Recently I have shared about the importance of getting outside through two previous post: Walking for Health and Getting Out in Nature. Getting outside has been very instrumental in my own health journey so I encourage others to take advantage of the great outdoors, even if that means a local park in your neighborhood.

This post was inspired by an accomplishment of a high school friend who completed 52 hiking trails in 52 weeks; she actually finished up early. How inspiring is that! My husband and I enjoy hiking and try to do a hike each weekend. Through some research, I discovered the 52 Hike Challenge website. Wow! It is an awesome website. It provides inspiration and resources to get started that include what to bring, gear, safety guidelines, a means to track your hikes, and more. There is a downloadable 17-page guide too.

On my first visit to the site, I signed up for the challenge. I am a very goal-oriented person as it helps me stay committed.

5 Easy Hiking Escapes in the North Carolina Triad | Point of Blue

There are so many reasons to get outside and hike:

Relieve Stress
Strengthen the Immune System
Sharpen Focus
Calm the Mind
Aids in Weight Management
Improves Short-term Memory
Increase Happiness and Longevity

So much can be gained by getting outside and exploring the natural world! The risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stress-related conditions, and high blood pressure may be decreased through getting outside and moving.

Since my friend had completed the challenge, I asked her to share about the experience.

She did this adventure to get out of her regular routine of the same trails she had regularly been doing. She used the app AllTrails to find different trails. Of course, I downloaded the app and started looking. My husband I prefer unpaved trails and they can be a bit more challenging to find in metro areas. I hope this app will help us find more trails in our area and when we travel.

Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve

Joan’s Favorite trail of the year was the Armstrong Redwoods Natural Reserve north of San Francisco. She enjoyed learning the history of the area and seeing trees that are so different from here in Minnesota.

Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve | SonomaCounty.com

Mazomani Trail (Shakopee) - 2021 All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor

Joan’s most difficult trail was here in Minnesota, the Mazomani Trail south of Shakopee. Minnesota winters can be cold. The day she hiked/snowshoed, it was chilly on the 8 miles of hilly trails which included crossing a partially frozen river.

“We’re constantly shown the “real world”

on our screens

but we come face to face with the real

world out on the trail.”

We Dream of Travel

Of the hikes she completed, Joan would recommend the Chippewa National Forest Suomi Hills Trails situated in northern Minnesota near Marcell for the challenging hills and beautiful lake views. She is already planning new trails to explore, enjoy, and to see wildlife. It is amazing how setting a goal and completing it can inspire you to set more goals. I believe this type of goal feeds our soul with the healing properties just being in nature.

There are three components of powerful goals:

They must be inspiring.
They must be believable.
They must be goals you can act on.

Do you think you would be inspired to complete a 52 Hike Challenge? Would you be interested in doing this goal with me? I would love to form a group of us to complete this goal in 2021. These hikes don’t have to be to faraway places, most areas have walking/hiking trails for all skill levels. Maybe for you it is a walk in a local park. The goal is to get outside and move, building your mental, emotional, and physical health at least once a week.

Who is with me on this goal for 2021? We have a private Facebook group called Chronicles 52-Hike Challenge if you would like to join us on this journey. Comment below if you would like to complete the 52 Hike Challenge in 2021.

Be blessed and be a blessing,

Heather

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7 Comments

Renee Hogan on December 16, 2020 at 10:37 am

Yes, I would like to give it a try.
- Heather on December 16, 2020 at 11:27 am
  
  Awesome! Have you signed up at http://www.52hikechallenge.com? There is a free option and a couple of for purchase options. I will be getting in touch with all the participants soon. I am excited for this adventure and glad you will be along for the challenge.
- Heather on December 28, 2020 at 7:52 pm
  
  Renee, I have set up a Facebook private group called Chronicles 52-Hike Challenge if you would like to be a member, you can head over to the page and sign up. I look forward to completing this journey with you.
  - Renee C Hogan on December 28, 2020 at 8:30 pm
    
    I signed up for the challenge. I hope this isn’t a high pressure group. I know I can achieve it. I will mostly do weekends since I work during the week. I have osteoarthritis so I have some limitations, but I don’t let it stop me.
    - Heather on December 28, 2020 at 9:21 pm
      
      This definitely is not a high pressure group. It is a place to encourage and share our adventures! I too hike on the weekends so it may be a challenge through the colder months but I am going for it.
      - Renee C Hogan on December 29, 2020 at 10:16 am
        
        Great, me too. I have osteoarthritis so I can’t go the distance I use to, but I still go! I push myself but know my limitations. I do smaller strides at a time, but still get workouts in.
      - Heather on December 29, 2020 at 1:47 pm
        
        Great work, dealing with arthritis is a challenge but movement can be helpful too. I look forward to seeing where you get out and hike to.