An Ordinary Odyssey

Welcome to my weekly Trail Logs, where I’ll be sharing the ups, downs, and everything in between as I set out to train for a Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim challenge in fall 2025! Each week, I’ll document my experiences…whether I’m tackling a new workout, wrestling with my inner couch potato, or celebrating small victories. This space isn’t just about my journey; it’s also my way of holding myself accountable while showcasing the adventure of an everyday person and flatlander taking on a challenge.

I suspect that there are plenty of folks like me out there, caught between the ultra-fit athletes and those who’ve never set foot in a gym in their life. Every time I look for inspiration, I find either ultra-athletes with insane training plans or people whose doctors have issued life-or-death warnings. Where are the Average Janes like me?! When I think I’ve found one, they casually mention their high school track glory days. *Sigh*

So, figured I might as well feed two birds with one scone! I’ll keep this training log for my own accountability and maybe be that Average Jane story for someone else. To keep things consistent for you and my own sanity as I try to check-in every week for a year, I’ll be formatting all these updates in the same way.

This Week’s Journey
In this section every week, I’ll check in on my current physical state and progress towards my goals. I’ll tell you where I am in my training plan and what I accomplished, or didn’t accomplish, in the week. My goal is to be transparent and real – with both you and myself. If you aren’t ok with pictures of stretch marks and bruises, frequent f-bombs, or unvarnished and unrefined commentary on diet, fitness, and body image — this is not the place for you. I’m not here to sugarcoat anything and I can’t promise that some of my thoughts won’t be considered “problematic” somehow. I’m just an average person sharing my unvarnished thoughts on my diet, fitness, and body image. I’m not a psychologist, physical therapist, or any kind of expert. I have a lot of work ahead of me on both my physical health and mindset, and sharing this journey transparently is part of my learning journey. Let’s go!

X Marks The Spot

I’m starting off as an almost 35 year old, 5’7″ and 223 lb Caucasian/Native American cisgender woman. My physical background is short but possibly a bit unique. Until college, I was a dedicated couch potato. I never participated in sports and often ridiculed by my gym teacher for my lack of coordination. I was fluffy but not extremely overweight. I took better care of myself in college and started hiking after graduation, even going on a weight loss journey that had me shed about 45-50 lbs at one point. I jog/walked three 5Ks and spent time in the gym, but it wasn’t sustainable, and I gained it all back within a year.

What gives me a unique edge is that I do pole dance fitness and am actually a part-time stand-in instructor at my studio. I’ve done it for 5 years now and am in advanced classes. From the outside, I look like a total badass with the pictures and videos I’ve shared of me in some pretty awesome looking tricks! While I can execute some impressive tricks, it’s often more about body positioning than strength. I tend to gravitate toward easier moves that look cool but require minimal effort, sticking to the comfort zone rather than pushing my limits. After five years of attending classes 2-3 nights a week, I’ve become aware of how lazy and un-dedicated I can be. I can nail some flashy moves, but I never cross-train or practice outside of class or challenge myself with more technically demanding skills. At this point, I know I could be much further along in my fitness journey if I actually put in the effort.

As to hiking, I have done some seriously cool and badass things. But they were always spread out and I did no training for them. I slogged my way up those trails, bribing myself with Tootsie Rolls to reach the next boulder! I’ve done a few long treks too, but they leave me shattered the next day. I wouldn’t trust myself on a backpacking trip of any difficulty level right now. Again, I am a lazy and un-dedicated hiker too! I do some cool things, show some photos, and that is that. I don’t work at it, I don’t train for it, and I don’t take care of myself off the trail.

With my Rim-to-Rim (R2R) challenge actually on the horizon, I’m determined to change this narrative. The R2R hike is a serious challenge, and it’s not something I can coast through. Every year, people die on this trail, many of whom are much more physically fit than me. The hike spans around 20 miles, with over 8,000 feet of elevation loss and 6,500 feet of gain. The conditions can be brutal, with temperatures soaring to 110 degrees in parts of the inner canyon. There’s no cell service, water must be filtered, and in emergencies, rescue means a helicopter. That’s the point, though! I want to prove to myself that I can tackle this formidable challenge.

Training Log

Here’s where I will lay out my training for the week. My personality is basically an excel spreadsheet, so I’ve laid out my year in a nice, detailed and color-coded fashion! I have established 4 phases to guide my journey. Obviously, I’ll be doing all these things throughout, but this helped me wrap my brain around it all!

Establishing Foundational Habits, October 2024-December 2024

This is all about getting my shit together building consistent habits that will set me up for success and the more focused, intense work I will need to do eventually do. I need to find that sweet spot between my job, my love for pole dance classes, and actual training for strength and mobility. I need to learn how to work out with intention and proper form in the gym. I need to start taking a look at my hydration and nutrition. These three months will be about forming the habits, not being perfect! To keep me motivated, I signed up for a Turkey Trot 5k on Thanksgiving!

Building Endurance and Strength, January 2025-March 2025

This is the phase where I need to start ramping things up. I need to start focusing on my endurance training and strength-building workouts, with activities like stair climbing to improve my leg strength and overall stamina. I plan to incorporate high-intensity workouts and longer runs to prepare for my second 5K that I will hopefully be able to fully do without walking, and then the more intense Fight for Air Climb stair-climbing charity event in March.

Elevation Gain, Cardio, and Joint Resilience, April 2025 – June 2025

At this point, I need to take elevation seriously. With it getting to be nicer Wisconsin weather, it is the perfect time to start doing longer and harder hikes to get my knees and lungs in shape. As a flatlander, it is hard to find this! But I have tentatively planned a trip out to Colorado in June to conquer the Manitou Incline which has 2,000 feet of elevation gain in less than one mile, with a total of 2400+ stairs! I’ll hopefully get out to the Rocky Mountains again too, for some alpine lake hikes.

Endurance, Heat, and Carrying Weight, July 2025 – September 2025

This final phase leads up directly to my R2R hike, date TBD depending on permits but I’m hoping for October! I’ll need to prepare for the heat and carrying a heavy pack. I’ll need to be able to do both over long distances, too! I also need to dial in my backpacking skills in general, with knowing what nutrition and hydration my body likes and needs for these endurance hikes.

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I feel like this post has gotten long enough! My future Weekly Trail Log posts will be shorter, but will have a few more sections once I am actually started on my training. It will look like this:

1. This Week’s Journey
X Marks The Spot: where I re-cap quickly how my body and mind are doing and remind you where I am in my training journey

Training Log: where I talk about what was on the training docket this week and if I completed everything or made any modifications

2. The Ups and Downs
Sunny Summits: talking about what went well this week, what victories I had, how impressed I am with myself!

Rough Terrain: some real talk about what isn’t going well, how I’m beating myself up, and what mistakes have happened

3. Trail Talk
Where I might geek out on logistics with you for a bit! Because in addition to getting my body physically and mentally prepared for the challenge, I have a lot of other things to learn to pull this all off, such as route plans, what gear I need, permits and reservations, and so much more! I don’t want to overlook this aspect as it is a huge part of the preparation.

4. On the Horizon
A brief look at what is coming up next!