Chattanoogans hoping to hike for a cure can take their first steps this month when training begins locally for the Ultimate Hike.
Dawn Brawley on the Foothills Trail at the Ultimate Hike held May 2011.The Ultimate Hike, a trail-blazing 28.3-mile event which raises funding and awareness for children’s cancer research, will be held Oct. 13, but registration is required in July to give participants time to train.
“There are often marathons for kid’s causes, but I’m not a runner,” says Rhonda Bulman, an organizer for the Chattanooga-based Hiking Meetup Group and a head coach for the Ultimate Hike. “So, when I heard about this I was really excited that it was something I could participate in. I always joke, ‘Runners have marathons and hikers have the Ultimate Hike.'”
Although the 28.3-mile trek is a tough undertaking, Bulman says that people at any skill level can, and should, participate. “It’s such a rewarding experience. You really have to train for it to be ready, but you also have so much adrenaline and enthusiasm on hike day that you just keep going,” she says. “When you’re crossing the finish line, you’re thinking about all the kids you’re doing it for. That’s really when it hits home.”
While the hike takes place on the Foothills Trail located along the Blue Ridge Escarpment in Upstate South Carolina and Western North Carolina, the 12-week training program to prepare participants for the event will be held in Chattanooga beginning this month. Participants will go on group hikes in the area every other weekend, beginning at 5 miles and working their way up to 25 miles with the help of experienced coaches.