Community Spotlight: @theAZHikeaholics

Carrie Hall, CPT

Here at Fit Family Physical Therapy, our mission is to encourage a sustainable active, pain-free, and health-forward lifestyle that empowers patients of all ages to lead a full and healthy life. We are all about finding ways to stay active that are low-cost (or free!) and accessible to patients and families of all ages. One of the best ways we can think to stay active in this gorgeous Arizona spring weather is to get outdoors and hike!

If you are ready to get outside and get active – we know the perfect people to inspire you to do it! The AZ Hikeaholics are hiking fanatics, environment lovers, and active advocates! We interviewed Lauren and Owen, creators of the social media account and content, about their experiences hiking, hike recommendations, and how they stay sustainably active to do what they love most! Read on to find out more and follow @theazhikeaholics on Instagram for trail recommendations & experiences, camping stays, amazing views, sustainable tips, and hiking inspiration in Arizona and beyond!

Thank you Lauren and Owen for sharing your fit tips with our Fit Family! Keep inspiring us all to get outdoors, stay active and take care of this planet we call home.

Interview with Lauren & Owen of @TheAZHikeaholics

How did you get started?

We really started hiking a lot when the pandemic first started. It was one of the few things “open” and the weather was nice in Arizona. The more new hikes we started doing, the more we were loving it and looking forward to the next hike!

What do you love about hiking?

We love a lot about hiking. We definitely love that it’s a fun and sometimes challenging form of physical activity. We also love that we can get to see views and landscapes that are only accessible by foot. Lastly, we love that hiking puts us in the middle of nature; especially where it can be extremely quiet with fresh air!

Top 3 hikes in the last year?

1. Druid Arch – Canyonlands National Park
2. Big Loop – Chiricahua National Monument
3. End to end – Channel Islands National Park, Santa Cruz Island

Do you repeat hikes? Often? Never?

We do repeat hikes, but we try not to do it very often. We’ll sometimes repeat a portion of trail to get to a different trail or repeat a hike because views/vegetation have changed because of the weather/season.

How do you prep for a new hike? Any major resources you’d recommend for a new hiker?

To prep for a new hike we do a fair amount of research. Our number one source for hike information is AllTrails. We prefer the phone app but they do have a website. From there we might Google search the trail to see if there is other information. Sometimes the US Forest Service has good information on hikes in their respective National Forest. We always check the weather and map out the drive to see if the location is accessible. 

Do you do any extra workouts or training to keep your bodies in shape for exercise? 

Yes! Lauren does Orange Theory Fitness 4 days a week and Owen does functional strength training 4 days a week. 

Have either of you been injured on a hike or as a result of hiking?

We’ve never been seriously injured hiking. Sometimes the challenging terrain in Arizona’s deserts will make our ankles sore. Owen was having some hip tightness issues from a lot of hiking and sitting in cars for work. In 2019, Owen injured his calf after hiking out of Havasupai and is thankful for the physical therapy treatment he received.

Do you ever modify routes or turn back based on your body status?

Yes! Luckily it doesn’t happen very often. We think knowing your limits and listening to your body is absolutely critical to staying safe on the trail. We recommend to All hikers, especially those new to hiking to not go beyond their capabilities and water availability.

How has hiking influenced your life in other areas?

Hiking has influenced us to increase our sustainability and try to reduce our environmental impact with the products we buy. It has also influenced us to continue learning. We love learning about those that were on the land before us, especially Native Americans, and we love learning about the natural history of the area and how the current geography was formed. 

How are you staying active?

How are you staying active and fit? Let us know your favorite way to encourage a healthy lifestyle. We will add it to our list! You can email us, call us, or message us on social media and we will share it with our community! Thanks for looking out!

If you’re looking for mobile physical therapy in home in the Phoenix or Scottsdale areas, contact us at Fit Family Physical Therapy for a free physical therapy consultation phone call. Skip the line with physician and insurance wait times, talk to us, and start your path to pain- and symptom-free activity today! You’ll spend more time enjoying your favorite fall events!

About the Author

Carrie Hall is a business operations guru and fitness lover. She spent many years as Chief Operations Officer of a successful e-commerce business in Phoenix, Arizona, managing and scaling end-to-end business operations. She then decided to go after a long-time goal of becoming a Certified Personal Trainer to expand her fitness knowledge and share her passion for health and wellness with others. Carrie now enjoys being able to pursue both business and fitness (with her family!) while helping and motivating others to live a full, fit, and healthy life!