Hiking

LilithReigns

Hello 👋🏽

I am taking a trip end of July to NC and there are two tours I want to go on. One is an hour long bike ride through the city I'm staying in and the other is a day hike.

I want to physically prepare myself for this.

I just got into hiking about a month ago. I go for short day hikes on my weekends now that the weather is nicer. But I haven't done anything too strenuous or long.

I'm looking for tips on how to condition my body and any foods I should consider introducing to my diet.

All advice welcome, and feel free to share your experiences in hiking and even fun spots on your own travel list!

SuzySunshine99

The best way to prepare for any physical activity is...to do the activity.

Get some details on the tours...for the bike ride, are there a lot of hills in the city? If so, get on a bike and ride up and down some hills for an hour. An hour is not very long to be on a bike, especially on pavement in a city, so unless you are not currently doing any physical activity, I wouldn't think this would take much preparation.

For the hike, find out how long it is, what the terrain is like, and how much elevation change you will have. Then, try to replicate those conditions at home as best you can. When you do "practice" hikes, be sure to wear the boots/shoes you will wear on your trip. I also highly recommend hiking poles if you don't have them. They take a lot of pressure off your knees.

You want to have fun on your trip and not be miserable, so doing these "practice" hikes and biking at home can be a big help and give you confidence. Good luck!

benol1

I agree with SuzySunshine when she said “ The best way to prepare for any physical activity is...to do the activity.”
It’s very true. However, quite often we may not have the time or opportunity to do the activity but we can still train for it.
I’m planning on flying to the US in the beginning of August to hike sections of the Pacific Crest Trail in Oregon and Washington. Training and preparation for this trip has become a bit of an obsession.
Since beginning of 2023, I have lost 16.5kg and my goal is to lose 20kg by the time I go to America. When I can - I do overnight hikes into the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. On my work days, if I can, I try and fit in a 6km hike (with backpack). It’s more like a power walk!
Four days a week I go to the gym and do 1 hour of free weights and core work, followed by two hours cardio. The other day I was on the stair treadmill for 2 hours and climbed the equivalent of 487 floors. My fitness now is better than it was when I was in my 20s (I’m now 60).
My experience has been that the fitter you are, the healthier you are, the more you’ll enjoy your hiking adventures.
I look forward to hearing more about your preparations!
Kind regards,
Ben

spiriteagle99

When preparing for my long hikes (AT, PCT, CDT), I would just walk every day for an hour or so and do longer hikes on the weekend. Stairs or a stairmaster if you can. Carry a daypack with the approximate weight that you expect to carry. i.e. for a dayhike: you will need, at a minimum, water, rain gear, a small first aid kit, and snacks.

Jthanmyfitnesspal

@benol1 certainly sets the high bar for physical preparation! He's ready for a real trek!

A curated 1-hour bike tour in a city is likely to be reasonably paced. You can get ready for that by riding your own bike around town. Of course, you can ride a stationary bike, too, but actual riding involves learning how to ride in some traffic, which sounds very useful.

Getting ready for a similar day hike (not too strenuous) mostly involves walking, but the biking will help, too. When evaluating the difficulty of the hike, consider both the mileage and the ascent. Generally, most people in reasonable shape will be able to walk 2-3 miles and ascent 300-500 feet. Doing more than that in middle age generally requires a training plan.

JBanx256

I live in NC and used to do a quite a bit of hiking, so pure curiosity makes me ask where are you heading for your day hike?