View Full Version : elevation gain
newbie here......i'm trying to train/get in shape and i'm looking for a formula to convert % grade to elevation gain per mile.
ie: if i walk a mile on a 12% grade, how many feet am i gaining in elevation
EXman
newbie here......i'm trying to train/get in shape and i'm looking for a formula to convert % grade to elevation gain per mile.
ie: if i walk a mile on a 12% grade, how many feet am i gaining in elevation
EXman
eelya1,
12% grade means that for every 100 feet of horizontal distance, vertical distance changes by 12 feet.
So, using your example, if you traveled uphill for one mile at a 12% grade, you would gain approximately 634 feet.
1 mile X 12% =
5280 feet X .12 = 633.6 feet
thanks roland........ i wanted to get an idea of the difficulty of this hike. am i correct in assuming that if a given leg is noted as having a gain of 4000', it could very well be significantly more due to the ups and downs?
Yep. There will always be ups and downs. You will never have a totally consistent climb. You may climb 100 ft, descend 30 feet, climb 200 ft. descend 70 feet, then climb 75 feet. Your change from your starting elevation will only be 275 feet, but it took you 375 feet of climbing to get there.
ouch........but i'm still thinking that the downhill portions are gonna hurt me more than the ups.
Kerosene
12-10-2009, 14:14
ouch........but i'm still thinking that the downhill portions are gonna hurt me more than the ups.At your age...probably. Here are a few suggestions:
Take it slow on the downhills
Force yourself to rest even though you won't be breathing hard
Avoid "burning out" your quads, as these are the muscles that stabilize your knees
Avoid locking your knee and putting all your weight on the downslope
Get a pair of trekking poles and offload some of your weight while going downhill
On the uphills, try to avoid taking big steps that put inordinate pressure on your knee joints and ligaments. If you feel inordinate soreness in your knees, then slow down and pop 3-4 naproxen sodium (Aleve).
Also, complement your treadmill work with stairclimbing and ideally core work, as the Trail rarely allows you to just walk uphill in a straight line on a smooth surface!
Kerosene is dead on with that advice. Trekking poles can work absolute wonders for the knees on down hills. It may slow you down at first, but you'll get the hang of it fairly quickly.
sasquatch2014
12-10-2009, 15:46
If at all possible get out there and walk. Treadmills and stair climbers are all great for what they are but keep in mind that seldom will you get to take the exact same stride several times in a row there are rocks and roots and what not and it is this change in stride that helps add to the work out.