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Vera
Fitness Coaching

Training for hours on your feet, not for a gym.

Check-ins for a trek that is months away and easy to underprepare for.

People train cardio for a hike and get destroyed by the descents.

What Vera actually is

A phone call with someone who is not there. You say the thing out loud, they answer the way a real person would, and you get to do it again — as many times as it takes, with nobody listening.

1She calls youA real phone call, about ten seconds after you tap. Lock screen, headphones, car — wherever you take calls.
2She plays the other personNot a coach reading tips. Training for a Big Hike, with someone on the other end who answers back.
3She pushes when you are vagueFollow-up questions, interruptions when you ramble, and a straight read at the end on what landed.
Start Hike Check-Ins

15 minutes free · no card needed

Start Hike Check-Ins

15 minutes free · no card needed

“What if I am bad at it?”Everyone is, on the first one. That is the entire reason it happens here and not there.
“What if I do not know what to say?”She asks first and follows up on whatever you answer. You never start from a blank page.
“What if it is awkward?”It is, for about twenty seconds. Then it is a conversation, and nobody heard the twenty seconds.

Not practising doesn’t save you anything.

The ticket, the evening, the weeks of applying — all of it is spent before anyone says a word. The practice is the only cheap part, and the only part that changes how the rest goes.

Start Hike Check-Ins

15 minutes free · no card needed

What she'll actually ask

She asks these the way a real person would, then follows up on whatever you say.

  1. How many hours were you on your feet this week?
  2. Have you walked with a loaded pack yet?
  3. Are you training descents, or only climbs?
  4. Have you done back-to-back days?
  5. Have you actually worn the boots you are taking?
More about this one

Preparing for a multi-day trek or a big summit is unlike normal fitness training. The demand is hours on your feet under a pack, on uneven ground, often at altitude, and the part that ruins people is usually the descent rather than the climb. Gym cardio prepares you for none of that. Vera checks in on the things that actually transfer: time on feet, loaded walking, back-to-back days, and whether you have tested your boots.

What she listens for

Descent trainingThe part that wrecks quads and knees, and the part almost everyone skips.
Loaded practiceWalking with the pack you will carry is different from walking.
Kit testingNew boots on day one of a trek is a preventable disaster.
  • hiking training
  • time on feet
  • loaded pack walking
  • descent training
  • multi-day trek
  • altitude
  • back-to-back days
  • boot break-in
“I was doing stair machines for months. It asked when I last walked downhill for two hours and I had no answer.”
Robert M.

Related practice

Exercise Habit Accountability CallsA call that asks whether you did it, on the days you said you would.Strength Training After 50Check-ins focused on strength, balance, and staying capable.Training Around Knee PainCheck-ins that track what your knee did this week and keep you from stopping entirely.Strength Training for RunnersCheck-ins for the gym work that prevents the injury that stops the running.

Common questions

How long should I train for a big trek?

Commonly three to six months depending on the trek and your starting point. Check the operator's guidance, which is usually specific.

What about altitude?

Altitude cannot really be trained for at sea level, and acclimatisation is a medical topic. Talk to a travel clinic about your itinerary.

Does gym cardio count?

Partly. It builds the engine and does nothing for the descents, the pack, or your feet.

What if I am bad at it?

Everyone is, on the first one. That is the entire reason it happens here and not there.

What if I do not know what to say?

She asks the first question and follows up on whatever you answer. You never start from a blank page.

What if it is awkward?

It is, for about twenty seconds. Then it is a conversation, and nobody heard the twenty seconds.

Ready to try it?

Your first 15 minutes are free. No card required.

Start Hike Check-Ins