All You Need is a Little Motivation!

Today I want to talk about figuring out how to motivate yourself to meet a goal. When I've talked to CHS participants over the years, many of them have mentioned that part of the reason they liked the course was that spending the money forced them to get out and hike more. Now of course we don't literally force you at gunpoint to come out and hike with us when you join, but to some extent, spending a not-insignificant amount of money to join CHS can provide some people with the right motivation to finally set and meet some physical goals for themselves. The expectation that participants hike at least two hikes per month is also motivating to many CHS participants. 

Personally I am motivated to meet my goals by announcing them publicly, thus risking humiliation and defeat in a public arena if I fail to meet those goals. I am most successful in meeting goals if it means that my lack of meeting them will be noticed by people whose opinion I care about. And aside from a half-baked attempt at doing the Seattle to Portland bike ride about 20 years ago with my then-boyfriend Matt, I have succeeded in meeting my goals when I announce them to my friends and family.  

My most current success was taking up the sport of running in order to stay in shape during the non-hiking season. I don't know if a lot of hikers do this, but when it's rainy, cold, and yukky outside, I like to sit on the couch and watch tv. My weakness is for football. And not just watching a game or two, but all of the college and professional games that are on during a weekend. I can sit on my behind for a whole weekend and not do much but surf the Internet and watch one game after another. Plus I tend to enjoy food such as pizza and other calorifically carbohydrate-based foods like that. 

Lack of exercise + eating too many calories = weight gain. 

In the spring, I would struggle from the extra pounds I had gained and my lack of conditioning  over the off-season and have to get back in hiking shape if I was to keep up with all the new gung-ho participants. It was a pain. I needed to find a way to keep in shape in the off-season that would allow me to still watch football in the winter, yet would burn enough calories so I didn't gain weight and get out shape. I'm not much of a gym person, and the thought of walking on a treadmill or some other exercise contraption wasn't motivating.    

In March of 2012 after yet another season of couch-potatodom, I was talking to a hiking friend who was planning to run a half marathon in Moab, Utah in October of the same year. It sounded like a cool thing to do in a cool place, so I decided that I wanted to run that half marathon with her. I was not a runner in any shape or form at that time. I'd done a few 5K runs, but that was it. So I hired a personal trainer who would help me build up the mileage gradually and announced to all of my friends and family that I was going to run a half marathon in October. Every time I saw these people they asked me how my training was going. I couldn't let them down by saying that I'd ditched it--even though some days I felt more like a wreck than someone who could successfully run 13.2 miles by October. Some days the thought of admitting defeat to these people was the only thing that kept me going out and running. 

Then my motivations starting building on top of the initial one of avoiding humiliation. And you know what, I actually started enjoying running. Not necessarily every time I went out, but more often than not I felt pretty good after my run and that was motivating. I even bought myself a cute outfit (which is saying something for me) to wear for the Moab race and the thought of wearing it was motivating too! I also saw some of my extra weight drop off and got a little firmer in the behind area and that was motivating also! With so much motivation going on, it was easy to go out and meet my goal of running that half marathon--and it was actually fun too. 

The point of all this expository writing is not that you should announce to friends and family that you're doing the CHS course and will be doing long distance hikes with a hefty amount of gain by the end of the season. You're certainly welcome too, but that may not be motivating to you. Figure out what does motivate  you to complete the course and make sure you build that motivation into your life so that it keeps reminding you over and over again why you're getting up at 5:00 am on a Saturday to go walk 15 miles in August when you'd rather just sleep in. Just paying good money to join the course may not be enough to provide enough motivation for you to meet the goal of completing the course. Like me, you may need something more. Figure out what that more is and build it into your summer plan!

Welcome to CHS 2013!

Spring is just around the corner and so is the start of another CHS season! Soon we'll be putting on our boots and spending a summer together hiking to some pretty cool places. Needless to say, I always look forward to this time of year--especially after enduring another cold, soggy winter. I realize that spring in the Northwest can be cold and soggy as well, but once I'm out on the trail, I don't seem to mind it so much anymore. That's what an umbrella is for. 

Hi, my name is Kelly Cleman and I'll be writing the blog entries for CHS this year. If you don't know who I am then let me introduce myself. I am the original creator of the CHS program. I floated it as a trial course in 2005 and got around 30 participants. Myself and another leader, Karen Sykes, led most of the hikes and about 15 people  graduated from the course that year. The course has only grown bigger each year! Last year I handed course administration over to Steve Payne's very capable hands. I continue to help out by leading hikes, keeping up the web site, and this year, by writing the blog entries. In the picture to the right, that's me on the left sitting with my husband, Matt on Shi Shi Beach at the CHS beach cleanup event in 2012. 

I always have lots of pontificate about, so I'll try to put up an entry each week except when I run off on adventure. Sometimes I will duplicate information I have put out in a blog from another year, but some of the topics are timeless and should be put out there each year for people to think about.   

Reading this blog is optional, but I hope you do decide to check it out throughout the summer. If you have a request for me to write on a particular topic, let me know either by email or by replying to the blog! Ideally this blog covers information and ideas that you're interested in as a hiker in the Northwest. Also feel free to post comments to the blogs. On the blogs that I follow I usually find the readers' comments almost as interesting as the blogger's writing. 

Looking forward to a fun and challenging year with you in CHS! 

kc

First Aid Training Options

July? Already? And when will the weather begin to match the calendar? Hmmm...

This week's CHS blog entry comes to us from alumnus Tom Davis:


Hi everyone, this is Tom Davis from last year’s CHS class.  I just signed up to lead CHS hikes this season, so you will be seeing a little more of me in the near future.  

I recently took the Mountaineers AFA (Alpine First Aid) Wilderness First Aid Class.  Remote Medical International, a leader in wilderness medical training, teaches this class for the Seattle Mountaineers.  For the general edification of the group, I thought I’d briefly pass along some of the things I learned in this class.

In an urban setting, an emergency response to a medical emergency can be provided in minutes and transfer, if necessary, to a highly competent hospital trauma center can occur very quickly.  However, in the wilderness, this type of treatment can be hours or days away.  Of critical importance is the “golden hour”, the period of time shortly after a traumatic injury, during which the patient’s chances of survival are greatly increased by prompt and competent medical care.

Not coincidentally, “wilderness” is defined as “one hour or more from definitive medical care”.  “Definitive care” is further defined as care in a hospital setting, specifically one with an emergency department.  On Mountaineer hikes, we are regularly, of course, more than an hour from definitive care.

The Mountaineers WFA (Wilderness First Aid) class provides 16 hours of instruction and can be taken over a two-day weekend.  Also required is a four-hour practice session, usually conducted on a weekday evening.  In a WFA class, you will learn techniques that will help you protect yourself and prevent further injury to your patient.  You will also learn to quickly address life-threatening injuries, evaluate the patient’s health status and communicate this information to rescue personnel.  You will also learn techniques necessary to treat non-life threatening injuries.

Note that most of you have undoubtedly heard Mountaineers make reference to “MOFA” or Mountain Oriented First Aid.  MOFA was developed over many years by the club and, until recently, it was the standard first aid class offered to Seattle Mountaineers.  The Seattle branch now offers WFA.

Thousands of Mountaineers have been trained in MOFA and it is still offered by some Mountaineer branches.  Both MOFA and WFA use a similar set of techniques for achieving the same purpose: providing first aid in a wilderness setting.  However, not all of the terms used in WFA and MOFA are interchangeable.

Injuries are not uncommon in the outdoors.  If you have not done so, please consider taking the WFA class .  If you have taken a first aid class, make sure your skills are up to date and that you are familiar with the new WFA terminology and procedures.  To remain current, the class must be retaken every 2 years because skills get rusty and first aid procedures change.  

Even though completing a first aid class is not a requirement for graduation from CHS, it’s a very good investment of your time that may well provide for your personal safety and the safety of others.  And hey, haven’t you always wanted to be a hero anyway?

Teamwork, and Crying in Baseball

Yesterday I joined five fabulous teammates for the 50.8-mile Rainier to Ruston Relay, a fun run benefitting the Foothills Trail Coalition, beginning near the Carbon River entrance to Mt. Rainier NP and ending at the Commencement Bay waterfront in Tacoma. Our team of current and former CHSers was formed in the last six weeks, so we weren't able to train together, but we worked out pre-race logistics by e-mail and Facebook. When we met up yesterday for the drive to the starting line, it was a little like a carpool on a CHS hike -- some of us knew each other from way back when, and others were just meeting for the first time. 

At one point, Shep quoted Tom Hanks' wonderful line in "A League of Their Own" -- "Are you cyring? There's no crying in baseball! THERE'S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL!" We were presented with some tough running conditions yesterday, with off-and-on rain and a 20-degree temperature swing. It was my longest running distance in a day, and my right ankle was screaming at me. Shep's six-mile first leg was a slog along muddy trail, and his feet were starting to blister. We got Susan through her second leg by promising a donut at the next exchange. Kevin's lungs are probably still full of fumes from his second leg through the Fife-Tacoma industrial area. We had a few driving navigation errors. So we had plenty of reasons to "cry". But we gutted it out as a team, with lots of high-fives and back-slaps and words of encouragement throughout the day. 

As your hikes get longer and the temperatures rise, think about your fellow hikers as being part of a team for the day. Lean on each other for support to get through tough trail and weather conditions, and "cry" to your fellow hikers if you're having a rough time. Sometimes a little commiseration does the trick!

Backcountry Critters

Each year we include the obligatory article about insect encounters.

We are in tick season now, so please remember to be sure and check yourself for ticks after each hike. Check yourself all over. You can't feel them on you until they have already burrowed in. They will wander around (unfelt) on your body until they find a place to dig in and feed. While we don’t have the types of ticks in the Pacific Northwest that can carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever or Lyme’s Disease, it’s still best to be vigilant of these small critters. Click on this link for information on how to remove a tick if you find one: http://dermatology.about.com/cs/miscellaneous/a/tick.htm 

The first person in the hiking group is often dubbed "Web Eater", especially early in the day. If you happen to walk through a spider web, walk clear of the area and have a hiking companion check your head, back and neck for any spiders that may have come along for the ride. If you have trekking poles, you might swipe the path ahead like a swashbuckler!

You will soon be encountering mosquitoes and black flies on some trails. Be sure to carry insect repellent with you or some way of covering up to discourage these pesky critters. While it may be effective, most people find the smell and oiliness of DEET to be repulsive. Experiment with some less potent applications like citronella or eucalyptus-based repellents, or Permethrin-treated fabrics. If you'd prefer to just cover up, plan ahead and wear pants instead of shorts, pack a long-sleeved shirt, lightweight gloves and a head net. 

Finally, bees, yellow jackets, paper wasps and hornets pose a threat in early summer through the first hard frost. Avoid perfumes and scented lotions, and bright or flower-patterned clothing. If you have allergies to bee stings, be sure to discuss it with your doctor and request a prescription for an epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen). 

Fun in the Sun

What better topic coming off a hot, sunny weekend than sun protection! Unless you have really bad luck, you'll be spending dozens of hours in the sun on your CHS hikes this summer. Here are a few tips for doing it safely.

• The active ingredients in sunscreen can and do expire. Check your sunscreen for an expiration date, and replace it if it's past due. Apply sunscreen liberally at the trailhead -- even better, at home before you leave for the meet spot -- and at the lunch break, and more frequently if you're fair-skinned. 
• Pack a boonie hat or other cap with a broad bill and perhaps a back flap to keep overhead sun off your face and neck. They're goofy-lookin' as hell, but the trail's not a fashion runway! 
• Sunglasses are a must-bring for every hike. In bright light conditions, they dramatically reduce the glare and give your vision more contrast so you can see obstacles in your path. Plus, you'll find that squinting for long periods of time gives you a real headache. 
• Use a compact umbrella -- preferably white or other reflective color -- to keep direct sunlight away and maintain a cool zone around your upper body. 
• Know the symptoms of heat stress and heat stroke (profuse sweating,  chills, cramps, dizziness, slurred speech, and inability to take on food and water are a few), and watch your fellow hikers for signs. I usually get a low-grade headache and become a great big whiner when I'm dehydrated -- you probably have your own symptoms. Be prepared to turn around and end your day early if someone suffers overheating. It's near impossible to recover on trail, and the best solution is lots of rest in a cool environment.
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! On a really hot day, if you wait until you're thirsty, it may already be too late to catch up. If you anticipate extreme heat on an upcoming hike, keep pre-hydrated by limiting your alcohol and coffee intake a day or two before the hike, and by chugging 16-20 oz. of water before you lock up the car.
• Include an electrolyte replacement beverage (Gatorade, Powerade, Accelerade, Nuun, EmergenC, diluted citrus juice, etc.) to compensate for the sodium, chloride and potassium you lose as you sweat.
• Observe the color of your urine -- you're looking for clear to straw-colored, and not dark yellow. Obviously, if you haven't had to go in a while, that's a problem too!
• Take every advantage to use a stream, river, waterfall or snowfield for a refreshing cool down. Dunk your hat, soak your bandana, or build a snowman!

If you're having a "bug" kind of day instead of a "windshield" kind of day, these precautions may not save you. Even experienced hike leaders suffer in the heat. But do your best to be prepared, and store all those memories of what it feels like to hike in the heat -- you can call them up when you're taking your vitamin D supplements and trying to get through the cold, wet winter!

--Steve

Pre-hike Planning

On Friday I joined my fellow Hiking Committee members and hike leaders at the Seattle Program Center for our annual Hike Leader Pizza Party. It's a tradition that dates back many years, and a chance for the branch's leadership to get together and plan out their trips for the upcoming hiking season. Poster paper and magic markers have given way to laptops and smartphones, but the commitment remains -- in all, I'd say we added four dozen new regular club hikes to the schedule! 

It wasn't all about the pizza, adult beverages, door prizes and hike schedules, though. Gary Paull, Wilderness and Trails Coordinator for the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, was there to present the latest news and pictures of current trail and road conditions and closures. It was a grim but timely reminder to us all to check and double-check road and trail conditions before leading a hike we haven't been able to scout. 

Following are several resources you might investigate before hiking on your own:

• Each National Forest maintains its own website with the USDA (http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/pdx/forests.shtml#washington), and each website has an Alerts & Notices section that has the most current road and trail conditions. You can and should call the Ranger's Station for the district you're visiting. The rangers may not have actually hiked the trail lately, but they should be able to give you the current conditions as reported to them. 
• Each National Park has similar information available through their respective websites at www.nps.gov. 
• Hindered as they are by budgetary constraints, the rangers at Washington State Parks often have the most current trail information because they have actually hiked the trails. A park directory is found here: www.parks.wa.gov
• Oftentimes the most current information is found in trip reports posted by volunteer contributors on the Washington Trails Association website at www.wta.org. Create an account and share your trip reports and photos today! 
• WTA also maintains a directory for each land manager here: http://www.wta.org/hiking-info/ranger-station-info

Check before you hike, and stay safe out there!

--Steve