Training Hikes: The Series

When it's time to get your rear in gear, there are numerous plans you can follow. There are many great, iconic distance hikers, runners, swimmers who have built training plans to live by. Some incorporate a lot of cross training, some only a moderate amount. Some come with diet plans. After training for several technical mountaineering trips, some distance hiking and a couple of marathons, I don't necessarily follow one method over another when it comes time to get into action.

With a major trek to Kilimanjaro on the horizon, I have decided that it's about time I commit to getting back into climbing shape. I've shared on this blog before that since moving to Colorado, despite the mountains at my doorstep, I've struggled to get into a fitness groove. I'm actually often less active here than I was in Omaha. For a variety of reasons, but it still makes me sick.

Now, with a goal in mind...enough is ENOUGH already!

I thought I'd share a bit about how I personally train for distance/endurance hiking. As I began writing this, I realized I had a lot to say (who's shocked?). So, I'm breaking it down by category as I go. Right now, I have at least 5 categories and a tangent written on the subject. Please know that I am in no way the end all/be all hiking guru. Many different things work for many different people and you should find what works for you. I'd love your questions, comments and feedback as the posts go up.

 As in any training regimen you will likely come across, it's important to build a solid, comfortable foundation. For marathon training, it was the ability to run three miles comfortably on varied terrain. For hiking, it's been about the same. I spent about a week or so doing 3-4 mile hikes at a good pace every other day. This is when your muscles remember what it feels like and your heart gets used to the rhythm. As with anything, start where you are. When I started running, back in 2001, I could barely run a mile without feeling like I was going to be ill. It took getting better at one mile, then moving to 2 and so on.

 If you can't get to a trail head that often, start with going on walks after dinner, taking a little more time to get on trail over the weekend. Find a few friends (chicks!) that you can convince to join you on your weekend hikes if you're uncomfortable going alone. While you can probably get away with neighborhood walking without gear, take your ten essentials anytime you get outside of urban areas. Keep in mind, in some places, you may still wish you had your pocket knife IN urban areas.

 The goal here is to just get moving again. You can spend a week here or a month. Build a strong foundation and it will be much easier to add more weight and distance as you go. Similar to any sport, once you know you can reach a small goal, it makes reaching a bigger one that much more attainable.