training

[jefals]

Walmart sells headlamps for $1.00. I have 6 or 8 of them. I carry one in my pack. It's a spare if my primary needs batteries. It is also my midnight excursion lamp and tent nightlight. My good headlamp is saved for serious use.
Wayne


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Ok, but I don't think I wanna night hike anyway. ?
No real need to, anywsy, that time of year. ..

[Venchka]

Ok, but I don't think I wanna night hike anyway. ?
No real need to, anywsy, that time of year. ..

Sorry. I wasn't suggesting night hiking. I'm just saying that for $1.00 you get a spare light with batteries that weighs nothing and just as hands free convenient as a headlamp. I tried a practice battery replacement with my good headlamp. Pitch black dark. Not happening. The little headlamp from Walmart made battery replacement a piece of cake. I'm now using the little light in the tent. Saving the big one for emergencies like night hiking.
Wayne


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[Dogwood]

I don't think my eyes are good enough for night hiking. And here's another geezer problem: - your fingers don't work as good as they used to.
Now, with that in mind, picture yourself on a high, narrow ridge, late on a dark night, and your headlamp goes out. You gotta change that little battery. In the dark. With fingers that aren't quite as nimble as you'd like them to be. First - you gotta get the case off, and you might need to find some small tool just to do that....if it's cold, those fingers REALLY don't work!...Well, you get the idea.
Part of survival is knowin your limits, and I know mine!

Yes, I'm picturing it. I would have another light source even if it's just a BIC lighter or the moon.

In Nov in SoCal might want to have some light wt gloves and/or pockets in your outermost layer and/or chemical heat packs for just such a purpose...to keep comfortably and safe extending your hrs moving...which as you are aware, extends your daily miles avg...which snowballs into hauling less water wt or being tethered to camping at water sources.

When night hiking is spoken about it simply can mean extending hiking before sun up during the pre dawn hrs or after sunset if only just an hr after sunset. You can define night hiking as you wish not abiding by anyone else's rigid or assumed definition. This really factors back into your original questions of increasing your daily mileage...hike more hrs...and hiking with less wt...less need for water hiking when it's cooler...possibly overall having fewer risks to knees and the rest of your body and mind.

[jefals]

thanks, DW. yes, I keep a pair of gloves in my jacket pocket. I think most folks, when talking about night-hiking, are already up to at least 15 mpd, and trying to extend that. have you seen Redbeard's videos? he was up at 3 and hikin at 3:30! NOT ME! ? In the morning, I like to feel the sun before I get going, and then, after maybe 6 hours of hiking, I've had enough for the day. You might ask why I just don't hike where there's more water. And I don't mind doing that. But, after my experience on the PCT a couple years ago, I don't know what it is, but it just seems to be calling me back. I don't know. Maybe it's the apple pie in Julian! ?

[MuddyWaters]

I think most folks, when talking about night-hiking, are already up to at least 15 mpd, and trying to extend that. have you seen Redbeard's videos? he was up at 3 and hikin at 3:30! NOT ME! ? In the morning, I like to feel the sun before I get going, and then, after maybe 6 hours of hiking, I've had enough for the day.

Usually need a reason
I like to start early.
Avoiding heat is good reason, very good
Seeing sunrise alone from places is too
Need to make miles is ok

It can be hard to get up sometimes. Im always glad later I did.

[jefals]

I think most folks, when talking about night-hiking, are already up to at least 15 mpd, and trying to extend that. have you seen Redbeard's videos? he was up at 3 and hikin at 3:30! NOT ME! ? In the morning, I like to feel the sun before I get going, and then, after maybe 6 hours of hiking, I've had enough for the day.

Usually need a reason
I like to start early.
Avoiding heat is good reason, very good
Seeing sunrise alone from places is too
Need to make miles is ok

It can be hard to get up sometimes. Im always glad later I did.

If you're in Campo in November, that will take care of a couple things you mentioned...
It won't be too hot
You can see the sunrise alone. You'll most likely be alone pretty much all the time.

[Runner2017]

The best you can do is to just walk carrying nothing at leisure pace for 3 to 5 miles every day in the beginning. The goal is to lose 10% to 15% of your current body weight in two to three months so that your body can easily carry your load later on trail.

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[TX Aggie]

Your feet will most likely be the weakest point. That being said, miles per outing will be the most important factor in initial training. Getting the reps with the shoes, callus buildup, etc. even with just 20 lbs you'll be strengthening. If you're going out several days a week, make one day a heavy/short day.


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[Nodust]

I added biking for intensifying training. Running hurts my knees but pedaling all out for 30 minutes has helped build my legs up. Follow with 4-8 mile walk depending on how much time I have. I normally walk at 16 minute
miles very light or no pack.

Try to get a 10 or more mile hike in once a week. With a light pack.

[jefals]

update: some of you guys have been giving me great advice. Knee w a s feeling ok today, so went up there with my lightweight pack, 2.5l water and sleeping bag. no problems with knee at all. I only did one loop, but I know I could have done another. I think next week I'll start doing 2 loops, and when I'm doing 3, then I'll start gradually adding weight...

[Venchka]

Sounds like a winner. Don't add weight until your knees says OK.
Wayne


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[Leo L.]

I'm afraid I'm not that disciplined in training. Mostly I follow the "European forced diet" model of only eating what I carry home from the store. So if a local (the most common either 3 miles or 6 miles) grocery store has a sale on caffeine free diet Dr. Pepper, I load up my huge pack and carry 55-65 lbs. on the return trip. But mostly I'm making 2-3 shopping trips a week of 20-30 lbs., with milk and juice providing most of the weight. The rest of my training hikes I'll walk to a movie (6 miles) with the trip mostly along a greenway, or up to the Baylands park and hike along the marshes (maybe 9 miles total). When I'm not carrying a load home from the store I'll add extra water, snacks, and a couple of books to my day pack so there's some weight there. So I'll carry anywhere from 15 lbs. to 65 lbs. depending on the circumstances, though only for 3 miles on the return trip at the top weight. Those hikes vary greatly in difficulty. But as I see it, the important thing is to get out and walk frequently, and leaving the car in the driveway nearly all the time is how I achieve that needed frequency.

I really like this attitude!
When I still had my office a few miles away from my house, starting a few weeks before an upcoming hike I used to pack a backpack and walked it to and from the office daily, an various routes, for training purpose.

[Longboysfan]

Ok, so I start with 20 lbs and 3 miles, till I'm comfortable with that. What's next -
a) 30 pounds and 3 miles?
b) 20 pounds and 5 miles?
Is it better to build up the weight first or the distance first. Or does it matter?

Sorry slow on the reply.

I did the lighter weight till I was very comfortable with it.
I did not find carrying 29 a problem.
It's when I got up to near 35 that I felt it a lot.

Stay low weight to start then add miles with it.

[jefals]

Thanks guys! I started this thread in May and took your advice. slowly worked up to the weight I'd need for this 23 mile section of the TRT. Just finished it and, while it wore me out, I had no knee problems. Hoping to tackle the next section soon!

[PGH1NC]

Thanks guys! I started this thread in May and took your advice. slowly worked up to the weight I'd need for this 23 mile section of the TRT. Just finished it and, while it wore me out, I had no knee problems. Hoping to tackle the next section soon!

Jefals, glad it worked out. Two weeks ago I finished the AT SNP section. My training mentioned earlier in this thread ended up with 180 pack miles on local trails gradually increasing hills and weight. I finished with no foot, knee, back or any other problems so I feel it worked well for me.

The only difference between me and my younger companions (upper 40s) was on the steeper, longer hills. If moving (relatively) fast I just had to stop for about 30 seconds every couple of 100 yards. I was not out of breath but seemed that my legs needed a few seconds to get a ready oxygen supply which I attribute to an older person's lower maximum heart rate. I did use my pair of trekking poles religiously.