Expert Tips for Long-Distance Hikes with Becki Rupp of Trailblazer Wellness

Expert Tips for Long-Distance Hikes with Becki Rupp of Trailblazer Wellness

(For those who prefer to read)

Long-distance hikes have a way of calling to us.

Maybe it’s the idea of moving through a landscape under your own power, day after day.

Maybe it’s the slower pace, the deep immersion, the feeling of earning every view.

Or maybe it’s just that little voice that keeps saying, I want to do something like that someday.

In this episode of the Wander Your Way podcast, I chat with Becki Rupp of Trailblazer Wellness, an adventure travel coach, certified personal trainer, and all-around champion of helping people do the big thing they’ve been dreaming about.

Maybe it’s a long-distance trail, a multi-day hike, or even a cycling or multi-sport trip.

We recorded this conversation right at the beginning of 2026, which honestly feels like the perfect time to talk about preparation, confidence, and taking that “someday” idea and turning it into a real plan.

Meet Becki Rupp

I always love starting with someone’s story.

And Becki’s path into adventure travel coaching is the kind that makes you think, Yep… this makes total sense.

She grew up inspired by travel.

Her grandparents were big travelers back in the 70s and 80s (slideshows included which, yes, is delightfully retro).

Later, as an adult, Becki stayed active and eventually leaned into longer biking and hiking adventures.

She earned her personal training certification back in 2012.

But for a while she was juggling a demanding corporate job that made it tough to build a training business the way she wanted.

Then around her 50th birthday, she made the leap — added health coaching, brought travel fully into the mix, and built Trailblazer Wellness around a clear need she kept noticing.

Because when you’re on big trips — whether it’s the Inca Trail in Peru, a hut-to-hut hike, or a famous walk like the Camino di Santiago in Spain —you inevitably see it: people who would enjoy the experience so much more with just a little more preparation.

And sometimes, people count themselves out entirely before they even begin.

Who Becki helps — it’s not just “hardcore” hikers

Becki’s sweet spot is helping people prepare for adventures that feel just outside their comfort zone — multi-day hiking and cycling trips in particular.

But she also works with multi-sport adventures that can include hiking, cycling, and paddling.

(Fun fact: she was even a sea kayak guide in North Carolina at one point. Casual flex.)

The bigger point — long-distance adventures come in a lot of shape and sizes.

And your “dream trip” doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s.

Physical prep

When I asked Becki for her top physical tips for long-distance trails, she didn’t go for anything complicated or extreme.

Instead, she focused on what works — especially for real humans with jobs, responsibilities, and non-infinite time.

Build distance gradually

One of Becki’s core guidelines is increasing weekly volume by about 10–20%.

That could mean walking a little longer on each outing or gradually increasing total weekly time on your feet.

It helps your body adapt to the load.

And it also helps mentally because adding 10–15 minutes feels doable.

Doubling your distance usually feels like a personal attack.

Practice back-to-back days

This one is huge for long-distance hikes, because the reality is you’ll be moving day after day.

Even if you’re mostly training on weekends, doing two days back-to-back helps you learn:

• how you feel on day two
• what aches show up (and what doesn’t)
• what needs adjusting (shoes, socks, pack, pacing… all of it)

It’s also the perfect time to test your gear.

Because nothing says “character-building experience” like realizing your socks and boots hate each other.

Don’t forget to train for downhill

I loved this reminder.

Everyone trains for the climb.

And then the downhill quietly destroys their knees.

Downhill movement works muscles differently and can be surprisingly tough on joints.

Becki recommends finding ways to practice it — real stairs (where you can go down), a local hill, anything you can repeat.

It doesn’t have to be dramatic to be effective.

The mental side of long-distance hiking

Long-distance hiking isn’t just physical — it’s a full mental experience.

And as someone who’s run marathons and tackled some Colorado hikes in my own past life, I know how real that mental piece is.

Becki’s take is that a good training plan is already building mental strength.

When you build gradually, you build confidence.

You get used to the time on your feet.

You learn what it feels like to keep going when things get a little uncomfortable.

And then there’s a tip I think many of us avoid — until we’re forced to face it:

Train in less-than-ideal weather.

Because chances are, your long-distance trail is going to involve wind, rain, cold, heat, or all of the above in one day (Europe loves a good weather plot twist).

Going out in imperfect conditions builds resilience.

It teaches you, I can do this.

And when you run into that weather on the trail, it’s no longer a scary unknown.

Solo vs Group

We also talked about something I’ve personally experienced: how different long-distance hikes can feel depending on whether you’re walking solo or with a group.

Becki works with both:

• people doing small group trips (sometimes with strangers)
• people hiking solo or with one other person

One common fear she hears from group travelers is — “I don’t want to hold everyone back.”

And her experience — again and again — is that most people are far more capable than they think, especially when they prepare well.

Plus, many groups are supportive and well-paced.

I shared how I walked the West Highland Way mostly on my own.

It was quiet, contemplative, and honestly a gift.

And even when you start solo, you often meet people along the way.

I ended up joining a few trail friends for the last day.

And it was the perfect ending.

So my experience consisted of solo reflection and a little celebration.

The emotional side of long distance hiking

This was one of my favorite parts of our conversation.

I asked Becki about the emotional side of long-distance trails — because even if you’re in a group, there are still moments where you’re alone with your thoughts.

And sometimes, that’s exactly what you need.

Becki’s answer was an immediate yes.

She’s seen it with clients on the Camino and other trails — long-distance hikes can offer space for reflection, healing, and processing life changes.

I shared my own experience walking the West Highland Way after my mom had passed.

It wasn’t the reason I went, exactly

But it became part of what the walk gave me — time, space, and a different kind of healing than you can get in normal life.

“Couch to the West Highland Way” 

When someone feels hesitant — when they’re thinking Maybe I can’t do this — Becki leans on two things:

Examples of real people who’ve done it.

She told me about clients who jokingly called their journey “couch to the West Highland Way.” They weren’t super athletes. They were just people who built up gradually and did the thing.

Reminding people there are many ways to do a trail.

This part matters so much.

You can:

• do luggage transfer
• shorten your daily mileage
• add rest days
• choose a self-guided option through a company
• start with a shorter trail before tackling something bigger

Becki has even worked with people in their mid to late 70s preparing for long-distance trails.

How awesome is that!

Favorite trails and dream walks

Becki’s first big overseas multi-day adventure was the Inca Trail back in 2012, and it’s still one of her most special because it was the first.

Plus Peru is simply stunning.

She also talked about trails on her list such as the Cotswold Way in England, the West Highland Way (still calling her name), trails in Ireland, hiking in the Cinque Terre region, and even bigger “level up” hikes like the Tour du Mont Blanc in France.

And we both agreed on something important — you don’t always need a famous named trail to have an incredible multi-day experience.

Some of the best adventures come from building your own route — hotel-to-hotel, hut-to-hut, or hub-and-spoke day hikes.

The whole point

One of Becki’s best lines — and best reminders — is that training isn’t just about surviving the trail.

It’s about being prepared enough to notice the good stuff — the landscapes. the people you meet, the villages you pass through, the moments that make you stop and go, I can’t believe I’m here.

She told a story from the Camino where she started counting flowers along the trail and stopped at 50 different kinds within the first few miles.

That’s the magic.

Preparation helps keep your mind on the experience.

Not on whether you can make it another mile.

“Now’s the Time” to make it happen

Before we wrapped up, Becki shared something I think we all need to hear once in a while …

There’s rarely a perfect time.

Life will always be busy.

Something will always be going on.

But if you’ve been dreaming about a long-distance hike or trail adventure, now is the time to start moving toward it — even if it’s one small step at a time.

You can find Becki at Trailblazer Wellness online and on social platforms, and her website includes free resources like pre-recorded webinars.

She also offers a free 30-minute consultation if you’re in that “I’m not sure where to start, but I want to do something” stage.

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