Phoenix: Valley of The Sun

Location: Phoenix, Arizona

Type of Travel: An excellent outdoor adventure destination with easy access to hiking, cycling, swimming, and outdoor cultural activities for those looking for a break from gray skies and cold during winter months

Ages: All

The Phoenix area has been referred to as the Valley of the Sun and is home to hundreds of miles of hiking and cycling trails. The trails are rated “easy” to “hard” and offer options for all levels. For those who enjoy swimming, there are many outdoor pools and lakes in the area. The Phoenix area also has many organized events including hikes, walks, runs, duathlons, triathlons, and even mud runs. Monarch Fitness Coaching personal training clients Len and Cameria, along with Coach Heather, recently participated in the Lost Dutchman 8K Trail Run or Walk.

Preparing for Your Trip

Both Len, age group 70–74, and Cameria (Cam), age group 55–59, started personal training specifically for their trip to Phoenix sixteen weeks prior to the Lost Dutchman 8K Trail Run. Len and Cam knew they also wanted to hike, cycle, swim, and enjoy the Phoenix area. 

The personal trainers and coaches at Monarch Fitness Coaching recommend starting preparation for a trip a minimum of 12–16 weeks prior to travel. Although beginning at any point will be beneficial, Len and Cam were within the recommended window. Both clients came in with a well-developed cardio base. Cam had a lot of experience hiking and trail running; Len’s trail running and hiking experience was limited. 

Most Monarch Fitness Coaching personal training clients are provided with independent workouts for cardio and mobility in order to make walking and their sports of choice more enjoyable and less likely to cause injury. Many clients also participate in programming designed to improve their strength and stability.

Cameria’s Training Program  

• Independent Training: 
  • Cardio: daily activity including walking two strong, rambunctious, Ridgeback dogs  
  • Cardio: three days a week of run-specific training that allowed Cameria to race The Lost Dutchman 8K Trail Run
  • Cardio: three days a week of cycling which created a cardio endurance base that made hiking feel easy
  • Strength training: 2–3 days a week of full-body strength training which created a foundation allowing Cameria to easily navigate inclines and declines
• Personal Training
  • Cardio: hiking and running training during the trip focusing on enjoyment and injury prevention
  • Flexibility: focused on improved recovery, strength, and control

Len’s Training Program 

• Independent Training: 
  • Cardio: daily activity including walking Len’s dog, Russell
  • Cardio: two or three days a week of run-specific training which allowed Len to race The Lost Dutchman 8K Trail Run
  • Cardio: two days a week of swimming, which created a base that allowed Len to open-water swim
  • Flexibility: daily exercises that kept all of Len’s joints moving well
• Personal Training 
  • Cardio and Strength: focusing on running and movements needed to stabilize when hiking and trail running 
  • Stability and Strength: focusing on foot, ankle, knee, and hip stability as well as the core strength needed to transition to walking and jogging on uneven surfaces. Additionally, this type of training allows Len to reduce his ground contact time and makes him run faster with less effort.

Heather’s Training Program 

• Independent Training: 
  • Cardio: daily activity that created a walking foundation allowing for strenuous hikes of 6+ hours a day
  • Cardio: two days a week swimming, which created a base for open-water swimming
  • Flexibility: daily exercises which kept Coach Heather’s joints moving well
• Group Personal Training 
  • Stability and Strength: focusing on the foundations of movement including rocking, rolling, and crawling motions.
  • Strength and Stability: focusing on base movements like squats, lunges, and pushups completed on objects like a Bosu or a GiBoard, which make balancing more challenging.
  • Cardio and Strength—Circuit: focusing on movements that require hip engagement and create a strong foundation for hiking and running
  • Flexibility: focusing on mobility training for ankles, knees, and hips, creating improved strength and control