This is a part of this blog I wanted to have done a long time ago but other things just kept having higher priority. As a result, I don't even have time to edit the things I wrote, let alone complete the portions I never started. So this is still very raw. But there is some good information in here and I am hoping some people find it useful.

There are a lot of things a hiker can do to make things more comfortable when hiking distances they may have never hiked before. The tips listed below can make all the difference in the world. They can be the difference between hiking a long ways in agony or doing the exact same hike in a way that doesn't feel much worse than your average hike. We first noticed people doing this type of hiking in Montana. Loop trails that we thought needed to be done backpacking three days were being done in a single day. We are talking about 20 to 30 miles per day in somewhat rugged terrain and over two or three tall passes. While it is true that people backpacking the Pacific Crest Trail get to the point of hiking this distance over the course of a month or so, your average day hiker cannot because they are not hiking every single day with nothing else to do. So how do these day hikers turn in mileages like this? Some of it is conditioning. They hike a lot and some also cross train in a very specific way. But conditioning alone usually isn't enough. That's where strategies like we have listed below come in. You don't need to do all of them because almost every strategy listed will produce noticeable improvement in your hiking. But it is also true that the more of these strategies you master, the more you will surprise yourself by what you are able to do. Still, you can't get there all at once because these techniques need to become second nature to you to have their maximum effect. So work on a few at a time and add in more only when you are certain that the techniques already learned are pretty much in place for good.

We can't even begin to tell you how amazing it is to be able to cover this amount of ground on a day hike and the be able to go out the next day and do another amazing hike. As you'll see, you are absolutely not rushing when you hike this way. If anything, you are more relaxed, comfortable, and observant. You will be able to enjoy the whole hiking experience even more than you always do while not paying a heavy price. For many, distance hiking changes everything and raises their passion to whole new level.

All information copyright (c) Bill Smith 2013

Friday, March 22, 2013

Pace is the key

There are very few people who have a natural ability to hike at the best pace for distance hiking.  Almost everyone hikes too fast and many hike way too fast.  If you are hiking at the right pace, you will not feel the need for rest breaks.  In fact, what you will find is that you can rest a bit here and there while hiking.  You do this be noticing when your reach a particularly easy part of the trail and then intentionally slowing down while also trying to move muscles and joints that haven't been moving much or are tensed up.  So you might move your arms around more because they have either not been moving much or they have been moving, but in the same exact way for quite a while.  Same is true for neck and shoulder muscles.  Even your fingers, wrists and hands may need some attention.  If you are wearing a day pack, you can take it off and then use it in various ways to twist your torso and even stretch some muscles that would be hard to stretch otherwise.  Just carrying the pack low in one hand and then the other is a great stretch for arms, shoulder, and neck while also giving your tight back a break.  But most people are not thinking about these things when they get to the easier sections of trail. They may be relieved that the trail has become easier, but they are not taking advantage of that situation and, most likely they are speeding up rather than slowing down.  Another thing you can do is move your legs differently.  You might try high stepping for a while just to move some muscles in your legs, butt, and groin that may be tensing up due to the constant limited movement.  You will probably be surprised by what to feel in those muscles when you do this.  You thought the muscles you were using most were the main problem and so that is where your attention was focused.  But when you start moving the other muscles, you'll realize that ignoring what is happening with them isn't helping either.

Is there a time when you should hike a normal or even quickened pace?  You bet.  But it isn't while distance hiking.  Hike the normal way when you are hiking shorter distances and that will be great training for the longer distances.  The two styles of hiking complement each other.  You need to be able to hike both ways to get the most out of your hiking experiences.  But if you are like most, you already are skilled at the style of hiking that you use on the shorter hikes.  It is the distance hiking style you will need to practice until you get to the point where you can switch into it as needed.

Training pace is also an important issue.  Optimally, when you are training, you are hiking by yourself.  There is almost no way to hike with another person and get a good workout.  Even if they let you lead, there will still be subtle effects on how you are hiking and you will also not be paying enough attention to what is happening with your body.  You will also miss opportunities on the trail that you can use to strengthen certain muscles or build endurance.  That said, if it is a really short hike, you can sometimes hike with someone who is faster than you and try to keep up.  You don't want to do this every day, but it can be very helpful every now and then.

When hiking long distances in groups, you may have a built in advantage.  Hike at the pace of the slowest hiker and you will immediately be able to hike longer distances.  But the slowest hiker has a problem because the people behind that person will always affect that hiker.  This is the biggest reason why the "slowest hiker" technique doesn't always work well for the others.  For example, if that person ends up taking a lot of long breaks, everyone will suffer both in terms of physical pain and time.  It can be a difficult problem to solve.  One of the best things that can be done to avoid problems is to let the slow hiker know that you truly want them to hike at a pace that works for them.  It helps them and it helps everyone who is following.  If the slowest hiker can't figure out how to do it, give them some tips and lest them hike alone for a while.  Then, when they figure out how to hike the best pace for them, put them back in the lead and things will be much better.
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