After reaching legendary status in ultra-running, the 40-year-old is eyeing a new endeavor: cycling. Like an energized bunny, the former teacher is living proof that you can achieve late-career dominance with perseverance, heart, and pure grit.
Not that we’re suggesting you take up ultra-running, but the record breaker can teach us a thing or two about healthy fitness levels.
So, if you’re gearing up to trail-blaze across moorlands or hilltops, consider this a guide every bold woman needs for her wildest outdoor escapades. Courtney Dauwalter-inspired run-through included.
#1. Build a Balanced Fitness Base
After a long trail or multi-day trek, you might feel on top of the world, or like your body’s submitted a resignation letter.
A solid maintenance plan helps you stay ready. TreeLineReview advises concentrating your routine on rest, cardio, strength, flexibility, and nutrition. The method builds your base sustainably without burning out or inviting injury.
#2. Strength Training: Your Trail Armor
The trail craves strength, from uphill hauls to stabilizing on rocky descents.
Medical News Today emphasizes that resistance training twice a week (bodyweight squats, push-ups, or weighted moves) helps build muscle and resilience. The reasoning is that women respond well to upper-body and lower-body strength work.
#3. Follow a Hiking-Specific Workout Plan
Ready to adventure but need a roadmap? PureGym’s six-week hiking plan is your pre-trail GPS.
It begins with building a foundation of strength and mobility, gradually ramps up resistance, endurance, and hike-specific drills. Incorporate weighted pack walks and incline training to peak before the journey begins.
#4. Medication Matters
Here’s a gentle side path of awareness. Sometimes your hormonal contraceptive injection can cause mood swings or heavy bleeding. Be aware of this when training, and also stay informed. That includes understanding the legal and health implications.
For instance, recent developments in the Depo-Provera lawsuit were a wake-up call for women about prolonged Depo-Provera use and its serious health risks. Some claimants reported brain tumors and vision problems. Find out how to file a claim in the Depo-Provera brain tumor lawsuit here: https://www.torhoermanlaw.com/depo-provera-lawsuit/
When your longest journey is through life’s rhythms, ensuring your medication is safe is part of your holistic trail-prep.
#5. Listen to Your Body, Blame the Hormones (Politely)
Exercise science hasn’t always been tailored to women. That’s changing, thanks to trailblazers like Dr Stacy Sims.
She explains that training must align with women’s unique physiology across the lifespan, particularly around hormonal shifts, energy levels, and sleep needs. Don’t take it personally. It’s biological and adapting is clever, not soft.
#6. Aging Strong: How Older Women Can Thrive Outdoors
Outdoor-loving women embracing their silver years shouldn’t tone themselves down. They should train smart.
Women’s Health underlines the importance of strength training for seniors. It boosts mobility, prevents falls, and maintains functional independence. And yes, it’s your secret weapon for longer, stronger adventures.
#7. Rest, Refuel, and Recover
You are not a robot. Your off-trail life should encompass active recovery: sleep, nourishing food, and rest.
TreeLineReview urges you to focus on downtime after intense efforts. Prioritize sleep and healing over forcing another long day out, and then reintroduce activity gently.
Proper nutrition feeds your strength, stamina, and recovery. And that’s why Medical News Today insists that protein and calories are needed for building and repairing muscles when you’re active.
Every meal should be purposeful on or off the trail.
Adventure, Evolution, and Embracing the Beginner’s Mindset
As you lace up for your next wild adventure, remember that every strong pathfinder (pun intended) was once a beginner. The underdog had to start somewhere to achieve greatness.
Courtney Dauwalter broke mental and physical boundaries on foot, and now she’s embracing the unfamiliar terrain of cycling with the same fearless curiosity. Entering superhuman territory, the Minnesota native is diving into gear shifting, fixing flats, and learning how to snack while on two wheels.
If anything, her journey is a motivation to take the first step to conquering the unknown.
You could be tackling your first multi-day trek or simply mixing in fresh forms of adventure. Let that beginner’s spark guide you. It keeps you humble, keeps you learning, and injects every challenge with a sense of possibility.
So go on, adventure trails and bold beginnings await!