Hiking MB - Conditioning

[Tampa Turtle]

I am a walker; it keeps me from being a big fat Turtle, manages my Diabetes, and is part of my job.

 

Colin Fletchers Hiking Bible is called "The Complete Walker" so you have a point. Nothing wrong with doing a lot of longer walks for training.

 

However carrying a pack and walking on uneven surfaces makes hiking different than urban walking. I find that in those conditions I work different muscles and need practice from turning my ankle and working with a higher center of gravity.

 

I would argue that it just seems more like an adventure when you are carrying everything on your back and you are a day's walk from support. You are committed.

 

Again I love your ideas of "urban hikes". You see all sorts of things you never see in a car. A bit dangerous here (we are usually #1 or #2 for pedestrian deaths...have to compete with cars). When I travel I do that exclusively.

[Engineer61]

So, Scout has a friend who's family is scheduled to hike the Canyon this spring...so he went on a 6 mile hike with them on Saturday... Quad's and Ham's hurt by the end of the day ... but not excessively.

 

 

[boomerscout]

biggest difference in urban walking and country walking: city walking is mostly level ground, so 20 miles would be 20 miles. Hiking trails have a lot of hills and dips, so 20 miles on the map may be, more or less, 30 miles of walking as measured by a tape laid on the ground. This is one reason it can take most of the day to hike 6 to 8 miles at Philmont with its even steeper ground

[OldGreyEagle]

With the changes in elevation caused by tree roots and washed out chucnks of concrete, a stroll down the sidewalks in my neighborhood is not too flat

[topshot]

Maybe he should go with his friend's family if they'd have him (unless they aren't going to do 10+ mile days). That would be an easy way to get a few of them out of the way. He'd have to learn the routes and such so he can create his hike plan in advance.

 

Conditioning seems to be quite personal. I'm 44, have bad knees, don't exercise and sit behind a PC all day. Yet I've done 3 major trips with no real trouble outside a couple blisters I failed to take care of in time and sore knees (need to slow down). Last trip I flew into Aspen and slept at 10,200' the first night and went over a 12,400' pass the next morning (coming from 600' here at home). I definitely felt it above 11,000' (likely took 30 second breaks for every 60 seconds hiked). If I can do that I bet most teenage boys could as well (barring those sensitive to altitude sickness or significantly overweight). Doing it day after day like at Philmont is where conditioning could help if a boy is really out of shape. It doesn't seem to affect me for some reason though I normally only do 10-12 miles a day.

 

I'd also never wear boots for this. They won't be comfortable for 20 miles. He should use his normal running shoes unless they're the Converse/skate shoe style. While my body could easily keep going for more, my feet are tired after about 15 miles. I'm sure if I was able to get out more often that wouldn't be an issue either.