re: Run-Hikes

From rec.running:
On 4/6/2012 8:03 PM, pithydoug wrote:

On Apr 6, 10:02 am, Tony S<n...@none.none>  wrote:

Until recently I always kept my hiking distinct from my running, and I
still keep track of it separately, but I now go out and do what I call
run-hikes all the time. Basically if I hike part of the time and run
part of the time I can be out there longer and combine the best of both
experiences. It's taken a month or so to really get used to this
concept, but I'm doing this almost every day now and loving it.

This is in effect what we/you do in races like the Escarpment Trail so
I would expect this training regimen spot on. See how this year's race
compares to the last few years, You might be pleasantly surprised.  I
incorporate  run/hike into the last two Woodstock(hill) runs this
winter(and every winter) to simulate race conditions.  If you think
about it, you can get some really long "runs," time on you feet,
better trained and minimize injuries.

-Doug

I do think a lot of hiking can make me stronger, as you say more time on the feet, and it's true that on those three main mountains of the Escarpment trail, I end up hiking parts of Windham, most of Blackhead and more than I want to of Stoppel. But during the race I'm working much harder even when hiking uphill than I normally work on an average trail run.

The distinction in my recent activity is that I flip a switch and go deliberately slow, casually, when in hiking mode. When in running mode I might still be hiking up a steep hill, but I'm going hard at it instead of taking my time. I think the lower impact and easier pace works to my advantage psychologically, and still gives me some good base aerobic work. The hiking may not be as specific, but probably 80% of the same muscles are used. I like being able to choose which parts of a longer route to run, and which to hike and enjoy being out there in a different way.

The last hike-run I measured was Thursday, with 43 minutes of running at HR 140, and 1:10 of hiking at HR 117. On some hikes it's easy to get the average HR well into the 120s. If I think about it from a work-being-done point of view, that 1:10 at 117 is 47 beats more than a sedentary-activity HR of 70, or 3290 more heart beats, with the run yielding 3010 extra beats. For comparative purposes at HR 65 the whole day has 93,600, or 3900 per hour.