when should i take a break from jogging?

[vash]

on thurday, i will hike up to 11,200 feet. all with a 50 lb backpack. i have been casually jogging all summer, but for the last 1.5 months, i stepped it up. my legs are sore all the time. some days, more sore than others. i hydrate, and keep up with stretching (wife helps me ).

should i take a break today and tomorrow? my wife says to listen to my body..but honestly, if i did, i would sleep, eat cheeseburgers, drink beer, and blow off this hiking trip. my body doesnt say very much..

i pared down to bare essentials in my pack..nothing can go to lighten the bag.

[Steve Viegas]

The altitude will cause you problems since most of what you have been doing is at sea level. Your training over the summer will help you recover more quickly though.

I would suggest that you back off on your working out. You want to do enough to keep you somewhat limber, but not so much that you will be tired on Thursday.

Did I mention that I am not a doctor and that I have not recently slept in a Holiday Inn, so my advice is probably worth half of what you paid for it?

Steve

[Evans, Marv]

Vash,
Actually you should have stopped jogging a week or two ago and just continued walking at a brisk pace. You know the fact that your legs are hurting all the time isn't at all good. When you get up there your leg movement will be from between walking and stepping up with 50 lbs. on your back for the duration between camping and rest stops. I don't remember you asking about exercise for this, but you should have been doing something like leg lunges and finding a real uphill place to hike up on a regular basis (weekends would have been fine) with weight in your pack. I don't know how many miles you plan to put in per day, but hiking isn't like jogging. It's a long term endurance activity. Six or eight miles a day are easy, but if you plan to put in 12 to 18 miles per day, jogging won't serve you well except for aerobic conditioning. But in addition to that you need to condition the big muscles in your legs and butt. Quit jogging now for God's sake.

[Talewinds]

Yep, what Marv said. I would have stopped the activity a week ago. Then again, I did the bike leg of a triathlon last weekend and had ridden hard but 3 days prior to the competition, oh well.

The big question is at what altitude do you live???

[vash]

o-oh!

physical training knowledge..not my strong point.

here is what i have: one day of hiking. start at 7200 go to 11,200. not that many miles..6-8 depending on what the rangers have open. once there, mild day hikes looking for horned creatures..but the "bowl" we are camping and running about in is UP THERE!!

i have been doing lunges, and light squats. my legs are strong, i think. even when i jog, my lungs are the last to catch up..hate it.

i'll walk the next two remaining days..with the pack.

[vash]

i'm going with two guys,. one guy looks like george st pierre. the UFC fighter. the other guy is a smoker..i think i have a chance of coming out mid pack

[Rot 911]

I would completely rest the next two days and let your legs heal. Going to suck if you get up there and have continuing leg problems

[The Gaijin]

Too bad you are hurting. Jogging is terrible, but hiking is excellent.

[vash]

ok.. rest for the next two days.

mother in law got me some young coconuts..the water within is triple the potassium of bananas..

thanks. i hope i didnt blow it. (and die up there )

[vash]

here is my friend's pack. also at 50lb.

thanks for the advice. i dont have high blood pressure..but i had a doc appt yesterday..and it is really good now. bonus i guess.

[BRPORSCHE]

I recommend you stop doing the squats and such and just stick to falling out of a building and doing a few monkey rolls.

Works for me, but your results may vary.

[Talewinds]

Well there's your problem right there! You can save a bunch of weight by losing that big ridiculous, unnecessary contraption strapped to that nice Osprey pack...

You're going up there to hunt marmots?

[stealthn]

When it hurts your breasts

[aigel]

Vash,

You need to jog less. If you are not careful you can get tendinitis. Ask me how I know. Let the legs recover until they do not hurt between runs. Also, never step up the distance / intensity quickly.

Looks like you'll be having fun. Hope you can get close to a critter above the tree line with a bow!

Cheers,

George

[Tobra]

^What he said^

How high are you camping? You will become dehydrated much more quickly at higher altitude, keep that in mind. You may have screwed up your electrolytes, you drinking water only, you can get hypo natremic or kalemic(low sodium and potassium) are you eating bananas, oranges, getting enough protein, how is your diet?

Keep doing your stretching even if taking a day off from exercise, stretch every single day

[VINMAN]

Actually what you should have been doing was alot of stair climbs with a weighted backpack or vest.

[VINMAN]

Originally Posted by vash

mother in law got me some young coconuts..

A pair of fresh, young coconuts will make any man feel better!

[porsche4life]

Originally Posted by vash

start at 7200 go to 11,200. not that many miles..6-8

Just for the record.... That is going to suck big ones....


Oh and if you are hunting Marmots... You should really be wearing Marmot gear...

[vash]

hahahaha

thanks..everyone.

so in summary: i should save this thread for next year. i did everything incorrectly this year...bummer.

[sailchef]

Vash

A funny story I would like to share.

A while ago, when I was 18, a buddy of mine and I packed our gear and set out to hike to the top of Mt. Marcy, the tallest peak in NY State. It’s probably no more than 4000ft. no where near the altitude you are heading to. I remember we took canned food with us, camp stove,sleeping bags, canteens, ax, etc. etc. It was a “hey, lets go camping” decision made in haste.

We drove to NY from Vermont and started out in a parking area known as The Garden. From there it took us a day and a half to hike in and get to the top. We were exhausted but elated that we had made it. We were the only ones out there in the middle of all God’s beauty. It was breathtaking.

We were sitting on the summit, making a plan for our trip back when another person came bouncing up over the ledge. He was considerably older, and if I remember correctly, a bit overweight, and just enjoying life.

We made our introductions and felt quite accomplished that it took us only two days to get there. Both my buddy and I were on the basketball team at school and we stood there very tall and proud.

In a split second our ego’s were shattered as this guy tells us that it was just that morning he had left the same parking area, got to where we were standing, and, he was planning on being back late that afternoon as he had something else to do later in the day! He was carrying nothing but a walking stick.

We were crushed. I think it’s the last time I ever went camping.

Enjoy the trip. Be safe.