MENUMENU
  • About
  • Buy
  • Press
  • Book Clubs
  • Writer Resources
  • Allie Larkin
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • g

Allison Larkin

Internationally Best-Selling Author

You are here: Home / working out / Backpacking My Way Through Stars Hollow

Backpacking My Way Through Stars Hollow

February 22, 2009 Filed Under: working out

I haven’t been graceful about accepting winter this year. Back in late October/early November, I started feeling this panic about dark, grey days, temperatures that I believe would convince sane people that this area of the country is not inhabitable, and the wonder that is lake effect snow. I felt the weight of impending cabin fever so heavily, that we broke down and bought a treadmill. It was the best damn purchase ever.

We trained the dogs how to use the treadmill, and when it’s too cold out, or the roads are too messy, they get their morning walk indoors (while I happily read and drink coffee, sitting on our big blue exercise ball next to the treadmill, cheering “good job” every five minutes or so). And I have discovered the extreme awesomeness of having a treadmill in the privacy of my own home.

I can walk barefoot. I don’t have to worry about having a cute, (or at least presentable) workout outfit. I can exercise with crazy I-just-woke-up hair. And, I can backpack.

I’ve been walking on the “mountain climber” program setting, carrying a 15 pound pack. I’m working my way through the seasons of Gilmore Girls (except I’m going to skip the last one, because everyone knows it started sucking when they ditched the original writers). And I look forward to that 45 minutes every day more than I’ve ever looked forward to any workout.

I’m planning to add a few more cans of beans to my backpack to get up to 20 pounds this week, with an overall goal of being comfortable hauling 30 pounds. And when backpacking season starts up, look out. It’s one thing to be in shape, and it’s another thing to be in backpacking shape. It’s great to run all winter, but then you put on a pack and you’re using different muscles and your stride is different, and muscles you forgot you had start telling you to f-off. I might not have a lot of time to go backpacking this year, but when I do go, I’ll be able to make the most of it. No re-acclimating to my pack. No sore ankles. No feeling like I’m going to fall over backward the first time we hit a big hill.

I know some hardcore backpackers hit the gym treadmill with their packs, but I’m really not comfortable working the crazy out in public. I prefer to maintain the crazy in the privacy of my own home. And then blog about it.

8 Comments

Comments

  1. Kirsten says

    February 22, 2009 at 8:35 pm

    i’ve been thinking of getting a treadmill — what kind did you get, and from where?

    Reply
  2. Allie says

    February 22, 2009 at 9:04 pm

    We got an Ironman Envision from Play It Again Sports. It was a factory second so it’s a little scratched up (but was also a great deal). It has a little TV in the console, and can work up to a pretty good incline. We did no research on this whatsoever, which is very uncharacteristic of us, but so far (knock wood) it’s worked out just fine.

    Reply
  3. Angela says

    February 23, 2009 at 8:10 am

    Gilmore Girls is a fabulous show.

    Reply
  4. Courtney says

    February 23, 2009 at 6:37 pm

    Nice! I’ve never thought of wearing a pack on the treadmill before, but what a great idea.

    Aww, I loved Gilmore Girls for the first four seasons or so. It definitely jumped the shark towards the end, though. I had to quit watching when Rory was dating Logan, because that guy got on my last nerve.

    Reply
  5. Mickey says

    February 23, 2009 at 7:02 pm

    That’s a pretty good idea. I’ve been thinking of taking some walks with a backpack full of water bottles for the same reason.

    Reply
  6. equa yona(Big Bear) says

    February 24, 2009 at 2:12 am

    Hi Allie! I have this wonderful image of you barefoot, curly, wild bedhead hair in your SpongeBob Squarepants jammies walking to beat the band. I am so glad to be reading you again!

    Reply
  7. Reluctant Blogger says

    February 24, 2009 at 4:37 am

    I had no idea dogs could be trained to use a treadmill. It is such a funny thought. You’d think they’d get cross that they weren’t going anywhere or seeing anything.

    I have never used a treadmill – they frighten me a little but we don’t get such extreme weather as you. I do always walk 4 miles a day outside and it is rare for the weather to be too bad to do that.

    Impressed re the backpack training. I don’t think my back would cope with that although I guess I could build it up gradually (not on a treadmill, I mean when really walking).

    I’ve been enjoying walking in my fivefinger shoes. Great fun.

    Reply
  8. The Modern Gal says

    March 1, 2009 at 9:15 pm

    That’s fantastic. How did you train the dogs to use the treadmill? Whenever I take Lucy to my parents’ house, she runs away from the treadmill. I would love to be able to put her on it.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

  • Home
  • Allie Larkin
  • Blog
  • Book Clubs
  • Contact
  • Writer Resources

allielarkinwrites

We are in the habit of starting and ending our day We are in the habit of starting and ending our days side by side in our lawn chairs, while the light rises or dims. It’s still chilly at the outer edges of the day. Sometimes Roxy shivers. I bought her a sweater, but she won’t wear it. Sometimes I try to wrap her in my jacket, but she’s not having that either, so I throw her ball and try to get her run and then she comes back to her chair, warm for a little longer. #dailyroxydog #huskychihuahua #dogssittinginchairs
“I got a secret I should tell. I’m going up to “I got a secret I should tell. I’m going up to heaven in a split pea shell.” ~ @petermulvey43 Words Too Small to Say
Happy as a dog in a freshly dug nap hole. #dailyro Happy as a dog in a freshly dug nap hole. #dailyroxydog #huskymixesofinstagram
I saw this little dresser at my favorite magic ant I saw this little dresser at my favorite magic antique store sometime in November and didn’t buy it. But then, of course, I kept thinking about her. She’s the perfect size for my office, and I found those drawer pulls hilarious. When I finally went back in December, I told myself I was shopping for wall art, because I assumed she would be gone. But she was right where I’d seen her last: balanced on another dresser with boxes of old picture frames and tchotchkes piled on top (the true mark of a magic antique store). I didn’t even realize she had a towel rack — that she was a wash stand, not a dresser — until I asked about the price, said I’d take her, and my favorite magic antique store person asked if we needed to unscrew the towel rack to fit her in my car. I suspect this little sweetie is not from the days of necessary wash stands so much as from a country kitchen in the 80s. She was in rough shape, and not made from wood worth stripping and re-staining, but her price reflected that. I had to disassemble that door and put it back together, but I’d been in the market for some experience working with old furniture, and she made me feel brave about trying. I thought about painting her something more neutral, but I’m so glad I didn’t. She deserves to be pink. She’s not perfectly painted and needs a few touch ups. I learned some things about chalk paint and finishes. The drawers stick a bit. Eventually, I’d like to line them with fabric and when I do, I might plane the edges to smooth things out. But goodness, I love her in a way that I wouldn’t if I hadn’t spent time cleaning away her cobwebs and scrubbing the grime from her hilarious drawer pulls. She’s also become a little shrine for the book I’m working on, which makes me love her even more. I’ve always been a person who sees some soul in certain things, and I’m learning to cherish that idiosyncrasy, because there’s so much joy to be found in a brave little toaster or an underdog wash stand. We’re not here in the world for all that long. We may as well love some bright little things. #furnituremakeover
After Roxy started stealing my seat, I dragged a s After Roxy started stealing my seat, I dragged a second lawn chair out. She nudges me over and we sit in our chairs, side by side, and watch the sun set. Well, I watch the sun set. She spies on the neighbors. #dailyroxydog #dogstagram #sundayevening
I truly don’t understand how anyone is this cute I truly don’t understand how anyone is this cute. I never get used to it. There’s no immunity. She’s adorable beyond what pictures can capture. #dailyroxydog #huskymixesofinstagram #ilovemydog
Load More... Follow on Instagram

© Allison Larkin | Site by Little Leaf Design