training

[DownEaster]

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.

[jefals]

I think other posters have given great advice for starting out.

Once you are no longer the "Nube" to training, I would suggest you build in the elevation changes. Either do steps, climb hills, or get on a stair climber at a gym. NOTE: My first year, I trained by walking... walking... walking... carrying a pack... I walked up to 25 miles a day; however, those "flat lander walks" did not pra\pare me for the mountains of the AT. The next year, I didn't walk so many miles; however, I did spend several hours a week climbing dune stairs. That mad a difference!

Wow! Well, as I work up my miles on this trail, I will be getting more climbing. (More times around the trail = more climbing).
But...25 mpd? How long did that take you? And how often did you do it?
Sometimes I do an 11 mile flat walk, around a lake, no weight except water.
When I workout indoors, I do 20 minutes of stairs and 45 on the elliptical. But since I found this trail so close to home, I decided that is what I really want to train on. My mistake - as many folks have mentioned - is worrying too much about weight. So I'm going to focus on getting my miles up to where I want, and then gradually add in the weight. .

[jefals]

I've never seen any training plans for hiking like you do for other activities. But as an older person I feel the need to work up to my planned pack weight with food/water. I walk everyday, but that does not prepare your muscles and tendons for the extra weight of a pack. Younger people may not need the training, but I certainly do. Personally I follow the insight for long distance running. You can increase speed or distance, but don't increase both at the same time. so each week only consider adding one or the other not both. Also you don't have to make every hike the same. Some can be with pack and others without. Some short, some longer. some hilly some flat.

Thanks Skeeter. Speed or distance. Can we change that to weight or distance? I'm not all that concerned with speed. Except, from the standpoint that, since I'm training for desert hiking and sometimes long distances without water - then speed could be a factor in the sense that, if I am confident that i can make it to that next water source before "quitting time", then I might not need to carry as much water.

[Engine]

There are 3 key factors which directly affect your ability to maintain thru-hiking miles without injury. 1. Volume. 2. Intensity. 3. Ability to withstand the insult of downhill (especially steep pitches).

Training for volume and intensity is easy, it can be done almost anywhere. Cardio-pulmonary fitness comes quickly as well, just from a combination of volume and intensity.

But, what chased most aspiring thru-hikers off trail in the first couple weeks was knee issues resulting from their lack of preparation for sustained steep downhills. Unless you live in an area with steep long grades, it's just about impossible to condition the distal quads and knees for the abuse pre-hike.

For that reason alone, even after all the pre-hike training, plan on easy 8 mile days for the first week. Especially as an older hiker...

Counting the approach trail, we covered around 37 miles the first 2 days this year. On day 3 I limped down Blood Mountain on a terribly painful knee. It too weeks of easy hiking for it to fully recover.

(Of course now I'm laid up with giardia. Not sure how you can train to crap through a screen...lol)

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[ScareBear]

Thanks Skeeter. Speed or distance. Can we change that to weight or distance? I'm not all that concerned with speed. Except, from the standpoint that, since I'm training for desert hiking and sometimes long distances without water - then speed could be a factor in the sense that, if I am confident that i can make it to that next water source before "quitting time", then I might not need to carry as much water.

Training using speed as a tool is vital as it is speed rather than distance that improves your cardio. You have to get your HR up, and keep it up, for as long as possible in order to achieve maximum cardio. So, it's a bit of a compromise. Your body needs the distance to get accustomed to the duration of the exercise, but also needs the speed to get better cardio. As another stated, just flat walking for 20 miles won't help so much with 10 miles on the AT in GA or NC. It will help, no doubt. Just not so much. It is the cardio that will get you up the mountain, IMHO. That is why I set some arbitrary time parameters in my previous post for you to work at. Feel free to adjust them, but I was trying to get across that it is the mix of the duration and the intensity that determines the success of any athletic training endeavor. IMHO, the best way to train for mountains is to hike them. Or try to create a facsimile. StairMaster is a great tool/torture device....

[cbxx]

Great point ScareBear, I think after getting into the training a ways, working on upping your speed (and sustained raised heart rate) is a very good strategy. I shoot for 2.5 - 3 mph. This way we can get in a 20 mile day in 8 hours (ideally). Most people can't spend that time training, so intervals and even strength training are shortcuts. By the way, I love that this is a bunch of old guys trying to help each other...stay strong my brothers! (I'm 59).

[JohnHuth]

FWIW - I typically start with low mileage and low weight. I then slowly up the degree of difficulty on the hikes, and begin to add in weight. By the time I'm ready to go, I can shoulder a full pack and do what I anticipate as the hike for a hard day.

This can produce some interesting situations. Locally in Boston, there's an area called the Blue Hills Reservation - the hills aren't so high, but there is a lot of ups-and-downs, so by stringing together trails, I can get up to 2000 vertical feet and about 10 miles. There are all day hikers out there, so carrying a full pack looks kinda weird, but every so often, I see a like-minded person training up.

[SkeeterPee]

Thanks Skeeter. Speed or distance. Can we change that to weight or distance? I'm not all that concerned with speed. Except, from the standpoint that, since I'm training for desert hiking and sometimes long distances without water - then speed could be a factor in the sense that, if I am confident that i can make it to that next water source before "quitting time", then I might not need to carry as much water.

Yes that was the concept I was meaning. Add weight or distance, but not both.

[jefals]

FWIW - I typically start with low mileage and low weight. I then slowly up the degree of difficulty on the hikes, and begin to add in weight. By the time I'm ready to go, I can shoulder a full pack and do what I anticipate as the hike for a hard day.

This can produce some interesting situations. Locally in Boston, there's an area called the Blue Hills Reservation - the hills aren't so high, but there is a lot of ups-and-downs, so by stringing together trails, I can get up to 2000 vertical feet and about 10 miles. There are all day hikers out there, so carrying a full pack looks kinda weird, but every so often, I see a like-minded person training up.

Right. My trail is also only dayhikers. But, when you get to my age, one of the good things is you no longer worry about looking wierd. ?

[jefals]

Yes that was the concept I was meaning. Add weight or distance, but not both.

Ok, I think I'm going for distance first. Shooting for 9 miles with a pack loaded with just my 3l camelbak and sleeping bag. Once comfortable with that, I'll start adding stuff slowly to the pack till, hopefully, I'm comfortable with the full pack...

[Venchka]

I wonder...
Would watching the videos made by the Alabama hiker on the PCT add sufficient encouragement?
I'm also trying to do the mental arithmetic for the 15 miles to the next water in a day or overnight. I'm not sure that you would be carrying much less water. Maybe a liter different. I'm probably wrong. I don't have any arid location experience. High altitude but not SoCal arid.
Wayne


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[jefals]

I wonder...
Would watching the videos made by the Alabama hiker on the PCT add sufficient encouragement?
I'm also trying to do the mental arithmetic for the 15 miles to the next water in a day or overnight. I'm not sure that you would be carrying much less water. Maybe a liter different. I'm probably wrong. I don't have any arid location experience. High altitude but not SoCal arid.
Wayne


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While I don't think I need encouragement, I do enjoy her videos. ROLL TIDE!
15 miles, I think IN GENERAL, they figure 5 miles per liter. That kind of figuring could kill ya, tho, out on the PCT. If you're not in hiking condition, if the weather's hot, you may need more. And 15 miles between water is not uncommon on the PCT. Sometimes it's 30 if you don't count caches. So, if you can do 15 or 20 a day, it helps. If I have to go 15 miles between water sources and I'm only hiking 6 miles per day, I have to figure, not only the water I need for hiking 15 miles, but also at least a couple liters for 2 nights of camping. So, altho I like to ramble on about 6 per day, I guess I should shoot for at least 9..

[Venchka]

Fair enough.
Hopefully you'll get over to the Rockies soon where the trails are positively soggy by comparison.
Wayne


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[TwoSpirits]

I have been relying on a few different exercise each week to work off the winter sloth and prepare for summer/fall hiking. Various obligations and responsibilities affect all of us in terms of how and when we can train, but this routine works for me:

Three days a week (M/W/F) I focus on basic stretching & calisthenics -- squats, crunches, push-ups -- to focus on leg & core strength. On these days I also walk about 6 miles (just around town or city trails), and also do 10 minutes on my Bowflex (great cardio workout along with strengthening the legs.)

Two days a week (Tue/Thur) I hit some of the trails nearby (the hills of southern Indiana are really quite good for this.) One of the days is intended to be fairly short but intense -- 6 to 8 miles with a very basic daypack and focused on speed (with a couple of steep & long staircases thrown in.) The other hiking day is focused on developing miles and endurance. I start the spring with just 4-6 easy miles, and then work my way up a specific series of distances over the next several weeks. On these hikes I wear my backpack, but only filled with the essentials. Last year I worked my way up to 20 miles, did that twice (i.e., repeated the next week), and then I dial it back to 10-12 miles with increasing weight in the pack. For weight, I simply use the gear I plan to hike with, instead of "artificial" weight (I hear people talk about using bags of rice or sugar, etc.) I stay at this mileage until I'm comfortable with my weight.

On Saturdays I try to get a few miles on my bike, and on Sundays I rest.

I'm finding, at 54, that I really, REALLY need that rest! If I feel like I need more rest, I listen to my body and dial it all back for a few days, but I don't stop moving for more than a day. If & when I have been off for a few days, I'm careful about starting up again -- it feels like the rust builds up very quickly even after a couple of days.

[Dogwood]

That's twice where I'm reading you had knee problems doing modest daily miles. Aiming to reduce the wt you haul not increasing it no matter other daily distance or pack wt goals should be a priotity as it sounds like that is having a negative effect on your knees. If you don't use trekking poles consider using them with intention to reduce knee stress. There are other things you should consider to address the knees as well such as hiking technique, knee support like a compression sleeve, maybe some supplements working with your health care pracititoners, etc. Red Beard @ ZP likely is very good at water wise logistics. The idea that one always needs to haul high amounts of H2O wt for SoCal is a misnemanor. Most I ever carried in Socal on the PCT was 3 L starting mid April and that turned out to be too much winding up pouring a liter on the ground. UGGGH! I didn't have the water report for that PCT segement. GET current water reports! There are quite a few water wise LD hikers here on WB that have thrued the PCT. I suggest you tap them and peruse older threads where many of us have shared. SoCal for the PCT one can offset the possible water wt one does haul with lower wt kits.IMO, it's great you're getting out and willing to still evolve your backpacking skill set at 70+ yrs. I applaud you!

[Venchka]

Jeff is planning to hike in November. No doubt quite dry. Nobody parked at road crossings with fruit, water, juice and beer.
Wayne


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[Dogwood]

Missed that V. That means cooler weather though too! Could be another good time to night hike?

[jefals]

That's twice where I'm reading you had knee problems doing modest daily miles. Aiming to reduce the wt you haul not increasing it no matter other daily distance or pack wt goals should be a priotity as it sounds like that is having a negative effect on your knees. If you don't use trekking poles consider using them with intention to reduce knee stress. There are other things you should consider to address the knees as well such as hiking technique, knee support like a compression sleeve, maybe some supplements working with your health care pracititoners, etc. Red Beard @ ZP likely is very good at water wise logistics. The idea that one always needs to haul high amounts of H2O wt for SoCal is a misnemanor. Most I ever carried in Socal on the PCT was 3 L starting mid April and that turned out to be too much winding up pouring a liter on the ground. UGGGH! I didn't have the water report for that PCT segement. GET current water reports! There are quite a few water wise LD hikers here on WB that have thrued the PCT. I suggest you tap them and peruse older threads where many of us have shared. SoCal for the PCT one can offset the possible water wt one does haul with lower wt kits.IMO, it's great you're getting out and willing to still evolve your backpacking skill set at 70+ yrs. I applaud you!

Yeah, I'm sure there's some underlying arthritis or something in there, but this was the first tine with a modest day hike. The first real problem was on the downhill coming into, I think it's Barrel Springs, after 16 days on PCT, pack probably around 40 by then... (but I don't really know; could have been more or less)..2nd time I was kinda racing down a ski slope , coming off the TRT. It was sandy, steep, and I was rushing, pack wasn't all that heavy , but fast-walking down that hill with tge pack weight, well...
But this time it was just a few miles and not real steep. But tge heavy pack.
So, yeah, I always use poles, and I've been taking osteo-biflex for years. Had a cortisone shot in the knee in March, just prior to a lot of day-hiking.

As Wayne mentioned, if I go to Campo, it'll be in the fall, most likely. There probably will be no one else there. (That's kinda the way I like it, tho it would be good if there are a few other vagabonds out there. But not the crowds that are out there now). And yeah, I'll agree that you can do it with 3l -- if you can do the daily miles. So we'll see what kind of miles I can work up to...

[jefals]

Missed that V. That means cooler weather though too! Could be another good time to night hike?

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!

[Venchka]

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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