EISPIRATEN

After being ill for most of the winter and getting pretty out of shape, I'm doing some emergency training now.

About four nights a week, I hike this 7.6 mile route. I get out there after work and it takes about 2.25 hours. It's mostly downhill for the first half of the hike, then steeply uphill for most of the second half. I power through the hike, keeping as rapid a pace as I can through the uphills (some of which must be close to 45 degrees).

It is really knocking me out. I get home and just don't want to do anything, except drink a little fruit juice.

I am going out again tonight, and then next week I'm supposed to start wearing a full pack.

Cool deal sir! You're not alone.

If you start getting "hints," listen to your body, bro. Overtraining (can) lead to injury.

You might want to break it up with cross training (weights, cycling, swimming, stretching, etc).

Just some ideas from a guy with an injured knee.

Google Earth .KMZ file, for them as are interested.

Cross training sounds a lot like work. At least what I'm doing now is hiking.

I enjoy that area. I do a loop on the other side off the freeway that is similar in distance. Its a perfect area to get some miles in a short time.

I find that the terrain in that area doesn't do much for me as far as training goes, unless I really push my self to keep a face pace. Its so much flatter and lower than any of the local mountains.

simonov wrote:Cross training sounds a lot like work. At least what I'm doing now is hiking.

Yeah, I know. With hiking, the miles just ease on by, and three days seems like I'm cutting it a bit short. With swimming laps -- half an hour max or a I have to take some heavy anti-psychotics and get electro-shock therapy.

Try using a bicycle to get an aerobic workout. Less stress on aging joints. Lots of hilly roads in the south OC area that'll give you a good workout. Try hammering up Newport Coast Road (beach side of that map you posted). It sued to be pretty free of lights, and it was a great 10 minute grind from PCH to the top. Do a few repeats of that on a regular basis and you'll be back in shape sooner than you think.

Getting back into shape can be tough...esp the older we get.

It also seems we get out of shape quicker

After a serious back injury it took years to recover, and I had many setbacks

I learned to take it slow, baby steps

I have been working on improving my conditioning lately

a few things that may be of help

don't push to the point of exhaustion, just enough to get the blood rushing

get used to that pace and take it up a notch

I have been using my GPS to record and analyze my workouts and figuring out where I can improve and where & why I did or didn't improve

Using this I knocked 6 min off my best time ever on a route I have hike many many times and 2 min off a very steep segment I have never ever been able to do faster than 30 min and that was with my sides splitting

My "cross training" if you want to call it that is one 8-10 mile day of steep cross country, one 8-10 mile day of trails, one day on the bike for at least 2 hours, one day canyoneering.

My bike rides have improved and one route I started a few months ago I was walking quite a bit, the first time I did it I was done for, it took nearly 1½ hrs, I did it last week in 59min 9sec and walked two short segments, did it yesterday and rode the whole way in 1hr 2min

So don't kill yourself, take a pace that challenges a bit, get used to it, take it up a notch

Good Luck!
Matt