Feeling a bit intimidated

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jrose1982
jrose1982 Posts: 366 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I don't actually have a question, but rather am hoping that if I put these fears into words I will feel better. And, if that doesn't work, maybe somebody else's words will help :smile:

In May I'll begin a three-week trip that will involve a lot of walking. I'm not renting a car. So in addition to the usual sight-seeing walking, I'll also be huffing it to bus stops and train stations (sometimes carrying all my luggage) to get around.

I don't want achy feet or sore muscles to ruin my vacation. So I started this walking program:
http://www.the3day.org/site/DocServer/3DAY_2014SuggestedTrainingProgram24weeks_fp.pdf?docID=4103

It's recommended for participants in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk. I figure if this program can prepare somebody for three 20-mile days of walking, it should be overkill for my vacation.

I'm one week in and facing some intimidating realities:
- Right now I'm only walking 3 miles on each walk. In a few weeks it will be up to 5-6 in the middle of the week and over 10 miles on weekends. That alone is a little intimidating.

- This past week has become very frosty. The paved trails I walk are all icy. I can almost walk 3 mph on dry pavement, but on the ice I can only do 2.3 mph at best.

- Anchorage currently gets 6.5 hours of daylight and going down. I get the most reward from my walks by walking outside, in daylight hours. But this means walking on my lunch hour. I can get my boss to allow me a slightly longer lunch hour to get my 3 miles in. But when I get up to 5 miles or so I'm going to need 2 hours, and that's pushing it. So I'm going to have to start doing part of my daily walking at night on the one illuminated trail in Anchorage, or on my landlord's treadmill (I hate treadmills).

- I currently work most weekends (not because I have to, but because I'm salaried and I'm more productive when the office is empty). My weekend walks will eventually get up to 10-18 miles. For me, that's 4-6 hours of walking. So if I sleep in until 10, spend an hour on my weekend rituals, then go walk for 4 hours: it'll be 3 pm before I get to work. And that's not even factoring in time for Sunday night football, which is early afternoon in Anchorage. Plus it's an idealized schedule, which I never follow. If I have to split the walking into two sessions, that's going to mean more time lost to shifting gears, changing clothes, etc. The reality is that it'll probably be 6 or 7 pm before I get to the office. I'm gonna have to seriously cut back on working weekends.

- There is one trail in Anchorage that has good lighting. It also has several under-crossings that flood when it rains hard. Last winter one tunnel was filled with about 1.5-2 feet of ice (I'm surprised nobody on a bike hit their head on the tunnel that winter). But, damn I hate that trail in winter (love it in summer).

- I guess realizing I'm going to have to split up these walks into two or more sessions each day is a factor in itself. It's so much easier if I can just do it all at once and get it out of the way. But the amount of time involved will make that impossible.

I'm still committed to doing it. Not just for my vacation. I've always wanted to be able to comfortably walk around town. And my poor fitness has severely limited how much hiking I can do. I think, after this program, I should be able to take on some longer, slightly more challenging hikes next summer. I'm just a little intimidated right now.

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  • jrose1982
    jrose1982 Posts: 366 Member
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    Praying hard for snow right now.
  • SKME2013
    SKME2013 Posts: 704 Member
    edited November 2014
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    Could you tell us a bit more about the holiday involved? It really depends on what you are up to on your vacation. If it is sightseeing in a city, then this would be very different than if you were to go on a hiking trip in Nepal for which a certain fitness is an absolute must.

    Stef.
  • jrose1982
    jrose1982 Posts: 366 Member
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    It's closer to sightseeing in a city. I realize this program is probably overkill. But I've had problems with my feet while on vacation before. I'd rather put in the effort now and be somewhat assured that I can handle it than go easy now and be in pain on my trip.

    I'm going to England. I'll start in London and travel clockwise around the island, spending 2-3 days in each town. I figure a typical day will look something like this:
    - Walk to someplace to get breakfast (can probably get breakfast at the hotel, but I will want to mix it up).
    - Walk to a bus stop
    - Take the bus to a museum, castle, or cute town and spend several hours walking around. If I like the location I'll find a nice place to sit and just relax and people watch or read.
    - Walk back to the bus stop.
    - Take the bus back to the town I'm staying in and walk to dinner, or a show, or back to hotel.
  • jrose1982
    jrose1982 Posts: 366 Member
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    I understand the fitness needs for hiking are generally more than city walking. But in my experience, I find myself in pain much quicker on level, paved surfaces than on rough trails with variable slopes.
  • jyogit
    jyogit Posts: 280 Member
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    london aside .. most of the small towns in the uk are just that ..SMALL ..lol
    i had similar issues with a recent trip to new york .. beforehand i started walking/jogging 5 miles a day to prepare and i was fine..i walked from central park to battery park and back again plus all in between on 2 occassions .. you should be more than prepared for England..
    London can be tiring but youll not see it all in one day even if you do walk around from breakfast to supper .. lol
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
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    Hi, I did a cruise that visited a number of fantastic cities in Europe that I had wanted to visit all my life; Rome, Athens, Istanbul, ephasus, as well as a couple of Greek islands and the Amalfi Coast in Italy.
    The walking involved was scary to say the least-all those old ruins, in the heat, with swollen feet!
    I prepared by building my walking to 5k a day. That built enough foot tolerance and stamina that I could easily walk on all surfaces for the better part of a day.
    The thing to make sure of is that you have 2 pair of broken in comfortable shoes and rotate them daily. And change your socks morning and evening.
    I am originally from the UK and I think as long as you get used to being on your feet and standing, waiting for buses is harder than a steady walk, you should do fine. There are plenty of pubs and coffee shops that you can pop into for a rest.
    Cheers, h.
    Feel free to message me if you have any questions.
  • SKME2013
    SKME2013 Posts: 704 Member
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    I used to live in London, UK for 19 years. It is great that you prepare your trip so well, but frankly, I would not worry too much.

    I used to walk everywhere and you can always take a break and soak up your surroundings. There are so many parks and little gardens in London where you can have a quick rest, also in worst case, the bus system is great!

    Nevertheless, it is great that you work on your fitness as this always helps. Just do not worry, you will be fine!
    Stef.
  • jrose1982
    jrose1982 Posts: 366 Member
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    Thanks, guys. I do feel better. :)
  • Nekrachael
    Nekrachael Posts: 74 Member
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    Also, you really will get faster walking. I live in Vermont and my winter pace is slower than the other seasons because of the slick surfaces, and still, the more I walk the faster I am able to walk. Keep at it. The walks won't necessarily take as long as they sound like they will.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    If you can walk five miles a day that will more than cover it imo unless walking distance is the aim i.e a hiking holiday. The training is good but dont overdo it.

    Get some comfy shoes/ walking shoes and socks and break them in.

    London is big and the public transport system is extensive. When you get bored of walking just use the tube or bus system to take you back. As said none of the other cities I would worry about although id use public transport as places you might like to see could be outside the city.

    You can maybe allay some of your fears and get a better idea of distance and where you might walk by researching before you go. Planning will also give you the opportunity to make sure you see the things you want to. Treat each place like a mini holiday and you can plan what you wish to see. Every city will have tourist information centres. There will always be plenty of places you can stop for a tea or coffee and sit down. If you have a smart phone with GPS then you wont get lost.

    Tripadvisor, thorntree.com can give you ideas.
    http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/
    can help you plan journeys alhough be warned ticketing is complex and you need topersevere to get the best value prices.
    http://www.nationalexpress.com/home.aspx
    Is for the coaches, cheaper but slower than trains, although not always.
  • Edie30
    Edie30 Posts: 216
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    Hi, well done on your fitness programme but I agree with Stef I wouldn't worry too much. I am originally from the mother country too and there are pubs and parks and rest stops every 20 yards ;-) I reckon just do a half hour or 60 min walk everyday and you will be all set when you get there. Also if you get painful feet have you visited a podiatrist for some inserts? I only say this because I hurt my back a few years ago and was in so much pain at work on my feet all day and when walking and the trip to the podiatrist was worth its weight in gold and totally sorted out all my pain problems. Have a fantastic trip and have a pint for me :-)
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
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    I travel quite a bit and I always backpack, use public transit, and spend all day every day walking around sightseeing or doing various activities. My feet usually hurt the first day or two, but after that I get used to it and it feels great. Usually I come home from my vacations having lost some weight -- keeping it off once I get back to my desk job has been another story, mind you, but that's for a different thread.

    All that to say, my advice is to take the most comfortable shoes you can, and to just take it easy. You're on vacation. If you want to take a break, have a coffee (or tea) and people-watch for a bit, nothing wrong with that. If you're tired and just want to curl up early in the B&B, that's fine too. But you probably don't need a fitness training program just for vacation -- just let the increased activity happen naturally.

    Consider investing in a properly fitted backpack instead of rolling luggage. Really useful for stairs, cobblestones, manoeuvring quickly around transit, etcetera. A backpack that fits properly won't feel overly heavy, since the weight will be properly distributed around your hips, and it's more comfortable than struggling with heavy suitcases IMHO.

    For London, get a visitor Oyster card if you're going to be there for more than a couple of days. It'll save you some money on tube fare.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    jrose1982 wrote: »
    I'm going to England. I'll start in London and travel clockwise around the island, spending 2-3 days in each town. I figure a typical day will look something like this:
    - Walk to someplace to get breakfast (can probably get breakfast at the hotel, but I will want to mix it up).
    - Walk to a bus stop
    - Take the bus to a museum, castle, or cute town and spend several hours walking around. If I like the location I'll find a nice place to sit and just relax and people watch or read.
    - Walk back to the bus stop.
    - Take the bus back to the town I'm staying in and walk to dinner, or a show, or back to hotel.

    OK, so in terms of general fitness you'll get more bang for your proverbial buck by doing a running programme. Much more time efficient.

    In terms of itenerary, you're presumably talking about: London, Winchester/ Salisbury, Cotswolds, Lake District, York. Realistically you won't be spending all day on your feet so you shouldn't have an issue.

    I'd second the point above about a decent bergan, and approach shoes though.

    Sent from the slightly dismal bank of the Thames :)

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