Upon deciding to take on the 3000km trek spanning the length of New Zealand, I figured I should probably do a bit of training for it. Now, I have recently done a few 2/3 day hikes totalling 30km+, but it struck me that doing a few days of trekking followed by a week or two rest is very different to hiking 25km+ every day for 4 months straight.
So to at least look like I'm not completely winging it, I've decided to take on the full Pennine Way as both training and a statement of intent. I intend to begin the trek on Monday 12th August and at a length of 431km (268 miles) it takes the average hiker 16-19 days to complete.
I have decided to do this walk in particular for a few reasons. It consists of a few weeks of consistently walking 20km+ a day at least to make it to the end within the time frame. It features a solid variety of terrain including numerous steep climbs and declines - good preparation for the numerous mountain ranges I will have to pass through across the 3000km trail in New Zealand. And last but certainly not least, the start point in Edale is very close to where I live... dreamy.
Over the last month or so I have consistently been working towards preparing everything I need to before I take on the New Zealand trek: personally building this website every day, corresponding and building bridges with the CRY, planning how to fundraise as best I can, etc. But I'd be lying if I said I hadn't been bricking it a bit and doubting whether I was going way too out of my depth, but with every passing day I am becoming more and more motivated to do everything I can to make it to the finish line.
In completing the Pennine Way I'm hoping to achieve 2 things: prove to myself that I can do this; and prove to everyone else that I am serious about doing this. A 431km walk as a warm up does seem a little mental, but I want to do whatever it takes to get to a point where I am more than ready to take on almost 7 times that distance.
Of course, I will be posting regular updates of my progress along the Pennine Way on this blog and on my social media, so stay tuned for when I take on my first step of what will be a combined 3431km of trekking.
You will smash it bro xx