betty Weber, in her mind. Betty Weber died in 2004 of complications from breast cancer. Sarah says her grandmother was a lady who was extremely fit and had been a physical education teacher.

Let’s put this race in perspective for Sarah.

She started training in October. At that point, she said she couldn’t run more than a mile without having to give in. Now, her longest run/walk has been 11 miles. She uses a run/walk interval setup where she runs for five minutes and walked for one minute. A resident of New York City, this training has allowed Sarah to run across the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge and George Washington Bridge.

That’s pretty impressive.

Her goal, she said, is to finish. Based on her times now, a time of 2 hours, 30 minutes to 2:45 would be about right. But she said she’s not putting a time on her goal — just to cross that line.

This is all being done for a reason, however. It’s not just to run for the sake of running in a half marathon.

She’s doing this to raise money for a good cause. Donations are tax-deductible. Her goal is $3,200. As of me writing this, she’s a shade beyond $3,000. So if you have a buck or two and can donate, send it over and do a good thing. Every dollar helps.

If you can and will donate, you can visit Sarah’s fundraising page here.

Remember, it goes to a good cause.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook by clicking the button on the right side of the page!

Filed Under: Exercise, My world Tagged With: fundraising, ING Miami Half Marathon, running, sarah weber, team in training, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, TNT Training

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On the Appalachian Trail with Ghost

October 24, 2011

"Ghost" at the completion of his thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. (photo courtesy of Tyler Bedick)

One major hike down, two to go for West Virginia resident Tyler Bedick.

The triple crown of United States hiking is when someone hikes the tree major long-distance trails in the country — the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail.

Bedick, a 23-year-old chemist at Mylan Pharmaceuticals, conquered the Appalachian Trail this year, covering the 2,180-plus mile trail in 139 days, so about 4 1/2 months. He said he plans to eventually hike the other two to complete the triple crown.

He also seemed to personify the hiker’s edict in hiking his own hike.

In fact, that’s how he gained his trail name “Ghost.”

Bedick said when he was early in North Carolina, the name was given to him because of how he hiked.

“It was because I hiked quickly and also quietly and would often accidentally sneak up on slower hikers and scare them when asking to pass,” he said.

Hitting the trail

Bedick’s interest in the Appalachian Trail seems to have grown from backpacking experience he had during his time in the Boy Scouts. From there, he said, he began planning his own trips with friends.

Walking down the trail. (Photo courtesy Tyler Bedick)

Another inspiration came from reading Bill Bryson’s book, “A Walk in the Woods.” That, Bedick said, could have spurred the idea of hiking the AT.

“The concept of being in the woods and covering such a long distance on foot really appealed to me,” he said.

Alas, he didn’t have a lot of long-distance hiking experience.

He said the longest hiking trips he had taken were 7-10 days. Some of his trips included New Mexico, the Great Smoky Mountains and the Laurel Highlands Trail, a 70-mile jaunt in Pennsylvania.

With the interest for the bigger hikes, Bedick set out for the Appalachian Trail.

“Feeling confident in your backcountry skills and also being generally physically fit prepared me for it well,” he said. “I saw lots of people out the first week who had no idea what they were getting themselves into. Because of my experience from scouting and my trips when I was younger, I feel that I was probably more prepared than a significant number of the starters.”

The trail isn’t all cakes and candy, however. There are good things and bad things about thru-hiking, Bedick said.

On the positive side, one gets to meet some amazing people. Also, he noted, it’s a good time to think about your life, gain a better sense of self-sufficiency and see some incredible things in nature. The negatives include being away from family and friends for a long time.

He also said it can be mentally and physically draining, especially toward the end.

The Appalachian Trail Experience

Bedick’s average day was quite simple, he said.

“Wake up, eat, walk, eat, walk and stop at a shelter or wherever when its nearing dark,” he said. “Eat and go to bed. Repeat the next day.

“It can become extremely monotonous for some people,” he continued. “Others enjoy the ‘job’ of walking the trail.”

The views on the Appalachian Trail can be amazing. (Photo courtesy Tyler Bedick)

As with the trail — there are highs and lows.

One of the best moments Bedick had was hiking through the White Mountains in New Hampshire. He said it was a great trail with amazing views.

“The experience of doing work for stay at the huts was fantastic as well,” Bedick said. “The Whites were extremely challenging, but also very, very rewarding.”

As for lows?

“I cant think of any particularly horrible moments, but I found myself extremely exhausted and worn out by the time I made it to Maine,” he said. “The deer flies and horse flies were horrendous and the lack of trail maintenance was very draining.”

But as great as the White Mountains were, he said he’d love to be able to re-do that section.

“I would re-do the White Mountains because when I passed through there I had broken my camera and couldn’t take any photos,” he said. “My photos from the trail were great but I missed so many fantastic photo opportunities there.”

There were also fun times, of course. Being out in the woods for that long has to work up your sense of humor. And though some of the things were a “you had to be there” sort of moment, Bedick had his share of laughs, he said.

He was hiking in Maine with a guy with the trail name “Teddy,” as in “Teddy Bear.” The two were both mentally and physically drained.

“I think just from having hiked more than 2,000 miles for four months straight, we were possibly getting a little delusional,” he said.

As mentioned before, Bedick said the deer flies were awful and two or three were circling both of their heads for about six hours straight. That, of course, was making the duo go a bit nutty.

So where did the conversation turn? About the black flies, of course.

At this point, being a bit delusional as Bedick noted, the two started figuring the flies were their personal trainers to motivate them to continue walking and then about how they don’t have the money to afford three trainers at once.

“We were adding our own ‘insults’ that the flies were yelling at us,” he said. “We were basically trail crazy at this point and were laughing hysterically.”

Looking back

As Bedick remembers his jaunt from Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine, he said he was happy with the way he hiked.

Ghost reaches the Tennessee/Virginia border. (Photo courtesy Tyler Bedick)

“I really feel happy with the pace that I hiked and the stops that I made along the way,” he said. “I am happy with the locations I chose to pass and the locations I stopped at. I also hiked with several groups, off and on, and am happy with the friendships I made along the way.”

The look back also helped unfold the best day on the trail. He said it was either going over Mount Washington and the Presidential Range in the White Mountains on an amazingly beautiful day. Or, he said, in Virginia when he went over Dragon’s Tooth, McAffee Knob and Tinker Cliffs.

He also learned a bit about himself on this journey.

“The main thing I learned was that I don’t have to settle in to the ‘conventional’ lifestyle in whatever order,” he said.

Instead, he stopped grad school and got a decent paying job with plans to save up for future adventures such as the PCT and CDT.

“I also hope to climb some significant mountains in the future,” he said, adding that Mount Denali and some other West Coast mountains are on his radar.

As to the future hikers of the Appalachian Trail?

“Hike the trail how you want to hike it,” Bedick said. “Do not cater the way you hike it to anyone else. I saw so many people out there hiking the trail in different ways and so many ways would work. Hike whatever way works for you.”

Tidbits

Here are some quick-hitting tidbits from Nadeau’s thru-hike.

  • How many pair of shoes did you go through? He started with a pair of Salomon Quest 4D GTX boots and used those until Pearisburg, Va.; He then switched to Lafuma Trail Runners until New York and there he got a pair of Solomon trail runners, which lasted until Gorham, NH. He then switched back to his boots until the end. So one pair of boots and two trail runners.
  • What happened in days following the hike? He ate at some of his favorite food places, reunited with friends, visited some bars and found a job.
  • Best trail town? Hanover, NH. “It really felt like a clean town and there were some amazing amenities there,” he said. “Two solid outfitters; a senior center, which had an amazing shower and great laundry services for pretty cheap; lots of good places to eat and good coffee places as well. I also got to relax and watch a movie. Camping was allowed on the outskirts of the town near a soccer field for free.”
  • Worst trail town? Bland, Va., and Glasgow, Va. “I’m not sure that either of them are ‘true’ trail towns,” he said. “Bland, in particular, offered a hiker shuttle into town to resupply at a gas station that was touted as a grocery store.” The price of the shuttle? $15.
  • Would he do the Appalachian Trail again? “It’s unlikely,” he said. “I think I would only do it again if I were to hike it with a girlfriend, or wife. Or with my kids, assuming I have any.”

Series Schedule:

  • October 16: Win an autographed copy of Bill Walker’s book about his Appalachian Trail hike
  • October 17: Preview
  • October 19: Emily Harper
  • October 22: Chris Nadeau
  • Today: Tyler Bedick
  • October 26: Bill Walker
  • October 28: Wrap and contest winner announced

***

Reminder! Contest going on! I am holding a contest this week for an autographed copy of Bill Walker’s book “Close Encounters on the Appalachian Trail”. It runs from October16- to 12:01 a.m. Oct. 28. You can see all the details on the contest page. Enter for your chance to win!

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook by clicking the button on the right side of the page!

Filed Under: Exercise, Hiking, My world, Photography Tagged With: appalachian trail, at, ghost, ghost hiking, ghost on the appalachian trail, hiking, hiking the appalachian trail, long-distance hiking, thru-hiking, tyler bedick, tyler bedick appalachian trail, tyler bedick hiking

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hoohaa29

Harper is counting down to Santa Paws! You know, Harper is counting down to Santa Paws! 

You know, of course, Santa Paws travels with Santa Clause, making sure to find treats and toys for all the good little doggies! (We know they are all deserving, right?) So, Harper put out some milk for the big guy, carrots for Rudolph and the reindeer, and special cookies for Santa Paws! She is ready! 

#SantaPaws #Christmas2022 #HarperChristmas #MyDogHarper #GoldenRetriever #DogsofInstagram #PhotoOfTheDay #Photography #Christmas #IPhoneography
One of the best parts about having Harper as my be One of the best parts about having Harper as my best friend… ❤️
Couldn't resist stopping on the way to work to sna Couldn't resist stopping on the way to work to snap this shot. The colors in the sky were fantastic and the scene was nice looking (though, to be fair, I drove by what I think would have been a better scene -- the valley and hills full of snow etc.)

#Snow #Winter #Sky #Color #InstaLove #photooftheday #picoftheday #iPhoneography #nature #love #instalove #photography #happy #smile #photo
The best of times??? 🤪🤪🤪 The best of times??? 🤪🤪🤪
Just a break on our morning walk … #goldenretri Just a break on our morning walk …

#goldenretriever #dogsofinstagram #mydogharper
Tired. Tired.
Harper is ready for tonight! Let’s go Phillies! Harper is ready for tonight! Let’s go Phillies! 

#phillies #ringthebell #baseball #dog #goldenretriever
I look at her and sometimes still can’t believe I look at her and sometimes still can’t believe I have her. It’s been a year and four months and she makes me smile and laugh more each day. It’s amazing how much a dog changes your look on life, and how much joy they can bring. 

#goldenretriever #dogsofinstagram #dog #goldenretrieversofinstagram #harper_dublin #akc #photography #photooftheday #love #mydogharper #harperdublin #instagood #happy #picoftheday #fun #iphoneology #retrieveroftheday #ilovemygolden #dogstagram #dailygolden #dogsofinsta
I’ve recently realized how many photos I have to I’ve recently realized how many photos I have to post here, as well as on Harper’s (@harper_dublin) account). So, as I start to transfer photos, I’ll try and catch up. So photos coming could be from all seasons and who knows when. 🤣

This one is recent from the courthouse square in Delhi. We had some pretty good fall colors this year. 

#fall #delhiny #seasons #iphoneonly #love #photography #photooftheday #instagood #happy #picoftheday
From a few weeks ago. I was trying to get Harper t From a few weeks ago. I was trying to get Harper to put her paws on the bridge and looked out, but she was more content jumping on me and looking up. I do love the way she seems to be looking at me.
Instagram post 17992900117561614 Instagram post 17992900117561614
Couldn’t resist a quick stop this morning with t Couldn’t resist a quick stop this morning with the fog and frost settled in. 

Hamden Covered Bridge 

#coveredbridge #coveredbridges #bridge #fog #frost #nature #upstatenewyork
Harper’s friend Lucy is around this weekend! #g Harper’s friend Lucy is around this weekend!

#goldenretriever #dogsofinstagram #dog #goldenretrieversofinstagram #harper_dublin #akc #photography #photooftheday #love #mydogharper #harperdublin #instagood #happy #picoftheday #fun #iphoneology #retrieveroftheday #ilovemygolden #dogstagram #dailygolden #dogsofinsta #outside #sunshine #friends
So… @harper_dublin wants to know why she can’t So… @harper_dublin wants to know why she can’t have @mallons_homemade_sticky_buns.
This is why we can’t have nice things. Saw this This is why we can’t have nice things. Saw this on me morning walk Friday with Harper. Likely some college kids, but also as chance at local hooligans. I had Harper so not a lot I could do, but I managed to get the cart off the chair. (See second photo) This was in a local park.
Harper is ready for #nationalfetchday on October 1 Harper is ready for #nationalfetchday on October 15! @chuckitfetchgames 

Should be fun! @discgolfdarren @harmm23
Starting to feel like fall! #fall #nature #autum Starting to feel like fall! 

#fall #nature #autumn #colors #foliage #instagood #seasonchange #leaves #leaves🍁
Street lights hidden in a tree. #life #light #wa Street lights hidden in a tree. 

#life #light #walk #explore ##instagood #photooftheday #photography #happy
Finally learning this Canon M6 MarkII before my tr Finally learning this Canon M6 MarkII before my trip starts this weekend. Really like it now that I took the time to set it up and learn the differences between this and my 7D MarkII. This and the iPhone will do most of the work on the trip. 

Photo is inside on a dark and dreary day. Transferred to phone and edited with #snapseed. 

#canon #m6markii #dog #dogsofinstagram #goldenretriever
Life is good. Life is good.
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P.J. Harmer

P.J. Harmer
A video looking at my first year and a half of owning a golden retriever, my first dog. It's had its ups and downs, but I've truly loved the ride and look forward to the future. 

Music: Happy before we get old by Michael Shynes via Artlist. 

► My blog: http://www.hoohaa.com
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Thank you for watching. :)
When these boxes come, there usually some excitement. But this one ... is the ultimate unboxing! 

#cielovideo52 #52weekchallenge #week5 #weeklychallenge

Music: Happy to be Happy (Dapun)

► My blog: http://www.hoohaa.com
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I hate being in front of the camera, but also realize sometimes it's not the worst thing in the world. So, I'm getting better with it. Week 4's theme was all about us and having us in front of the camera, so I tried to come up with a creative way to do it. 

#cielovideo52 #52weekchallenge #week4 #weeklychallenge

Music: Infinite Wonder (Ben Fox)

► My blog: http://www.hoohaa.com
► Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hoohaa29/
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