If you want to hike and not suffer, you should be hiking. I may have mentioned somewhere else, or in this thread, that all the runners and bikers and gym-goers who just pop up in our hiking group and take on the longer day hikes find that this is what happens to them - they don't understand, because they think biking 100 miles daily equates to being in shape for hiking. It is a different sort of effort and it will feel different.

All I do is hike - I do none of the stuff you are talking about. I've passed the physical fitness test for SAR annually - 8 miles in three hours with 25 lb backpack, with at least 1200 feet of gain on the hike. i usually have to add weight to the backpack to get it there. I can do 15 mile days. We are required to be able to hike 3-4 mph for 8 miles and THEN start searching. Backpacking is endurance, not aerobics. Biking doesn't simulate it at all, running isn't the same effort. Running is putting more stress on the body than the biking, which is aerobic - all your weight is going on the bike seat, not your legs. And you've noticed your breathing isn't the same - yep, you're working the lungs harder when your body works harder. This is also the difference between walking down the street and hiking. The body works harder hiking. Especially if your backpacking trip is 1,000-5,000 feet higher elevation than the daily exercise you're doing.

Not to say it doesn't help, but it's just not adequate on its own. The five mile hikes are what you need to do, with the shoes and socks you'll use, plus about a 15 lb pack.

"It's also about not trying to beat the trail."

Repeat that to yourself at least twice an hour - it's one of the most important, if not THE most important - rules of backpacking!

Hrm. Thanks.

I guess I thought that running would be the closest thing I could get to trying to hike at altitude as far as my lungs were concerned. Do you think that's a faulty assumption? I'm less concerned about my legs giving out than I am about my lungs not being efficient enough.

Also, while 5 miles a day might be good, I'm trying to factor in that these 5 miles aren't at elevation and I'm going to be doing more like 8 a day (or, in the case of the first day, 9). I kind of figured that maybe 9 miles there was more like 18 here, factoring in the terrain (difficult) and the elevation (a whole lot higher than I'm used to). Given that, I figured I needed to do more than walk 5 miles a day. I don't have time (wish I did) to do 18 mile hikes in a day, though. So, that's how I came to running and biking... to try to fill that "gap" I perceived.

I have a lot of my stuff now, but still not everything, so I don't have my full pack weight yet, but I will probably try to start walking with that soon, too.

I found some exercises online for strengthening one's back muscles. I may add those exercises to my day, too. Any particular exercises anyone likes/recommends for that area?

Any other thoughts/suggestions?

Stadium steps with a pack on.

I tend to believe running is over-rated as an exercise. It is useful if you are being chased or chasing someone... other than that I think it tends to be too jarring on the joints. Backpacking is a "slow and steady wins the race" kind of activity (at least in my book). I think you are doing the right things for building up you aerobic capacity. The one thing I would add is climbing to build up your muscles. Go to a stadium, or tall building and walk up and down the stairs. You don't need to do it fast, you just want to build up the muscles. Add in your pack and see how you are doing.

For strengthening your back there is nothing like walking and crunches. My father (a doctor) once told me walking a mile a day has been shown to be one of the most effective treatments for people with back problems.

kievalina,

I also wanted to add how impressed I am with what you have done so far. I will admit that when you first started posting a while back I didn't think there was much chance you would actually take the advice people on here gave you. Your update has shown how determined you are to do this trip. If you keep this up I think you are going to have a wonderful time. Well done so far and kudos to you!

Studies have shown that people who are in less good shape actually do better at altitude. The reason is pacing. Hot shots start out too fast, because they are in shape and can. Less physically fit people start slow because they have to!

Running 5 miles is NOT like walking 10 miles at altitude. Pacing, learning the rest-step (and other breathing techniques), and getting some days at altitude are what make you do well at altitude. The key at altitude is to set a comfortable breathing rate/heart rate, then walk as slow or fast as necessary to keep that breathing rate. The worst thing you can do at high altitude is try to keep up with someone else! Slow steady rythmic breathing works better than stop and go, gasp and rest. Hiking up hills is the best thing to learn how to rythmatically breath and do the "rest step". You need to practice until you can climb up hills for an hour without getting out of breath or gasping. First do it without a pack, then add a pack.

PS - I sympathize with the illness. I have grandkids and every time I care for them they have colds and I get sick. Once they get into preschool or school it takes a few years to gain some resistance so they bring everything home!

I just went over this thread kind of fast, and while I don't want to stir things up, oldranger and ringtail both expressed some concerns about the trip you described...



I didn't see you respond to their concerns...





Maybe I missed it?

I agree that there is nothing like hiking with a pack to get in shape for hiking with a pack. I don't agree that running, cycling and other sorts of aerobic activities don't help. Sure, the specific muscles that you use to hike don't get the optimum sort of exercise if you are running or cycling. But, running, cycling or brisk walking are all endurance exercises and go a long way towards building an aerobic base that will serve you regardless of the sort of endurance exercise in which you are engaged. I would also add that resistance exercises such as free weights or weight machines will add a lot to one's uphill horsepower. Both aerobic and strength exercise are especially important in the off-season if you wish to get a fairly painless start when hiking weather rolls around (I'm no longer a winter backpacker). And, being in my mid-70's, I feel that I need to stay fit all the time or it will go away never to return.

My year-around regimen is: weight work twice a week; cycle 2-3 times a week to a total of about 40-50 miles per week; and walk briskly every day about 1.5-2 miles. I also hike one of several trails in the local mountains once a week. This is typically an eight-ten mile round trip with an elevation gain of 1600 to 1800 feet; I do it in about four hours including a 30 minute lunch break at the top. The high point of the hike is about 7500'. The hike alone will not serve me for my desired level of fitness nor will just the aerobic and strength training. I think that they all go together as part of a sensible fitness plan.

Bill,

Yes, there's a reason we're doing this trail. I wasn't the one that choose it; it's one my dad and stepbrother did last year. They have good experience with the trail.

No, I am definitely NOT taking my 5 year old. ;-)

Hiking with not too heavy a pack is the best exercise to prepare for backpacking. You don't have to use full pack weight; just a day pack is fine. Hiking with a heavy pack (especially on hard surfaces) or running can easily lead to stress injuries (been there, done that!) which could spoil your whole summer. In fact, I'm just getting over a bout of plantar fascitis (fortunately minor) from overtraining. I haven't been able to run at all since a knee injury (skiing) in the late 1980s. I don't miss it, either. IMHO, running is overrated. Some folks can run and run with no problems. More of them end up with stress injuries over time. Walking is better!

I've found that the best conditioning program for me is to alternate forms of exercise from day to day. Doing the same thing every day causes bone, joint, tendon and muscle problems from repetitive stress. I do a 1/2 hour really fast walk (about 3 mph, fast enough that my dog has to trot) plus 20 minutes on the exercise bike one day, a 1 1/2 to 2 hour slower walk the next. I have to walk my dog every day (I haven't been able to teach him to cycle :D), or I'd do a non-weight-bearing exercise, such as cycling or swimming, instead of walking on those short walk days. I find it really important to have at least one rest day per week. Two rest days (not in a row) are better if I haven't been exercising or have had to cut back due to illness or injury. I work up gradually to a faster walking pace, using interval training rather than a steady fast pace. I try to do a longer walk (but at a slower pace) one day a week--a day hike, if I can (go out on a dayhike with the meetup folks), 2-3 hours if I can't. Hills are excellent, and there are a lot of them where I live, but don't try to push speed on the downhill to avoid stress injury. Stairs will work (although dull) if no hills. You mentioned Sleeping Bear--hiking on sand is twice as hard as hiking on normal ground! If you can work up to 4-5 miles on the dunes, you'll probably leave everyone in your dust on 10 mile days when you get into the mountains! Even hiking flat beach is good! I often do it barefoot, although I try not to do it a lot because the sand scours off needed calluses. Using trekking poles (get the rubber tips for them to use on sidewalks), called Nordic walking, turns walking into a whole body exercise that exercises the core (abdominal) muscles, not just the lower body. Interval training, rather than keeping a constant speed, is much better (and less boring) for working up speed.

Strength training, with light weights and more repetitions rather than straining with heavy weights, is good, too. So are all core muscle exercises. Just start slow, work up gradually, and go 2-3 days between workouts. With weights, as with the tension on the exercise bike, don't overdo them!

I've been working a lot on balance exercises. I've been walking lines on the floor and have progressed to walking a 2 x 4 laid down on the floor. Pretty soon I'm going to get some bricks and elevate it. I'm already a lot more confidant on log crossings when I hike!

Here's a good article on conditioning for hiking.

Most of the studies done on acclimatization (I listed a link to an excellent NOLS article much earlier in this thread) to high altitude show that physical conditioning actually has very little to do with acclimatization--it seems to be more a genetic thing. Of course if you're completely unfit, hiking will be a lot harder whether or not at altitude!

Proper diet and enough sleep (hard for a mom to accomplish!) are just as important as exercise. Unfortunately, other than that there's nothing you can do about the illnesses the kids bring home from school! Unless you're completely laid up, don't eliminate your exercise program when you have a cold. Just reduce the length and intensity of your exercise. Once you start to recover, getting out in the fresh air helps! Eventually you build up some immunity. I do find that I get less sick and recover faster around my grandchildren than I did around my own children, for whatever that's worth.

I didn't say otherwise.

I did say that all I do is hike and that is true. And it works very well for me. I don't do special diets, don't work out, can't afford the gym. When I have enough in the bank the yoga studio is the first place I will go - back into 2-3x week yoga to build the core muscles and develop better balance and muscle tone. People think yoga isn't exercise - it's the best kind, no torture of the joints or feet, plenty of muscle activity. Perfect to balance all the pounding of the feet on a hike.

I have a pedometer app on my phone. It shows more than 24,000 steps at the end of two days of backpacking - that's a lot of pounding on those poor flat feet of mine wearing a pack!

Altitude sickness is something that you need to know about and avoid. The good news is that at the altitudes you are talking about, most people will slow down, lose thier appatite and get a mild headache but not get seriously altitude sick. The key is to go slow and breath steadily. Do not let the other members of the party push you to the point of getting totally out of breath. If they want the group to go fast, they can carry some of your gear. It would be a good idea to spend a day and night in the 4000-6000 foot range before hiking up to 8,000. I regularly go from sea level to 8,000 feet in a day and do not have any issues, as long as I take it easy on the first day.

If you feel that your work-outs are not doing any good with respect to lung capacity there is a slight possibility that you have a heart problem. I friend of mine had a hole in her heart (from birth) and always just thought she was slow. She worked NOLS courses and then was a postal delivery person for 20+ years. In her 40's they finally discovered her heart problem. After easy surgery she was cured! And she was amazed at how effortlessly she now could hike. My husband has had off-and-on arythmia all his life. After a recent stress test he found out his heart was 40% efficient. He is now on some medication that really helps.

I guess the bottom line is that if you feel you can never get "in shape" aerobically at sea level, you may want to go to a cardiologist and get some tests just to rule out any underlying medical condition.

It does not always rain in the northern Rockies - statistically you get about 2 out of 3 days as good weather. There is a thunder storm season when you get daily afternoon storms (usually late July - end of August).

As for a trail that follows a ledge with a drop-off- do some reasearch - call the NP if needed, and get some good information on the trail. 18" wide trail and sheer dropoff sounds a bit exaggerated to me.

My lung capacity sucks. I haven't found a way to fix it either (so if you do, let me know!) Yoga has helped a bit. Though I'm not in the best athletic shape either...

My two cents (I learned this from WD) - just go your own pace. I go faster by going slower! (breaks are shorter and less often) And as much as I love my husband, he can go suck eggs on the whole hurry up thing You will be happier if you go your own speed or the speed of the slowest person in your group. If someone is slower than you, just take that time to take pictures or enjoy the view.

Yeah, it sounded a bit nuts to me, too. I think my dad might have played it up a bit just to make sure I took it seriously. ;-) That's okay; I'd rather work harder than I have to now and be more worried than I need to be, and show up and have it be much easier and less intimidating than I expected.

I have had some heart testing before and it all looked fine. (Had issues with passing out; still do to some extent, but not nearly as bad. I just have low blood pressure and need to make sure I drink a lot and eat more salt than the average person, but I ended up with an EKG, which I assume I passed because they never told me otherwise.) But come to think of it, I think my mom had some sort of genetic heart abnormality. I will have to ask my grandma about that and let my doctor know.

Heather, I'm glad to know someone else with crappy lung capacity can hike. That makes me feel a whole lot better.