Energy Levels after multi-month trips and training while hiking

[soulrebel]

I'm interested in hearing about people's energy levels 1-4 months after completing a multi-month trip such as a thru-hike.

Also, I'd like to ask the athletes if they did extracurricular activity besides hiking while on the trail, in order to maintain their fitness whether it be focused on strength or endurance?

The reason: My wife and I are planning on doing an Ironman triathlon just a few months after the end of our much anticipated thru-hike. I'm wondering if I'm gonna be able to recover in a few weeks and then begin training for the race?

Just curious if anybody else tried to keep up with their push-ups, sit-ups, and running while out on the trail? Don't get me wrong, I know walking miles of hills w/ a pack is a workout, but walking fit is different than running fit.
(I honestly can't imagine going for 3-4months without going on a run...)

So, how long did it take you before you felt energetic again or do you think it was "easy" lol?

[Lone Wolf]

Back in 92 I thru-hiked and when I got to Maine a friend talked me into running a 50 mile ultramarathon. I trained for a month and a half and did really well in the race.

[Footslogger]

I didn't do any special exercises during my thru in 2003. When I got home I had considerably better endurance than before I left, even given the elevation change from the AT corridor to Wyoming. I routinely did day hikes and multi-day hikes at above 10,500' elevation in the months following my return from Katahdin.

'Slogger

[Lone Wolf]

And in 93 I thru-hiked again and would run in towns on my days off and did push ups daily also. Ran the same ultra again that fall.

[The Solemates]

Im a bit in a different boat, but I have always lifted weights very intensely. When I started my thru, I was 215 lbs of lean muscle and could bench well over 300 lbs. When I finished my thru, I felt like I could run a marathon, but I weighed 185lbs and could hardly bench 150 lbs. Of course, it really only took about 3-4 months to put on 20 lbs of new muscle afterwards, but I am still not back up to what I was, and it has been over a year. Those last 10 lbs of muscle have been hard to regain.

[soulrebel]

thank you - that's the kind of stuff I'm talking about... hopefully more

I definately don't want to lose hard-earned speed or power although I know some decline in fitness is likely due to nutrition and lack of heavy training

[smokymtnsteve]

And in 93 I thru-hiked again and would run in towns on my days off and did push ups daily also. Ran the same ultra again that fall.

my god man...what has happened to U in the last few years ;)

[Lone Wolf]

I'm running the ultra, The Mountain Masochist Trail run in 3 weeks. Wanna join me?

[smokymtnsteve]

I'm running the ultra, The Mountain Masochist Trail run in 3 weeks. Wanna join me?

I'll be running and training a YUKON QUEST "the TOUGHEST sled dog race in the world" dog team. want to join me??? :cool:

[Lone Wolf]

That's easy. The dogs do the running, you just ride.

[smokymtnsteve]

That's easy. The dogs do the running, you just ride.

ah Yeah..right if U say so,,,

maybe I could git Jack to go :eek:

[Footslogger]

I definately don't want to lose hard-earned speed or power although I know some decline in fitness is likely due to nutrition and lack of heavy training=================================
On average it seems that men loose more muscle mass than women and therefore probably a bit of strength. But, like I said before, the trade-off is that you'll gain endurance.

Prior to my thru I heard it said that after a thru-hike women look like aerobics instructors and men look like concentration camp survivors. Probably a bit extreme but essentially true.

'Slogger

[justusryans]

That's easy. The dogs do the running, you just ride.actually the driver usually runs behind in sled races, faster that way, after all it is a race!:banana

[Dances with Mice]

I'll be running and training a YUKON QUEST "the TOUGHEST sled dog race in the world" dog team. want to join me??? :cool:Are you entered or just training the team? And I don't mean "just" in a belittling manner. I'm seriously impressed.

[smokymtnsteve]

Are you entered or just training the team? And I don't mean "just" in a belittling manner. I'm seriously impressed.

helping train the team...to run the YUKON QUEST and survive U really
gotta know what ur doing, it ain't that little sissy idiotrod ... :D

[jackiebolen]

It took me a month or two before my knees and ankles were ready to run again. Some rest for your body is probably a good thing to schedule in after your hike is done. Even with a couple months off, my endurance was quite good.

Also, running or biking or whatever on your "days off" will probably be the last thing you want to do. Your body takes a bit of a beating, hiking day after day after day. It needs rest sometimes.

[The Hog]

I did pushups while thru hiking, but admittedly not that many. The arms are always hanging uselessly at your sides, and they tend to lose tone and muscle mass.

One of my thru hiker buddies was training for a triathlon, and she swam to the island at Little Rock Pond. I'm not sure if it really helped her. There are more swimming opportunities in Maine (Lower Joe-Mary, Pemadumcook, Nahmakanta, Rainbow Lakes), if you don't get there too late in the season.

Personally, I've found that jogging really helps my hiking endurance, but the converse isn't true. Lots of hiking doesn't help me with running a race, probably because different muscles are used, in different proportions. [Cardio, sure, but there is more to running than cardio]. There are running muscles that don't get much use (your quads, however, will be extremely strong). After a long hike, it takes me many weeks to get back into running shape. I feel like I'm starting over again.

I suspect that your long term goals may shift slightly if you complete the thru hike...