Re: [Philmont]: Physical Condition

I started training last September (2003) (45 years old). We were a 612 (2004) trek. I already had been doing some sporadic walking on the treadmill and had been doing some swimming and weight work for our Northern Tier trip last summer (2003). We kicked off September with a monthly 10 mile hike. All our Scouts going were to earn both the hiking and backpacking merit badges. If they had already earned it, they still went through everything again to support the team. I also began treadmill walking 1 to 3 times a week, depending on my schedule. I typically walked for an hour on a 6 to 10% incline depending on how I felt. Mixed in some bike riding - have a lake next to my house that has a 10 mile paved trail all the way around it - usually involves at least 2 - 3 miles into a typical Oklahoma 25 mph wind. As we got more into the winter I increased my walking to be usually 3 days/week when I could. Did our first shakedown outing at a local scout camp at the beginning of March. Elevation change is only about 200 feet from high to low, but there are lots of ups and downs all over. The camp is only about 400 acres so we did lots and lots of ups and downs to get in our 15 miles for the weekend. Somewhere in there we started doing our 10 mile hiking MB hikes with packs on and loaded to about 2/3 to 3/4 our expected trail weight. Also started mixing in wearing a pack on the treadmill - typically loaded between 75% to 120% as heavy as I expected to have on the trail (again, depending on how I felt). In April and May we did our other 2 shakedown hikes in the Oklahoma and Arkansas "mountains". About the best we could do was a 2000 climb, so we picked routes that had one big climb, back down and at least one or two smaller climbs. I had hoped to work my way up to 5 to 7 days per week walking on the treadmill and wearing a pack every one of them, but I could never find the time. Only managed about 3 to 5 days/week with a pack on about half of them.

Physically I did OK. I was never just completely worn out - I think I was more tired on our second shakedown - we intentionally did the hardest one early in our schedule to help give everyone a good reason to train hard. I do wish that the last month, I could have managed to walk more, especially with my pack loaded heavier that what I was going to have on the trail. The adults were noticeably slower than most of the Scouts. Partly that is to be expected. But we also managed to set a fast enough pace that we never missed program or pulled into camp late.

When I go back again I will try much harder to work my way up to much harder training the last 60 days.

Allen Jones
SM T168
Oklahoma City
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: MelMetz@aol.com
  To: Multiple recipients of list philmont
  Sent: Wednesday, August 04, 2004 7:42 AM
  Subject: [Philmont]: Physical Condition

  With 2004 Philmont season drawing to an end. Would like to hear from adults, especially those over 40, on how you prepared yourself for Philmont. Just hiking with the scouts does not make it happen and some of you found out the hard way.

  Mel Metzler T320
  Dayton, OH

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Received on Thu Aug 5 00:56:41 2004