Step 15 Training Definitions Schedule

15. Trail Descriptions & Training Schedule

NOTE: If you have not completed the initial self-evaluation survey, please click here.

Modified Training Schedule - Hike Day Gear List (PDF)

Get Ready To Hike One Of The Most Beautiful Trails On Earth -
iConquer - Team Diabetes Honolulu Hiking Adventure - 2017!

Plan to be on the trail for 6 - 7 Hours on Hike Day!

Our goal is to prepare you to meet the rigors that come with hiking the special nuances that not only make hiking in Waimea Canyon a challenge, but to overcome some of the mental and physical challenges that are typically a part of all iConquer series hikes with Team Diabetes.

Manoa Falls - 2 Mile Option Weather and Trail Conditions

Peaks and Valley's Trail - 8 Mile

Like all Team Diabetes adventures, safety is our highest priority. So NO one EVER hikes alone. Weather in Kauai, Hawaii and particularly in this canyon, can play a significant role in nearly every aspect of this hike. While we cannot foresee any circumstance where we will not be able to do this hike, please be aware that conditions of the day will determine exactly what our adventure together will be. There is a dry side and green side of Waimea Canyon. You will learn about each when you are there. However, for the sake of training, there are two conditions that you should prepare for. Our hike will be on the dry side so the trail can be dry, dusty and the decomposing volcanic soils and small rocks can make it unstable and slick. If it does rain on our side, those conditions can turn to mud quickly and that will cause us to slow down considerably. Fog, heat and humidity are also significant factors so prepare for all conditions.

Recipe For Success

2 - 3 Liters of Water

Trail Snacks and Lunch

Deep Tread Hiking Boots

Getting Ready To Train - Run/Walk/Aerobics

We know that some of you are longtime runners, some of you prefer to walk for your daily fitness regime and still others prefer a combination of aerobic workouts and weight training in the gym. In training for our hike, all are great ways to prepare yourself so long as you actually get up, out and do them every day. Consistency is the key.

Through our experience and in research over the last few years, we have learned that the single biggest challenge that most of our hike participants face is not just what to do, but rather to find the time, motivation and drive to stay active and train on a regular basis. If you follow the recommended schedule, Hike Day will be Day 28 of your consecutive days of walk training. So not only will you have Conquered The Canyon, but you will have started a daily fitness regime that can help you live healthier for the rest of your life.

Even if you are unable to take the time to fully follow the scheduled times/distances, make sure you walk at least 30 minutes every day to keep the consistency part going. Once you reach 10 or 20 days in a row, you will be more highly motivated to keep it going, if for no other reason than to just avoid the dreaded "Day One" all over again.

Training Definitions

Use these definitions in conjunction with the training schedule

With that in mind, we have "uncomplicated" our training recommendations so that it easier to follow and stick with for the next few months. Below are a few definitions that will help as you read the schedule and get started on it.

1. Run/Power Walk/Gym - This means exercising with a purpose for the time allotted. This is an aerobic exercise so if you are running or walking make sure you are building and maintaining a pace that gets your heart rate and respiration elevated. Keep it going during your entire workout.

2. Incline Walk - Walk uphill! It is as simple as that. 50% of your hike and 75% of your energy will be spent walking uphill. Much of it is very steep. For this exercise, stair climbers in the gym or stairs in a local building, stadium work really well.

3. Get your mind right! If you are not used to hiking DOWN hill first, then back up, try it. It has a different feel than loops or out and back activities. Have someone drop you off 3 or 4 kilometers downhill from your house with only your regular gear, water, a snack and your phone. Now walk home. Build this up until you are doing several a week until you can comfortably do 12 to 14k.

4. Hike (Sundays and Midweek) - Get out in nature and hike. The goal is for you to develop the dexterity, balance, and stamina for walking on uneven, rocky and inconsistent surfaces and pitches that make up a forest or mountain trail.

5. Hike (Saturdays) - This hike should be something you set up that will challenge your strength, endurance, agility, and motivation. It is meant to be a harder hike than the Sunday or midweek hikes and is designed to help you develop your sense of commitment to a longer hike. Remember, hiking down is optional. Hiking back up is mandatory. Approach these training hikes with that mindset.

6. Keep Your Walk Consistent - Walk - Just do a purposeful walk anywhere you can for 30 minutes each day. Home, work, airport - anywhere that is convenient. The key is to keep your consistency streak going!

As a general reminder, while you prepare yourself mentally and physically for the hike, keep in mind that unless you live in an area where the elevation is 1000' and in a rainforest on the side of a volcano, you can't fully duplicate the environment that you will experience in Hawaii. As we stated before, while you can never really know how the environment will affect you until you arrive in Kauai, you can increase your ability to cope with the added physical stress by increasing your endurance and lung capacity as you train. Below we have listed the general elevations you will experience during your adventure which we hope will help you more fully gain an appreciation for the difficulty and rigors of the hike.