Training/Preparing For Isle Royale

What do you do in order to get ready for your Isle Royale (and other) Spring and Summer outdoor adventures?

Today, after a totally exercise-free winter, I begin training for my two trips to Isle Royale in 2022. (Hiking in June and canoeing in August). I find that, at age 60, (more than ever) I need to be in better shape before I begin these sorts of adventures. Sadly, Central Illinois winters are not great for outdoor activities--and I live 20+ miles from a gym. So, I fall out of shape in winter. That is a TERRIBLE thing to do each year. (And, as I age, each year it takes me longer to get back in shape).

Some of the things that I will be working on:
1) Losing body weight. People worry about grams and ounces of backpack weight--but then carry 10 to 50 pounds of extra body weight. After a fall and winter of having some really bad eating habits, I am resuming healthy eating choices and smaller portions as of today.

2) Increase my leg "conditioning" and my cardio health and endurance. I will start out with light walking for a couple weeks--and then progress to doing a combination of jogging and walking. (I am also hoping to enter a half-marathon this summer). I will start out with some shorter walks and jogs--and then slowly increase the daily distances and pace. I will eventually start adding my backpack (and increase the pack weight) as I get closer to summer. I will have to find some good hills and steps to go up and down (somewhere in the midst of the extreme flatness of Illinois farm country) --in order to work on those particular components of conditioning my legs for the countless uphills and downhills of Isle Royale. (Training only on flat walking surfaces or only on a treadmill doesn't really prepare you for the stepping up and down motions that you make while backpacking on isle Royale. I also plan to do leg exercises like "squats".

3) Do exercises to strengthen my "core" and do things like yoga and stretching of my muscles and tendons. As I have aged, I have discovered that injuries are more common without having good core strength--and good flexibility (stretching). Once I got into my late 40s--I started doing daily stretching before starting a day of backpacking. I also start my hikes at a very slow pace for the first 15 to 30 minutes--in order to "warm up" and loosen everything. (Unlike when I was was in my teens, 20s, and 30s, I can no longer just hit the trail at full pace in the morning--without doing some type of stretching and slow warm up).

4) Work on my upper body strength. I'm age 60. I lead a fairly sedentary lifestyle for half of the year. I have not done a big canoe trip in 40 years. I have until mid-August to get ready for that. Until things warm up --and I can start canoeing in my local area--I will be doing exercises to strengthen my arms and upper body.
What things will you be doing to get ready for your Spring and Summer activities--and your trips to Isle Royale? (Any suggestions for this old guy?)