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03.2014 BACKPACKER 85 MONDAY Rest TUESDAY Run 45 minutes (Zone 2). WEDNESDAY Gym Workout C: Your choice: an hour of yoga, Pilates, CrossFit, or other cross-training. Macy: “Giving people a choice auto- matically increases their motivation.” THURSDAY Run 60 minutes, completing two 10-minute pushes (Zone 4) with 5 minutes of easy jogging in between. Macy: “For the final week, replace this with an easy run or day off.” FRIDAY Gym Workout A SATURDAY Hike 80 minutes (Zone 2). SUNDAY Long day: Hike 3 hours with a fully loaded pack on hilly terrain (Zone 2). Macy: “Reduce this hike to 1.5 hours the week before your trip.” 50-MILE THRU-HIKES: Ready for more? Find beta on 10 hikes at backpacker.com/50milers PERFECT 50: OLYMPIC COAST STRIP TRAVERSE FROM BEACH TO HIGHLANDS BETWEEN HOH RIVER AND OZETTE LAKE. MONTH 3: PEAK AND TAPER “You won’t build a lot of fitness in the last few weeks,” Macy says. Make sure you’re rested before your hike. GO LIGHTER You’re not getting anywhere—fast or far—with a heavy pack. Target 15 pounds (excluding food, water, and fuel) and you’ll devote more of your energy toward making miles than schlepping gear. Learn more: backpacker.com/ultralight. Hiking is hard work, and you need enough fuel to keep you powered for the long run. Target 4,000 to 5,000 calories per day (or 7,000 to 8,000 in winter). Any less and you risk fatigue (like Kirk experienced) and—worse!—bonking. Breakfast Start your day by putting carbs (150 grams) in the tank—think oatmeal or granola with dried fruit. Snacks and lunch The hungrier you are, the less energy and focus you’ll have. Keep the carbs com- ing by snacking hourly. Target 30 grams of carbs per hour to prolong physical and mental pep. Good sources include energy bars, trail mix with salted nuts and dried fruit, and energy gels and blocks. For lunch, good old peanut butter and jelly offers a perfect mix of fats, carbs, and protein. Dinner Eat a protein-rich dinner (target 30 grams) and replenish the muscle fat (trigylcerides) you burned during the day. Eat avo- cado, nuts, and seeds, cook in oil (olive or canola), or mix coconut oil or butter into meals to fortify them with fuel to burn on the trail tomorrow. EAT FOR ALL-DAY ENERGY This food strategy will keep you going and going. FOOD We may like to think we’re burning the old spare tire during endurance hikes, Ryan says. Truth is, we burn the fat stored in muscle more in this type of exercise. Replace these “good” fats (plus proteins and carbs) over the next 24 to 48 hours—especially if you plan to exercise more. The tastiest way to do that? Tuck into that burger (protein!), fries (fat!), and beer (carbs!). EAT YOUR REWARDS Great news! There’s a place for the post-hike binge. PERCEIVED EXERTION ZONES FOR CARDIO WORKOUTS Zone 1 Easy and sustainable Zone 2 Moderate effort, can hold conversation Zone 3 Strong effort, breathing hard Zone 4 Very strong effort, feels like a race Zone 5 Maximum effort, can only maintain for a short time 50-MILER WORKOUT INFO NPS.GOV/OLYM To do a squat Stand with legs hip-width apart. Keep weight on heels and sit back. Add a pack as strength increases. DON’T FORGET