Hillwalking

bompington

I'm doing the 3 Pistes on Sunday, that's quite a big deal for someone at my level of fitness: so I'm staying off the bike this week - I'm aware that tapering in the formal sense isn't needed, but a rest definitely seems to help me feel fresh.

But last Sunday I was away up Schiehallion with some family and friends. Now Schiehallion is quite a small and easy Munro (i.e. only the same height as Snowdon) but I've been struggling for a few years now with a wrecked hip: I've basically been unable to run for 3 or 4 years, and that's also the first proper hillwalk I've done for about the same period.

Fortunately pedalling is the one form of proper exercise that's still OK, and walking up the mountain was easy: coming down the mountain not so much, even with shiny new trekking poles. My quads are still sore 4 days on. I have no doubt they'll be fine by Sunday, but I do wonder if it's done me any good!

Any other climbers and walkers find the same problem?

mercia_man

I'm a fell runner. My quads are always sore after a race, for around four days. It's the descents that do the damage. I just accept the after-race quad pain as normal. Running on the flat has no impact on my quads. But I have occasionally got quad pain after long descents when hill walking.

Garry H

Yep, was a regular climber for over 20 years. Was always the descents that did it for me. At one stage it lead to knee problems caused by an imbalance in the interior/exterior muscles. One side was weaker than the other so had to address that.

ddraver

different muscles, different use, different pain. It's actually properly DOMS this time

It doesnt help that becasue your CV system was already healthy you probably did nt notice the damage ('damage") you were doing to your muscles becasue you werent getting out of breath as well.

MrSweary

Yup - a few years back I hadn't been up in the hills for a year or so. Out for a walk near Crummock and cramped up so badly coming off the fell I had to keep stopping. Chatting to a bloke in a bike shop in Keswick he said he had the same problem - basically down to suddenly using muscles that simply don't get used on the bike.

bompington

ddraver wrote:

different muscles, different use, different pain. It's actually properly DOMS this time

It doesnt help that becasue your CV system was already healthy you probably did nt notice the damage ('damage") you were doing to your muscles becasue you werent getting out of breath as well.

Strewth, I didn't know it had a name. I thought it was just "being unfit".

As for healthy CV - yes and no: LVH and blood pressure medication means that my heart rate probably never got over 100 at any point on the ascent. Only measured it just after arriving at the top: 62.

tangled_metal

Shows why cross training, if other factors allow, is a good idea for cyclists, especially those who might do other physical activities occasionally. Your muscles get used to one activity and suffer when you try another.

BTW I was a keen challenge walker, cyclist and gym goer but for the life of me I could not run far. It took a few sessions to change that. It's all the same thing I reckon.

AK_jnr

All older cyclists, well everyone really, should do weight bearing exercise for bone and muscle health.

ddraver

bompington wrote:

ddraver wrote:

different muscles, different use, different pain. It's actually properly DOMS this time

It doesnt help that becasue your CV system was already healthy you probably did nt notice the damage ('damage") you were doing to your muscles becasue you werent getting out of breath as well.

Strewth, I didn't know it had a name. I thought it was just "being unfit".

As for healthy CV - yes and no: LVH and blood pressure medication means that my heart rate probably never got over 100 at any point on the ascent. Only measured it just after arriving at the top: 62.

I went home for Christmas and my parents were walking lots as My old man is an expedition doctor on charity trips up Kili and such. They re both rapidly approaching 60 and I cycle a lot but they flipping walked the legs off me!

john1967

Are you using walking poles.Get a pair and your legs will thank you.

bompington

bompington wrote:

...even with shiny new trekking poles....

webboo

I do a lot of Rockclimbing bouldering, which usually means walking up hill carrying a mattress like crash pad on your back. I find the climbing fine, carrying the gear kills me.

tangled_metal

People who are regular hillwalkers over many years will build up the muscle groups for that activity. They'll develop the endurance if they're into longer or more difficult walks. If you're into walking groups, like I was, you see new walkers struggle. Even if there fit from other activities you'll see them struggle compared to the old hands.

I myself developed really good stamina such that 7 hour 25 mile walks over rough terrain never slowed me down. I could do that with full camping kit day in, day out. I did struggle when I did 30+ with a 28kg sack one trip in the Knoydart peninsula once but I was well off the beaten track with that route.

At my fittest for walking I also found I couldn't run for more than 10 minutes. Running just wasn't in my legs. I progressed rapidly with it but it was a different activity that my body had to learn. Same with whitewater kayaking, it took a year or two before a typical 3 hour trip to not leave me aching for and shattered.

MrSweary

Tangled Metal wrote:

.. Knoydart peninsula.. .

Hope the crazy ol' gamekeeper isn't still there. Huddling in a tent with his lamp playing across the canvas, waiting for the shot was interesting - especially after seeing all the fly agaric drying next to the path on the way in..

tangled_metal

I'm pretty discrete when I wild camp. Tiny tarp with dull coloured bivvy bag. I've been less than 100m away looking down on my pitch knowing where it was but it still took me several minutes to see it.

Late to pitch early to strike also helps.