RE: [Philmont]: Pre training

This has been a very interesting thread; hopefully the original poster
is getting "their money's worth".

As I tell our crew, the training hikes aren't to learn how to backpack
or get in shape anymore than baseball practice is to learn how to throw,
catch and hit. They are to learn how to play as a team. Our crew is
made up of a lot of jocks, and I got some pushback when I went over the
training schedule - I can't miss practice or I'll get cut from the
starting line-up, etc. etc. But our "practices" are just as important
and our "team" counts on each player just as much. Fortunately, the
crews seem to be well along on the team building thing and that is good,
but we will still have training activies; our first, short, overnight
hike is in eight weeks; heavy on techniques, light on physical
challenges. Should be a good warm-up and help the crew identify
equipment deficiencies in time to put them on their Christmas lists.

The point has also been made that training activities are for the
adults, but *no* adult advisor or other crew member should be counting
on crew training activities to get them in shape for Philmont unless you
have an *extremely intense* training schedule. And although athletic
training can help, the effort is different. Most athletics are short
duration, high intensity; backpacking is medium intensity, long
duration. (Well, maybe long distance running, especially cross country.)

The training hikes can be a litmus test to determine who is sincere and
who is faking it (adults and youth). But beyond that, are no substitute
for a regular conditioning program. There is no room for fakers - and
Philmont can be brutal in weeding them out. To paraphrase Dr. Bob - If
you don't care enough to do what you have to do, get out of the way for
someone who does.

Happy Trails,

Roy Fisher

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Received on Fri Sep 9 23:41:11 2005