All day long.
On our recent trip to the French Alps, we were hiking 4-6 hours a day through mountainous terrain. Most of the time was a steady effort.
Not high intensity, just a sustained, comfortable effort.
We had planned (and trained) to run the Tour du Mont Blanc but we quickly realized that was neither necessary or for the most part, practical.
Three good reasons for fast-packing.
Fast-packing is an enjoyable way to get through long-distance, tough terrain faster and with less effort. You are carrying only what you need and will fit in your a day hiking pack. It is a combination of backpacking and trail running. The Tour du Mont Blanc is perfect for this because you don’t need to carry camping equipment, food or even more than 1.5 liters of water due to the availability on the trail.
We changed our plan to fast-packing for three reasons.
First, the hills were very steep. Going up or down was more efficient and safer for hiking.
Second, although we had day running packs and were prepared to run. It wasn’t necessary to get to our huts and it would have meant less time for photos and coffee.
Third, there is no one running on the trail and there are a lot of people on it. We didn’t need to be trying to run by people on the trail to get to our destination.
Recently, I wrote about having the discipline to do most of your workouts at an easy pace. This allows you to do the hard ones at a hard enough effort while the rest of your training should be at an easier pace for best results. This is exactly how the TMB feels, mostly steady state with a few challenging efforts.
The TMB is challenging, but not exceptionally difficult. One of the ways to make it easier, besides being physically prepared is to reduce your load and go light.
Prevent injuries.
A recent study of long-distance hiking proved what we discussed a lot on our trip. We had many opportunities to witness it and plenty of time to discuss it. The negative effects of a heavy pack.
In an online study of hikers attempting the John Muir Trail in the US, one of the most effective predictors of success is pack weight and body weight. The survey also finds that older hikers fair better than younger ones.
We saw many people who were not prepared to be hiking up and down mountains all day long with monster packs. Some of them proudly had umbrellas in their pack… apparently, you just can’t leave home without it. At times it looked like an Everest expedition with 80-liter packs precariously wobbling up the trail with a person somewhere underneath them. Others had their gear transported by donkey, not all the donkeys were totally on board with this plan. This one needed a lot of convincing to continue.
With the availability of food, water, shelter and all the comforts of a hotel easily accessible, packing light is the best option. Not only does it reduce your risk of injury (we saw a few of those too) it makes the trail so much more enjoyable. You will expend less energy while enjoying the spectacular views. You can even calculate your energy expenditure while hiking with The Ultimate Backpacker Calorie Estimator.
A great lesson from the TMB pack light and enjoy the trail with fewer injuries and less effort.
Change your mind, change your health,
Shayla
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