{"id":37594,"date":"2018-08-20T07:00:35","date_gmt":"2018-08-20T14:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=37594"},"modified":"2020-12-09T11:22:33","modified_gmt":"2020-12-09T19:22:33","slug":"too-old-for-long-distance-walking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/too-old-for-long-distance-walking","title":{"rendered":"Too Old for Long-Distance Walking?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Maybe you backpacked in your 20s, ran road races in your 30s and 40s and climbed Kilimanjaro in your 50s. Suddenly you\u2019re 65 and wondering, \u201cWhat next?\u201d Or maybe you did none of these but wish you had. I\u2019ve met countless pilgrims, hikers and explorers well into their 70s out taking a walk that just might last ten, twenty or forty days. Equipped with these six tips, it\u2019s not too late for long-distance hiking, walking and backpacking. <\/span><\/p>\n

If I’ve learned anything from trodding more than 1,500 miles, mostly alone, along alpine trails in the Pyrenees and Alps and footpaths crisscrossing the United Kingdom, it’s that it all begins with adequate training. <\/span>Whether you\u2019re sixteen or seventy-five, you\u2019ll need to practice. Portland, Oregon\u2019s Multnomah Athletic Club coach and triathlete, Lauren Binder, tells me, \u201cI\u2019ve won three world championships in my 60s but I assure you I trained differently than a 30-year-old.\u201d Binder says that senior athletes, walkers included, need thoughtful conditioning to build a fitness base and extra time for recovery. A three-month training plan that worked in middle-age would be better spread over six-months to allow gradual mileage increases, more recovery time and leeway in case of injury or setback. Remember the goal: to walk for hours, day after day, and to enjoy the journey.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. <\/span>Build Endurance Intelligently<\/b><\/h4>\n

Start your training with a week of daily walks and keep a log where you record your route, distance, time, what you noticed and how you felt. Sharing your data and observations with practice partners, friends or grandkids will reinforce your efforts. A record\u2019s also valuable for future training. Distance walking can be addictive!<\/span><\/p>\n

Retired physical therapist, Robbie Johannesen, who ran the first Oregon marathon (in 1972), raced the 42-mile Round Mount Hood five times and topped Hood more than ten times, now in his 70s, advises seniors to slowly build a base for long-distance walking, whether on the Camino de Santiago or other multiday treks. He says, \u201cOlder athletes also need extra hydration during and after training walks.\u201d Online, you can find comprehensive workout plans. Most suggest adding miles and time weekly. Binder, also advises that it\u2019s a good idea to alternate easy and hard days, especially considering terrain. \u201cIf there are challenging days, a person needs to take more rest breaks,\u201d she says. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To avoid tedium, every walk does not need to be a training walk. If you\u2019re a retired senior, you can be creative. Try daily-doubles\u2014walk in the morning, do an activity like swimming or yoga, and then walk again in the afternoon. Garage the car and walk to the store or post office. Take a bus to the edge of town and walk back in. Mow the lawn. Find ways to vary distance and terrain. \u200bTiffany, an older working woman from Manhattan, told me she trained for a three-week trek by walking to and from her studio, forty minutes each way, in addition to her regular gym workouts. Another\u200b hiker, Janet, from Arizona, explored new neighborhoods as if she were in a foreign country, keeping track of mileage on her pedometer. If you begin your training able to walk 15 miles a week, by departure day (twenty-four weeks later) you should have experienced at least one week close to your expected weekly total: 70 to 90 miles.\u200b (I averaged 100 miles per week or 15 miles per day on the Camino.)<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Annapurna

Photo Courtesy: Carolyn Wood<\/p><\/div>\n

2. Strengthen Your Core<\/b><\/h4>\n

To walk for hours, you\u2019ll need more than strong legs. Walker and author of guidebooks to Portland and the Pacific Northwest<\/span>, Laura O. Foster says that distance walking compresses her spine, causing backaches. To minimize this, she focuses on her core. \u201cI lengthen my spine: shoulders down, abdomen pulled back to spine, head held high, not staring at the ground … when you ski, you look down the slope, not at your feet.\u201d Swimming, water aerobics, Pilates and yoga all help build the core and keep you supple. I\u2019ve been losing muscle mass since I turned 60 (bummer!), but what\u2019s left gets toned with downward dogs and planks, water jogging, crunches and gardening.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Try Trekking Poles<\/b><\/h4>\n

A strong core helps with balance but so do walking poles. They lighten your steps, ease your knees, help propel you forward, aid you in detecting a path\u2019s surface and may even prevent you from stumbling. An 80-year-old Italian woman smoked me on an uphill in Spain using her poles like a ski racer. But don\u2019t wait until your trek to use them; start now to develop efficiency and to gain arm strength. Use them on asphalt, dirt, rock and mud. There\u2019s a high chance you\u2019ll encounter them all on your trek.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Practice Being Quiet<\/b><\/h4>\n

While walking with groups or a training partner helps time pass, prepare yourself for long stretches without company or conversation. Nobody chats seven hours a day for forty days. Take walks by yourself without entertainment. Seize the chance to notice the path, watch clouds scatter, let your thoughts wander and listen to your heart beat. Pay attention to yourself and the outdoor world. Make notes in your training log or write an entry to your child, grandkid or friend. Share in it what you noticed that afternoon or something that surprised you, and how it feels to be gaining strength and staying healthy at your age. Your efforts and observations carry important messages for the next generation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Carolyn

Photo Courtesy: Carolyn Wood<\/p><\/div>\n

5. Test Yourself<\/b><\/h4>\n

Check how far you can go in two or three hours on an unfamiliar trail. Walk with your pack light at first, but over time add weight, just as you added time and distance to your walks. Wear the boots and socks you plan to use all day long on various surfaces in all kinds of weather over and over again. Learn when and how to treat your feet. Find the fuel that keeps you going (peanuts and chocolate work for me). Use your poles. Try out your rain gear (in the shower if necessary). Test your Spanish or French or German with simple greetings and questions. <\/span><\/p>\n

6. Learn Your Pace and Stick to It<\/b><\/h4>\n

\u201cRemember youthful thrills but don\u2019t try to repeat them. Leave your ego behind,\u201d Johannasen reminds me in our yoga class. He means, back off when you feel too tired. Skip a workout now and then. The same applies to your walk. Don\u2019t be bound by expectations, schedules or competition. Stop early. Take a bus. Linger over lunch. Remember your intention and relish the journey. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Maybe you backpacked in your 20s, ran road races in your 30s and 40s and climbed Kilimanjaro in your 50s. Suddenly you\u2019re 65 and wondering, \u201cWhat next?\u201d Or maybe you did none of these but wish you had. I\u2019ve met countless pilgrims, hikers and explorers well into their 70s out taking a walk that just […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":37599,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[387],"tags":[707,521,66],"internal-tag":[1678],"class_list":["post-37594","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hike","tag-hiking","tag-hiking-tips","tag-tips","internal-tag-pre-redirect-hiking"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/hike\/too-old-for-long-distance-walking","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Too Old for Long-Distance Walking?","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/too-old-for-long-distance-walking","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/too-old-for-long-distance-walking"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/08\/carolyn-3.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/08\/carolyn-3.jpg?fit=2816%2C2112"},"articleSection":"Hike","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Aer Parris-Hoshour"}],"creator":["Aer Parris-Hoshour"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["hiking","hiking tips","tips"],"dateCreated":"2018-08-20T14:00:35Z","datePublished":"2018-08-20T14:00:35Z","dateModified":"2020-12-09T19:22:33Z"},"rendered":"