View Full Version : Too old? Too out of shape?
I have been trying to prepare for a long distance thru-hike by doing shorter hiking trips. I did the Manistee River Loop the last three days. The problem is that the hike became somewhat painful for my feet. Nothing really bad, just muscle pain and a minor blister. I also had back muscle pain and stiffness. I was quite surprised when laying in bed, I could feel my body repairing my feet, the foot muscles went from painful to OK in a few hours. In the morning I had to stretch and massage them for a while and then could walk with minor pain.
The first day I walked 2 hours, the second 5 hours and the third 6 hours, with a pack that was 20 lbs plus water and food. My gear was fine, the problem is that I am just out of shape and overweight (55 years, 250 lbs, 6 foot). I do some fitness work at home, morning stretches, 10 mile bike ride about 5 days a week, bodyweight fitness about 3 days a week but not too intense.
I am thinking I should skip long distance thru hiking and focus on shorter hikes in nice areas, maybe 3 hours a day. A slower hike with shorter distances might help get me in shape. Spending more time than 3 days on the trail would also help, probably after a week or two it would become routine and I could either deal with the pain or be fit enough not to have pain.
I just arrived home an hour ago and am thinking if I really want to be involved in a sport that causes so much pain and exhaustion. Has anybody been in this situation?
jjozgrunt
10-19-2016, 19:20
In a similar situation about 5 years ago after waiting a couple of years for some major surgery. Took me a while to lose the weight I put on and get back into enjoying bush walking. You are not carrying a 20 lb pack but 80 lbs of extra weight and it's the body weight you need to lose. You will find it so much more enjoyable then and a lot of the pain will disappear.
scrabbler
10-19-2016, 19:23
I just arrived home an hour ago and am thinking if I really want to be involved in a sport that causes so much pain and exhaustion. Has anybody been in this situation?
I think everyone has been in that situation. Our bodies are used to "normal". Push them and they either adapt or break. As we get older we need to be more careful on the push. Take it easy and gradually increase the limits and you'll be fine.
One Half
10-19-2016, 19:23
you need to lose the weight. And of course going to 3 days straight of hiking for multiple hours is going to hurt. you "progressed" too fast. General rule of thumb for progressing an exercise routine is to only increase the "load" by 10% total per week or in any one workout.
Example: you work out 5 days a week running 6 miles each day. total load 30 miles per week. you shouldn't add more than 3 miles total to your weekly mileage. And you can usually violate one of the guidelines (per workout increase or total increase for week) but not both. So you generally would not want to add 1 mile to each of 3 runs in just one week. But if you chose to add 1 mile to one run you only violated the 10% rule on one workout and are still within the total week's 10% rule.
nsherry61
10-19-2016, 19:31
Getting fit sucks! Being fit rocks! You'll never regret the effort if you can stick with it until you are fit enough to do what you want.
Most people your age (like me) are able to get fit enough to do long-distance backpacking with manageable pain. My feet (and knees) have gone to hell in the last couple of years, but with patience, way to much money spent on different shoes and doctors, none of which have completely solved my problems, I have gotten my feet (and footwear) to the point where they are manageable for all day hiking with moderate loads.
I can no longer carry 100 lbs for two weeks climbing a half dozen technical peaks. But, I can cover 10-20 miles with 10-30 lbs all day if I take a few breaks to rest my feet. And oh, what a beautiful way to live, walking along in a wilderness stopping when I get tired, sleeping under the stars, and having no responsibility beyond waking up and walking as I please the next day.
DON'T GIVE UP!!
dudeijuststarted
10-19-2016, 19:41
what high level athletic effort does not result in pain or exhaustion? thru hiking is definitely gonna hurt your body. so like anything else, how bad to you want it?!
overnight/section hiking is really fun and if you're not looking for some spiritual awakening I'd say spare yourself the thru hike.
Getting fit sucks! Being fit rocks! You'll never regret the effort if you can stick with it until you are fit enough to do what you want.
QFT
Find a way to weigh and measure your food. Monitor everything you put in your mouth. Keep a 500 to 1000 calorie deficit per day and you will lose 1 to 2 pounds a week. In 6 months that's 26 to 52 pounds lost off your feet. You will find you also get faster when you are hiking and stronger and you can feel it. I went from almost puking climbing a 500 ft hill to scaling Katahdin in 4 months. I lost 10 pounds or so. I went from a high of 215 to 190 just measuring what I eat and walking 4 to 6 miles a day. MY GF lost 50 pounds in 6 months doing Weight Watchers. I look at pictures of her that we took when we did Hamlin peak last year and could see why this one hiker we met was surprised that we hiked Hamlin Ridge trail. Looking at us, he thought it was beyond our abilities, he mentioned that it was a lot more technical than he thought we could do. We laughed at that, but I guess we could have been insulted, too.
peakbagger
10-19-2016, 19:51
You didn't list an age, I have heard 30 year olds with the same complaints. Unless you have a fundamental underlying condition (see your doctor), its going to take awhile to get into shape. Many weekend warriors try to make up for week of inactivity by pushing it too hard. Start out by walking daily then when you are comfortable with that, add a backpack with bit of weight and then increase the weight. If you take it slow your stamina will increase and you will see day to day benefits. Folks in their 50 and 60s routinely do the AT and there are quite few section hikers the same age who are out there doing a thru hike in slow motion in sections.
Lose weight, goal might be for you AND your gear is what you weight now. All about the meal plan, one cheat day each week, lot of cardio.
Lighter gear, not sure of your $$$$ available, post back surgery I bought my way to under 25 lbs with food & water.
Elliptical, stair stepper or hiking hills / uneven terrain is best BUT based on my most recent hike, thinking of cardio only and save the wear & tear on my body (hills, with a pack, uneven terrain) for when I am out backpacking.
you're figuring it out on your own...the fact you took the time to describe what you are feeling now is positive
it's not easy to get off the couch and do long distance hiking in the mountains, the older we get the more injury prone we become
and losing weight will go a long ways to helping you
my best advice: lose weight
it will reduce the physical stress on your back, knees, feet and joints
stick with it and be patient, and have fun
handlebar
10-19-2016, 20:32
If you think you are too old at age 55, then you are too old. However, I suspect your problem as mentioned above is "too much, too fast" and too much extra weight on your body. You may well still be working. My technique, back when I was your age and still working, was to bring an orange and an apple to work with me and take a 3 mile hike over my lunch hour. I was working at a location where I could start out with a major climb of 300 feet vertical so my heart and lungs got a work out as well. FWIW, I hiked the AT at age 61 and have continued long distance hiking ever since logging a total of over 14,000 miles and just completing an 815 mile chunk of the North Country trail at the "advanced middle age" of 71. Why, do I keep on hiking? For one thing, I feel great after about 500 miles. For another, my plan is to join my grandsons on a repeat hike of the PCT in about 9 more years so I have to keep in shape.
Wise Old Owl
10-19-2016, 20:39
Well Skylark... I cant disagree with the above posts.... I hope you can understand its time for a full work out and grab a bicycle. The pain is from several different sources as we age. Joints in the spine and knees and hips all suffer from the same issues. As we age fat that was under our feet according to my podiatrist - disappears. Joints fail to lubricate long term, I offered a thread a few years back where I take Jello and add 2x the amount of gelatin. Keep in mind the lubrication may take as much as 6 months to find the building blocks to lubricate the joints, but is better than 600mg of Naproxen kicking in you in the stomach IMO.
So the next part, is minerals and life giving potassium. As we age (including me) small amounts of potassium and magnesium is very important to muscles during the day... my best guess is we have trouble absorbing from food these two important items. The supplements available are way over the top so I use a pill splitter and sometimes a banana is better than a potassium supplement. When I fatigue on the trail muscle pains and joint pain... well appears to be the same at the end of the day... I like it when a long hike ends at a restaurant with Yuenging (https://www.yuengling.com/over21/over21.php?referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.yuengling.co m%2F) on tap... it invigorates me. Just 1or 2 16oz will shut off the pain, feed the muscles, and make a long day a fond memory.
Hope that helps.....
johnnybgood
10-19-2016, 20:43
Never too old to get into better physical condition . Everything worthwhile begins with one small step.
1) Begin a fitness regimen with reasonable goals. 2) Eat healthy meals and keep a journal of caloric intake. 3) Get a physical check up if you still have concerns.
Don't count on exercise to lose weight, it doesn't work (as a gaziillion obese dieters can attest). It's best to lose the weight by diet prior to starting exercise or hiking.
Zero in on your diet. Are you insulin resistant (fat around middle; put on weight easily with a high-carb diet. I'm thinking that you are)? If so, a low carb high fat diet may do wonders. You would not weight 250 lbs if you were insulin sensitive. How are your blood sugar and insulin levels (you should know)?
Write down everything you eat and figure out macros: carbs/protein/fat. Myfitnesspal.com is pretty handy for this. Then adjust your macros for what works.
Hint: what you are eating right now doesn't work for you (and it gets worse as you get older; I'm older than you and have successfully adjusted upon realizing that I cannot metabolize carbs).
marksdailyapple.com and dietdoctor.com are excellent resources to sort out your problem.
Best of luck.
CarlZ993
10-19-2016, 23:26
You are not 'too old.' Just scratch that out of the equation. Out of shape? Over weight? Yeah, but you can work on both of those. Be active (cardio as well as strength exercise) and be sure you have a caloric deficit in your diet. You'll slowly get in better shape & pounds will fall off (sometimes quickly, sometimes not). Keep plugging. Good luck!!
Manistee River Loop ......... painful for my feet. ... minor blister. .also had back muscle pain and stiffness...
...problem is that I am just out of shape and overweight ...
.....Spending more time than 3 days on the trail would also help, probably after a week or two it would become routine
My husband and I have a lot of experience hiking that loop - even though we live 2.5 hours away. There were times when we both struggled with it; however, this past summer, we both rocked it. The difference? our weight.... My husband lost over 100 pounds, and I lost over 60 pounds.
I did backpack on the A.T. in my higher weight days... Yes, at 5'3" and over 200 pounds, I backpacked with a skin out weight of around 26". However, I STRUGGLED! It was NOT easy.... This past year, after my weight loss, I felt like a gazelle - ready to leap tall buildings in a single bound! (Silly, I know - but TRUE!).
My current diet? HIGH PROTEIN! My husband and I eat at least 60-90 grams of protein a day. This actually was pretty easy on the A.T.
Breakfast: 20gram protein bar (Quest or Cliff Plus), morning snack: nuts (10grams), lunch: 20 gram protein bar; afternoon snack: Jerky or trailmix (15 grams); dinner - tuna fish packet and tortilla (17 grams)
I wish you the best of luck!
Another Kevin
10-19-2016, 23:54
I got back into hiking when I was not much younger than you, and not much lighter.
I found that what worked for me was to roadwalk 2-3 miles EVERY SINGLE DAY carrying a backpack (a day pack with a heavy computer, a few books, and a couple of water bottles - it weighs as much as the pack I'd carry for a weekend trip). I also did as much weekend travel as I could manage - because I really enjoy it. Even those few miles a day got my body used to hauling a pack. (And the EVERY SINGLE DAY means rain or shine, summer or winter - which I found to be a great mental preparation for dealing with the idea that I'm going to crawl out of my tent in the morning, pack up and walk.)
With that one lifestyle change, over the course of a couple of years, I lost about 40-50 pounds without even trying, and got to the point where I could manage a hundred-mile section at about a 12 mile per day pace. And I went right on eating what I damn pleased. Adding what amounts to 1000+ extra miles a year walking, just as part of my daily life, made a difference.
I have the good fortune that I could make the roadwalk part of my daily commute, so the change was really painless.
I put a lot of weigh back in the last year or so, because I had to take about a year off hiking recovering from plantar fasciitis. But I figure if I worked my way back into hiking fettle at 55, I can again at 60.
It sounds as if you're more active than I was, though. I really was spending my life chained to a lab bench before I took up hiking again. But the advice of "lose weight before becoming more active," however prudent, never worked for me. Becoming more active is the only way I've ever been able to control weight.
Plenty of folks start the trail overweight. There was no way that I was going to be able to put in the miles before my thru to lose my excess weight or get in top notch shape. My lifestyle and living situation just wasn't going to allow it. I was 230 when I started and 180 when I finished. I am 52 (class of 2016) and finished in 166 days. It was not an easy task by any measure. I was in pain most days as was everyone else I was around at the end. Not saying that it wouldn't have been easier if my weight was lower at start but the weight came off and I got in shape quickly. I was hiking less than 10 miles a day in the beginning but was doing 15 and 20 mile days by the end of the first month. Do the best you can before your hike. I have run marathons before so knew what it meant to do big miles. A big part of the hike that doesn't get talked about is mental toughness. Older folks generally lack a bit of the physical but make up for it in the mental. I'm not saying that you shouldn't see a doctor to make sure that you are in good physical shape but I don't believe that being overweight precludes you from starting and finishing the trail.
Heliotrope
10-20-2016, 07:21
I have been trying to prepare for a long distance thru-hike by doing shorter hiking trips. I did the Manistee River Loop the last three days. The problem is that the hike became somewhat painful for my feet. Nothing really bad, just muscle pain and a minor blister. I also had back muscle pain and stiffness. I was quite surprised when laying in bed, I could feel my body repairing my feet, the foot muscles went from painful to OK in a few hours. In the morning I had to stretch and massage them for a while and then could walk with minor pain.
The first day I walked 2 hours, the second 5 hours and the third 6 hours, with a pack that was 20 lbs plus water and food. My gear was fine, the problem is that I am just out of shape and overweight (55 years, 250 lbs, 6 foot). I do some fitness work at home, morning stretches, 10 mile bike ride about 5 days a week, bodyweight fitness about 3 days a week but not too intense.
I am thinking I should skip long distance thru hiking and focus on shorter hikes in nice areas, maybe 3 hours a day. A slower hike with shorter distances might help get me in shape. Spending more time than 3 days on the trail would also help, probably after a week or two it would become routine and I could either deal with the pain or be fit enough not to have pain.
I just arrived home an hour ago and am thinking if I really want to be involved in a sport that causes so much pain and exhaustion. Has anybody been in this situation?
When I was 18 I did my first backpacking trip outside of the scouts. We hiked 2.5 miles the first day. I woke on day 2 with crazy blisters on my feet and my traps were on fire. Walked 2 miles on day 2 hobbling but loving the scenery. Day 3 took a zero and hung out by a pond. Day 4 hiked out the 4.5 miles.
My body suffered immensely. But I loved the experience of being in the mountains. Like everyone else has said: just progress gradually and you will become fit enough to really enjoy it.
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Hikingjim
10-20-2016, 07:28
My brother (31) just started jogging and is out of shape.... he probably felt like you did after a hike after just 15 minutes of running
Certainly not about age, but you have to ease into it. Push yourself, but not too far. Get in the habit of enjoying hiking just for being outdoors and exercising, and don't make it a marathon that you're not up for
Hikingjim
10-20-2016, 07:31
Day hiking until you have improved fitness and lose a bit of weight isn't a bad idea
You can do other small trips, but just being able to walk multiple hours without the pack and pushing your distance/mileage with day hikes will definitely help
I would not pass up an opportunity to thru-hike just because I was over somewhat weight and out of shape. In fact when I left for my thru I was 5'-9" and 235 pounds, overweight and somewhat out of shape. I had done many AT section hikes prior to my thru and had completed half the trail, I was use to hiking 80 -100 miles in one week. By the time I got to Katahdin I was 185 pounds and could hike up the steepest trail without breaking stride.
The trick is to start off slow and build up. Week 1 I was doing 10 miles a day and watching many hikers passing me. Week 2 I was doing about 12 miles a day and so on. By the time I got to Virginia I was doing 20+ mile day and intentionally limiting my miles to 20 or less a day.
Remember that most of the challenge in thru-hiking is mental, not physical.
Go for it and good luck!
Kc Fiedler
10-20-2016, 08:52
I have been trying to prepare for a long distance thru-hike by doing shorter hiking trips. I did the Manistee River Loop the last three days. The problem is that the hike became somewhat painful for my feet. Nothing really bad, just muscle pain and a minor blister. I also had back muscle pain and stiffness. I was quite surprised when laying in bed, I could feel my body repairing my feet, the foot muscles went from painful to OK in a few hours. In the morning I had to stretch and massage them for a while and then could walk with minor pain.
The first day I walked 2 hours, the second 5 hours and the third 6 hours, with a pack that was 20 lbs plus water and food. My gear was fine, the problem is that I am just out of shape and overweight (55 years, 250 lbs, 6 foot). I do some fitness work at home, morning stretches, 10 mile bike ride about 5 days a week, bodyweight fitness about 3 days a week but not too intense.
I am thinking I should skip long distance thru hiking and focus on shorter hikes in nice areas, maybe 3 hours a day. A slower hike with shorter distances might help get me in shape. Spending more time than 3 days on the trail would also help, probably after a week or two it would become routine and I could either deal with the pain or be fit enough not to have pain.
I just arrived home an hour ago and am thinking if I really want to be involved in a sport that causes so much pain and exhaustion. Has anybody been in this situation?
I think the solution is moderation. Keep doing weekend hikes and ramp up your workouts during the week. Then schedule a 4 day hike. A month later do a 5 day hike. Then 7 and so on.
It's not a matter of weekend hike vs 6 month hike. There is plenty of middle ground.
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I am 63 now and just finished my 3rd section hike of this summer. I did 14 miles/day for two days and finished up the 3rd morning on this last one. I use to dread uphills, but have started eating more and better on the trail and that has made the biggest difference in my hikes. I plan on continuing my hiking until I cannot anymore. It is a whip that makes me exercise more in preparation for the next hike. One part benefits the other.
Thanks much for these thoughts. I am going to work out a response plan that involves better training before the next hike, better diet and weight loss, new shoes and shorter hiking days.
twilight
10-20-2016, 12:44
Often times when I do a section hike I'm just rolling out of a recliner and hiking 50 to 100 miles. And when I went lightweight backpacking crazy, my metabolism slowed down around the same time and the weight I cut from my pack went to my stomach. However, last section hike I did I was able to cut 20 lbs off my waist and I started cycling nearly every night. But, when I read a story about a paralyzed woman completing a thru-hike, well that just puts things in a different perspective for me. Even with sore feet, sore legs, chaffing, hiker hobble, with the right attitude, all things are possible.
Twilight
Odd Man Out
10-20-2016, 14:32
I'm 57, 6 ft, 210 lb. Base pack weight about 13 lb. So similar to you but a little lighter. I have done a short hike every summer (4 to 6 days). I find I can do 12 to 15 miles per day. I did the Manistee river loop last fall. For some reason I felt really good that dat. I ended up doing 17 miles and I didn't get started until 10 am. I wish I had time to do a long distance hike. On AT section last summer, the thru hikers all commented on how hard the first couple of weeks were. They admitted that us section hikers have the disadvantage of doing the first few days every time out. So you may find a long distance hike easier, if you can get through the hard part at the beginning. But agreed that getting in shape can help. Here is what worked for me to drop one lb per week.
1. Eat 3 sensible balanced meals per day (no set diet), but nothing else. No snacking.
2. Weigh yourself every AM and chart your progress against the long term goal of 1 lb per week. Your weight fluctuates from day to day, so you have to look at long term trends to see real weight loss.
3. Post you weight chart on your FB page every week. Motivation.
4. Walk on the treadmill every evening after supper. Start each session at 3 mph amd wok up to 3.8 mph. Go longer if you are up to it. Never skip a day on the treadmill. If you do, double your time the next day.
Odd Man Out
10-20-2016, 14:33
Oops missed one detail. The treadmill session is to be 30 min or 1.75 miles.
turtle fast
10-20-2016, 16:16
If you work at it, it will come. By the time you want to thru hike even if your a tad overweight, then pounds will shed off. Just limit your miles at first and don't carry a heavy pack. I myself was overweight to thru hike in fact I lost so much weight that I needed a new hip belt by Damascus,VA. You'd be surprised how your body adapts to the trail as feet toughen up and muscles get stronger. A week after the trail, I assisted a sporting goods store catch a shoplifter by running with him saying "you've been caught..the cops are coming...don't make it harder on yourself" the thief was huffing/puffing and just stopped (a teenage boy).....I suprised myself asI wasn't even winded.
Hangfire
10-20-2016, 18:51
Start walking and when you finish walk some more. Get used to walking as much as possible, this will get your feet in shape as well as the rest of your legs and help make sure you have the right shoes/boots for a long hike.
Spirit Walker
10-21-2016, 12:09
Only you can determine whether you are willing to live with the pain that comes with long distance hiking. Yes, when you get into shape you will be able to hike more easily and with more enjoyment. But the reality that isn't talked about much is that the pain doesn't really go away. When you get into better shape, you'll hike more miles. Instead of hurting after 8 miles, you'll hike 18 - or 28 - and at the end of the day you'll still be sore and tired. After 1500 miles, your feet will hurt, your knees will hurt, and you'll be tired of being tired all the time. At the same time, you'll continue to push the miles, because that's what long distance hikers usually do. Some people can ignore the pain better than others, but it will still be there. When people say that thruhiking is "more head than heel" as Grandma Gatewood stated, that is a part of it. How badly do you want to finish? My husband finished the AT with a broken wrist. He thruhiked the PcT with a broken toe. He hiked the CDT with a bad knee that needed to be replaced. He was in constant pain. But he loved the life and the trail enough that he was willing to do whatever it takes to complete it. OTOH, I've known people who went home after 3 days because of a blister. For them, the rewards of thruhiking weren't worth the cost.
Until you are sure whether you really want the hike enough to put up with pain, exhaustion, and constant hunger, it is definitely a good idea to do shorter trips. Find out what the rewards are, for you, but also find out whether you can stand the price of those rewards.
Take your time and give your body an opportunity to catch up with your fitness.
Patrickjd9
10-22-2016, 15:07
I'm about your age and hiked several hundred miles of the AT while heavier than you. I'm now about 6', 230 and on a slow downward trend. I backpacked 40 miles in 3 1/2 days over some of the rougher terrain on the Southern AT last week. I'd focus on your feet to allow you to keep your weekly hiking and walking mileage up. You may need shoes/boots with stiffer soles than what what you're using, as well as orthotics-though I'd start with Superfeet or something similar. The pair in my backpacking boots right now are Powerstep, and are a bit more cushiony than Superset, while still being sturdy. I'm with Spiritwalker that pain can't completely be avoided in an endurance activity.
Slo-go'en
10-22-2016, 17:01
The bottom line is everyone's feet hurt at the end of the day. It's one of the most common complaints. If you thru hike, your feet hurt all the time. Especially as you go through PA :(
I am thinking I should skip long distance thru hiking and focus on shorter hikes in nice areas, maybe 3 hours a day. A slower hike with shorter distances might help get me in shape. Spending more time than 3 days on the trail would also help, probably after a week or two it would become routine and I could either deal with the pain or be fit enough not to have pain.
I just arrived home an hour ago and am thinking if I really want to be involved in a sport that causes so much pain and exhaustion. Has anybody been in this situation?
I like the idea of doing shorter hikes and expeditions first. Look for local trails close to home. Maybe try paddling, or cross-country skiing, or bicycling. I know some folks want to jump right in and go for the big prize, but a thru-hike of the AT is a big old marathon. Most folks who try end up failing. Some who finish end up not even liking it all that much.
Some amount of pain is inherent to hiking. Doing these kinds of miles in these kinds of conditions... for the vast majority of humans, it's just not something we can just jump into. If it were too easy it wouldn't be so much fun. That mountaintop view is so much sweeter for having been earned through hard work.
MuddyWaters
10-22-2016, 18:53
I am thinking I should skip long distance thru hiking and focus on shorter hikes in nice areas, maybe 3 hours a day. A slower hike with shorter distances might help get me in shape. Spending more time than 3 days on the trail would also help, probably after a week or two it would become routine and I could either deal with the pain or be fit enough not to have pain.
I just arrived home an hour ago and am thinking if I really want to be involved in a sport that causes so much pain and exhaustion. Has anybody been in this situation?
News flash, it causes pain and exhaustion at all levels.
Because people tend to push themselves toward edge of their performance limit, regardless of where that is.
If you dont, your limit will decrease to meet your level of performance, such is human physiology.
At some point, you embrace the exhaustion and hard work, and keep it to a level you can manage. This grows over time.
You can distance hike on a couple miles per day. Lots do. Lose weight, keep at it, your mileage will go up.
Hike higher miles when you feel like it, lower when you dont, take days off when need to, and you will enjoy it more. Dont force more than you are comfortable with on a daily basis.
I recently encountered a new hiker on their second day of a two week first hike. Large and in poor shape admittedly, which was a reason why they were hiking. Did 3 miles their first day, and were having doubts, but forging ahead with good attitude. Bailouts are always an option.
Kc Fiedler
10-22-2016, 19:59
Thanks much for these thoughts. I am going to work out a response plan that involves better training before the next hike, better diet and weight loss, new shoes and shorter hiking days.
Skylark, you're on it! Remember to be progressive with your training. Learn new skills and techniques which will help you improve your pack to better meet your needs. Learn stretches and self care routines which will maximize your recovery on trail. Improve your diet and daily behaviors to increase physical capability and overall energy levels. Tailor your hiking to your personal needs - shorter days, more rest breaks, lighter pack, etc. There are so many solutions and if you just keep at it and work within your own limits you'll have fun and stay safe out there!
Enjoy, and just keep improving.
I am 40, 6 foot and 250 pounds. I just got back from a 70 mile trip. I am not in that great of shape anymore. I sit at a desk all day and don't do much physical activity when I'm not at work. These days I end up doing more canoeing than backpacking, but I do get in 4 to 6 backpacking trips per year...most of them in the 20 to 40 mile range over 2 to 4 days.
You say you hiked 2, 5 and then 6 hours on consecutive days. What did you do for the other 22, 19 and 18 hours of those days? Did you hike continuously, or did you stop and take breaks?
Why not hike an hour, then take an hour break, then hike another hour? You could get 6 hours of walking in this way, even in the winter when days are short. I usually average about 2 miles an hour including taking a brief break before and after a steep climb. This means you could be doing 10 to 12 mile days. I personally try to shoot for 10 mile days...much more than that is not too much fun for me. And I like to get done early on the last day, so I might plan a 5 mile day so I can be on my way home by lunch time...there's a really great Mexican restaurant on the way back.
Slosteppin
10-23-2016, 21:06
Age is NOT your problem. As someone else said take that out of the equation. Did you hike the whole Manistee River Loop? Thirteen hours to hike 21 miles is not bad for being out of shape. I have met several people on the MRT who only did part of the east side in three days. There is a lot of easier hiking in the Manistee National Forest south of M-55.
In my opinion, the best hiking shoes are good trail runners, which are much easier on the feet than heavy hiking boots. I never had foot pain until I got plantar fasciitis two years ago. I still hike at least 8 miles on the NCT 3 times a week. My feet still hurt most of the time I'm hiking.
Toolumpy
10-23-2016, 22:34
I think my biggest problem with hiking is that I hate sitting around waiting for dark to go to sleep, so I just walk. I am 57 and 5'10 230lbs and can make 20 miles per day. Hiked from Springer Mountain to Hot Springs in 13 days. Lost 13lbs never felt better. I pass by a stream and think man it would sure be nice to soak my feet but even if I take a break to rest it is no longer than 5 minutes. Then I get bored. What I need to learn is take short breaks more often but I seem to enjoy pushing myself. Am working harder to relax and take my time. I don't do much exercising other than walking and working hard. Have to learn to walk at a pace you are happy with and feel good at, learn to listen to your body as endurance comes over time and hiking is a much more difficult sport than many think. There is always pain.
You won't know until you try but the pain in your feet and back is relatively normal. You'll always feel very tight and achy in the mornings but once you start hiking and get warmed up the pain goes away for the most part.
When it comes to fitness, I'd say just get on the trail and start hiking. You'll soon lose any excess weight as your body tries to keep up with your calorie consumption. Just take it easy for the first couple of weeks.
FiftyNine
10-24-2016, 22:54
I am planning a flip flop hike starting in April. I am very over weight and trying to lose about 50 lbs before I start. I'm hiking now about 20 miles a week some of that with a backpack with about 30 lbs. I also try to get other exercise in. I was sidelined with a heel spur that slowed me down for a few months. I kept hiking when I thought it was going to be ok but after 4 or five miles the pain would return and then found it hard to put any weight on it for a week or so.. so I took two months and just let it heal. Had the doctor make me an orthotic and now I'm back to hiking again. So many of my ache and pains,will be solved with losing weight. I'm not going to let my weight stop me.
My goal in the next six months is to 1. Lose weight. 2. Work on leg strength and stamina.
My goal on the hike is not to focus on losing weight but to focus on the experience. I plan on taking it slow at the beginning working my way up.
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Snowleopard
10-25-2016, 17:29
Skylark, is you're biking 10mi/day x 5 days/week, you're in much better shape than me. You're probably getting sore from muscles/joints that are not in shape from biking; keep up the biking for aerobic fitness. Start walking daily, starting with short distances until you're sure that feet/back/joints will feel OK, then increase distance. If your feet bother you walking, look into the fit of your shoes; if foot soreness continues see a podiatrist. Start on core exercises and stretches for your back. A good strengthening and stretching program would help everyone.
The main thing is to start out SLOWLY at the beginning.
Greenlight
10-25-2016, 18:38
What PennyPincher said. Your diet needs to consist of 70 percent greens and a combination of raw and cooked vegetables. Don't eat more than four to six ounces of meat per day. Not per meal, per day. That is all you need to get the benefit of animal protein. Track your calories with the Fitbit or MyFitnessPal app. You will be surprised at how much you're lying to yourself about what you eat. If you tell everyone you had oatmeal for breakfast they are going to think you consumed about 300 calories. But add two pieces of buttered toast, some brown sugar, and a glass of milk to wash it down with, and you're at 1100 calories. Shop at grocery stores that discount veggies on the last day of their "freshness" stamp. Find out what cruciferous vegetables are and eat a good variety of them. Also eat veggies with bright vibrant colors like reds, purples, yellows. If you get snacky, eat raw fruit. Eat as much of it as you want, as each one is a perfect balance of fats, carbs, and protein and it is real hard to gain wait from fruit snacking if you follow my advice on the 70 percent. Heck, just get Joel Fuhrman's "Eat to Live" read it and put it into practice to the extent you're able. I dropped 40 pounds in less than six months a couple years ago eating the way he described. And I was always full.
you need to lose the weight. And of course going to 3 days straight of hiking for multiple hours is going to hurt. you "progressed" too fast. General rule of thumb for progressing an exercise routine is to only increase the "load" by 10% total per week or in any one workout.
Example: you work out 5 days a week running 6 miles each day. total load 30 miles per week. you shouldn't add more than 3 miles total to your weekly mileage. And you can usually violate one of the guidelines (per workout increase or total increase for week) but not both. So you generally would not want to add 1 mile to each of 3 runs in just one week. But if you chose to add 1 mile to one run you only violated the 10% rule on one workout and are still within the total week's 10% rule.
Too old? Around this time last year I met a 95 year old atop a small summit on the Tully Trail in western MA. We chatted for a while. He's walked the whole AT (in sections.) He runs up Greylock ever year in some kind of race. Still. I've known a number of folks in their 90s but no hikers among them. Except this guy.
Tons of great advice in here, having lost a chunk of weight and kept it off for a year I thought I'd thow out my observations.
#1 - Most Americans eat about twice the volume (calories) that they should
#2 - Most Americans eat twice the meat and half the veggies they should
#3 - American processed food is crammed full of sugar (this includes most diet foods)
#4 - Avoid high sodium stuff (also often hidden in supposedly healthy foods)
#5 - Do NOT salt your food, there are herb salt alternatives out there.
#6 - Fat in food is not always bad, there are healty fats, sugar is a far bigger problem
half your overall intake
double your viggie
half your meat
eliminate the sugar as much as possible
learn what foods are nutrient bombs and add them to your lunch.
I can't say it will work for everyone but my guess is it will work for 90% of people. Yes it will require discomfort to get used to it but like the AT is all mental. The rewards you get in return are 10 fold what little discomfort you experience. I am 50 years old and I have returned to my college weight and as a consequence have not gotten back into backpacking, something I have missed for 25 years.
Five Tango
10-26-2016, 09:01
The wife and I adopted a low sugar/carb,high veggie/fruit diet back in 2009.I am down 55 pounds and she is down about 45.Go watch Dr Robert Lustig's "Sugar the Bitter Truth" on YouTube.Pay particular attention to what he says about "sugar substitutes".Lean protein and non starchy vegetables are your friends.
I'll stick my 2 cents in here and echo what other folks have been saying, watching your consumption is defitiley a path to success. I started eating paleo just for dinner about 2 months ago with my girlfriend and we have both lost around 10 pounds so far without changing any other facet of our lifestyle/diet (including beer/distilled spirit consumption).
So we replaced just one meal a day with a dietary change that forced us to consume more vegetables and less processed crap and it worked great, I'm sure this approach wouldn't work for everyone, but I've had success with it.
Another Kevin
10-26-2016, 13:55
When I think I might be too old, I pull out a random episode of 'Windows to the Wild' and watch it.
In this one (http://www.pbs.org/video/1590519351/), Willem Lange reminisces about a thru-hike that he completed in 1955 - while standing on the summit of Katahdin, having just climbed it again at age 81. God grant that we should all age a tenth as gracefully!
I returned to the AT for the fist time in 25 years last week, I'm 50 years old and most of the hikers refered to me as "young feller". There are some old as dirt people out there doing it. This encourages me greatly that my life isn't almost over, that there are many more adventures to be had.
If you're interested in thru-hiking ignore most of the advise given above. Pack your pack with the worst food you will eat and start hiking. You’ll find that a thru-hiker can't carry enough food to avoid weigh loss. Limiting your miles is a section hikers path, don't take it. You’ll probably want to avoid all high vegetable and other content diets, but it doesn't matter as you'll learn that on the trail. So just load up and start hiking. By the end of your thru-hike you'll be lean and a hiking machine. What you'll wish to do is be conscious of the post hike diet as there you're likely to regain your weight. I lost my prehike weight of 190 to my end of hike weight of around 135. I then regained my weight up to 185 over the past 4 years. The only reason to lose weight before a hike is to get you in better shape, but don't delay the hike to do so. Remember during the hike your losing weight because your simply not carrying enough food, so just ignore all the weight restricted diets.
I take Jello and add 2x the amount of gelatin. Keep in mind the lubrication may take as much as 6 months to find the building blocks to lubricate the joints, but is better than 600mg of Naproxen kicking in you in the stomach IMO.
I like it when a long hike ends at a restaurant with Yuenging (https://www.yuengling.com/over21/over21.php?referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.yuengling.co m%2F) on tap... it invigorates me. Just 1or 2 16oz will shut off the pain, feed the muscles, and make a long day a fond memory.
Hope that helps.....
I am intrigued by two things you posted:
1) Please, advise about the jello.... While I don't have pain that requires Naproxen, my husband does. Plus, I did notice that after this last section hike (200 miles from Amicohola Falls SP to Clingman's Dome in two weeks) my knees hurt for the first time after A.T. hiking - actually hurt for a few weeks whenever I went up/down stairs.
2) Yuenging (https://www.yuengling.com/over21/over21.php?referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.yuengling.co m%2F) on tap.No questions on this one - just total agreement! (Wish we had it here in MI)