Preparing for a thru-hike goes beyond choosing gear and planning resupplies. Explore how physical and emotional preparation can help you approach the challenges of a long-distance trek. Drawing on her experience completing a 500+ mile hike, Jill Mathers will discuss how she trained through the winter, the exercises she used to build strength for specific movements on the trail, and strategies that helped her persevere through fatigue and self-doubt while staying positive and connected to the hiking community.
About our speaker: Jill Mathers is an Emotional Intelligence coach who completed a 500+ mile thru-hike from Mt. Katahdin to Maine Junction north of Route 4 in Killington, Vermont. Following a 30-year career as an attorney in Vermont, Jill pursued her interest in sports, health and exercise. In spring 2024, she completed a B.A. at Bishop’s University in Sports Studies, with concentrations in Athletic Development and Health and Exercise and a minor in Psychology, graduating with the University Prize in Sports Studies.
