(no subject)

[olivermoss]

Last night I did the group hike I'd been preparing for. Since I was sick on Monday I couldn't do another test hike on Tabor to make sure I was up to it and I still had a bit of a headache. I nearly ditched, but didn't.

The hike was 5.6 miles, 950 feet of elevation change.

I signed up because this was supposed to be a hike for people testing new gear and who wanted to linger at spots and take photographs. The pace was brisk and we didn't really take breaks except at the top and for people to catch up. We got a very late start because some of the people coming got stuck in traffic, that may have been part of why the group was so eager to get to the top. This was a good group. I like them. This was nothing like that horrible, super pressuring Mazamas training hike I did. Still, hiking with them is pretty much out of my reach for now.

The good: I did the hike. I dealt with the muddy, unstable trails. I managed to go back down at a good clip which is something that is hard for me. I wasn't left exhausted or with any body parts screaming at me due to overuse.

The bad: I had to push myself to keep up. I pushed myself a bit more than I should have. My fastest pace was barely enough to not be causing problems. I still can't do hiking as a social thing. If I want to keep hiking I will be still going solo. This group does once a month 'injury recovery hikes' which are extra slow for people who are rehabbing from sports injuries. I can do those, but that is about it.

Comments

[kay_brooke]

I hear you. I'm super nervous about my upcoming group camping/hiking trip in the Smokies in July because I know I will be the slowest going up those mountains. I'm currently trying to improve my cardio fitness and leg and core strength, but I'm not going to become a fast mountain climber overnight, or indeed in the next three months. All I can hope for is some improvement.

There's a local hiking group I go out with a lot, but only when a certain one of the two group leaders is leading the hike. He likes a slower pace and lots of breaks for people to take pictures. The other leader hikes like he's trying to set a land speed record.

[olivermoss]

I don't have much of an interest in hiking fast, so my pace is glacial compared to most hiking groups. There was a picture I wanted, but the whole minute it would have taken me to get to the right place and take the shot would have put the group out of sight of me. Photography conditions, in terms of lighting and weather, were perfect.

I'm trying to walk at least 3 days a week, just ramp up core fitness before I go to Alaska. I don't have to hike while I am there, but not being able to would be pretty frustrating.