How fast should you move during your hike?
A quick answer would be keep it at an aerobic pace.
What's an aerobic pace?
A pace where you're not breathing hard, a pace where you can still make a decent conversation or recite the A to Z without pausing or breathing more than 3 times.
Why an aerobic pace?
It's the pace that your body and energy systems that could sustain over longer periods of time. It relies mostly on fat as an energy source which lets you last for hundreds of hours. It conserves your glycogen stores until your next meal.
In contrast anaerobic pace means you breathing heavy. You energy systems will use up most of your glycogen and you will "tire" fast.
Why should I maintain an aerobic pace?
Because it is a sustainable pace and gets you moving for longer periods. Over the long haul, it keeps you from getting "burned out".
If your training for a longer hike, this is the pace that will make up 90+% of your training. This is the endurance pace.
How does this apply when hiking uphill?
Its the same principle, keep it aerobic.
When it's too steep take rest breaks. There's a technique called hands on knees which is more efficient as arm muscles helps your legs with the effort.
Take breather breaks as often as possible when going up steep hills. Remember patience is the key.
Monday 12 December 2011
Tuesday 22 November 2011
Dandenong Traverse
Recently, I completed a route from the Fern Tree Gully carpark up to the Fireline track (just below the Sky High viewdeck). The route is not described in walking guides. But to an imaginative and adventurous heart, the network of trails and roads accross the Dandenong ranges could provide you with routes over 10 kilometers.
The route has a total stretch of 15 kilometers, crossing 2 major roads and connecting the north-west and South-western blocks of the Dandenong National park.
Fern Tree Gully
The route starts from the Ferntree Gully carpark and an immediate steep ascent to etiher the Lyrebird Track or Kokoda (1,000 step) Memorial Track. The Kokoda Memorial highlights the steep rugged stair takes you back to the history of the Kokoda Trail. There are engravings along the route describing the ordeals of Autralian Troops in Papua New Guinea during the 2nd Great War.
Alpine Track
Go accross the One Tree Hill picnic ground and exit the Tyson's Tk. This will take you to a junction, take the right side and continue along the Alpine Track. Enjoy the view of the towering Mountain Ash trees. I was quite spook and excited at the same time along this trail as most hiker, joggers limit themselves to the Kokoda-Lyrebrid tracks. Turn right along the Mountain Highwat at the end of the Alpine Track and enter Ferndale road.
Horse Trail
The Ferndale road is close to private lands so you can see some houses and backyards along the way. This takes you to a junction. Take the trail to the right. This is the start of the Horse Trail. The Horse Trail passes along Coach road and School track. Eventually, you will have to cross Olinda road and exit Dodd's track. Dodd's track is a steep downhill track that takes you to Dongalla Road.
Dongalla
Dongalla Road is a lovely section as it runs accross the Dandenong creek and back again to some Mountain ash forest. The area near the Dongalla Homestead site and Stables picnic ground is so lovely as some European plants/gardens were planted. You can take either the Camelia or Stable track as this fork meets again after a few hundred meters.
Fireline Track
The final trail is the Fireline track which crosses a couple of steep tracks that goes up the Observatory and Ridge Road.
The entire stretch is about 15 kilometers and a total of 30 km going back to the car park. At jogging and power hiking pace, it takes about 5-6 hours to complete.
The route has a total stretch of 15 kilometers, crossing 2 major roads and connecting the north-west and South-western blocks of the Dandenong National park.
Fern Tree Gully
The route starts from the Ferntree Gully carpark and an immediate steep ascent to etiher the Lyrebird Track or Kokoda (1,000 step) Memorial Track. The Kokoda Memorial highlights the steep rugged stair takes you back to the history of the Kokoda Trail. There are engravings along the route describing the ordeals of Autralian Troops in Papua New Guinea during the 2nd Great War.
Alpine Track
Go accross the One Tree Hill picnic ground and exit the Tyson's Tk. This will take you to a junction, take the right side and continue along the Alpine Track. Enjoy the view of the towering Mountain Ash trees. I was quite spook and excited at the same time along this trail as most hiker, joggers limit themselves to the Kokoda-Lyrebrid tracks. Turn right along the Mountain Highwat at the end of the Alpine Track and enter Ferndale road.
Horse Trail
The Ferndale road is close to private lands so you can see some houses and backyards along the way. This takes you to a junction. Take the trail to the right. This is the start of the Horse Trail. The Horse Trail passes along Coach road and School track. Eventually, you will have to cross Olinda road and exit Dodd's track. Dodd's track is a steep downhill track that takes you to Dongalla Road.
Dongalla
Dongalla Road is a lovely section as it runs accross the Dandenong creek and back again to some Mountain ash forest. The area near the Dongalla Homestead site and Stables picnic ground is so lovely as some European plants/gardens were planted. You can take either the Camelia or Stable track as this fork meets again after a few hundred meters.
Fireline Track
The final trail is the Fireline track which crosses a couple of steep tracks that goes up the Observatory and Ridge Road.
The entire stretch is about 15 kilometers and a total of 30 km going back to the car park. At jogging and power hiking pace, it takes about 5-6 hours to complete.
Monday 21 November 2011
Fast Packing
Coming from a running background, I didn't even know the right word for what I was doing on long runs lasting 3 to 6 hours in the forests. The parks around Melbourne doesn't have clean/drinkable water sources so you just tend to carry all the water and food you need for the run.
Having said that, I carry on my small pack a 2 litre bladder, bars, gels and an extra water bottle or two depending on the time I want to spend. My objective is to carry enough but not too much to limit my ability to train on my preferred sport - running.
A full 6 hr pack would weigh not over 4 kilos and would weigh less as I consume the water and food throughout the run.
During my two years of running on the trails, I've seen some other hikers/back packers whos speed is limited by the amount of pack they carry. Going uphill, it will take you more energy to climb bearing an addition of 5 or more kilos. At the downhills, the impact on the legs particularly the knees would be much greater. Carrying a lighter pack allows me to maximize my time by seeing more and going farther.
Having said that, I carry on my small pack a 2 litre bladder, bars, gels and an extra water bottle or two depending on the time I want to spend. My objective is to carry enough but not too much to limit my ability to train on my preferred sport - running.
A full 6 hr pack would weigh not over 4 kilos and would weigh less as I consume the water and food throughout the run.
During my two years of running on the trails, I've seen some other hikers/back packers whos speed is limited by the amount of pack they carry. Going uphill, it will take you more energy to climb bearing an addition of 5 or more kilos. At the downhills, the impact on the legs particularly the knees would be much greater. Carrying a lighter pack allows me to maximize my time by seeing more and going farther.
Tuesday 11 October 2011
How to avoid and take care of foot blisters
Hiking, running and other activities that requires time on your feet may often cause foot blisters. Walking with blisters can be an unpleasant experience.
Here are some tips on how to manage foot blisters.
Prevention
1. Buy the right shoe size - choose a pair of shoes 1/2 inch larger than the actual size of your feet. Some foot maybe a bit larger than the other, so choose a pair based on the larger foot.
2. Wear the right socks - your feet will sweat more and will retain moisture in cotton socks. This makes your skin become soft and more prone to blisters. Use wool or drymax socks.
3. Lubricate your feet - Applying some lubricant help reduce the friction between the skin and the shoes. I've found petroleum jelly to be the cheapest option and is available from the grocery store. Rub them between your toes and areas prone to blisters. This will feel funny at first, but you will soon get used to it.
4. Go sockless - the best way to toughen up the skin on your feet is by going sockless. This thickens blister hotspots.
Cure:
1. Check your feet - even at the slightest discomfort, remove your shoes and see what's causing the the problem. You may have to remove some rock and pebbles that penetrated your shoes.
2. Keep your feet dry - stream crossing, rain and sweat may increase the chances of having a blister. Integrate a routine during long walks to dry your feet, change a pair of socks or apply more lubricant.
3. Tape - taping your feet maybe necesarry to prevent further damage. A good tape is waterproof and durable.
Here are some tips on how to manage foot blisters.
Prevention
1. Buy the right shoe size - choose a pair of shoes 1/2 inch larger than the actual size of your feet. Some foot maybe a bit larger than the other, so choose a pair based on the larger foot.
2. Wear the right socks - your feet will sweat more and will retain moisture in cotton socks. This makes your skin become soft and more prone to blisters. Use wool or drymax socks.
3. Lubricate your feet - Applying some lubricant help reduce the friction between the skin and the shoes. I've found petroleum jelly to be the cheapest option and is available from the grocery store. Rub them between your toes and areas prone to blisters. This will feel funny at first, but you will soon get used to it.
4. Go sockless - the best way to toughen up the skin on your feet is by going sockless. This thickens blister hotspots.
Cure:
1. Check your feet - even at the slightest discomfort, remove your shoes and see what's causing the the problem. You may have to remove some rock and pebbles that penetrated your shoes.
2. Keep your feet dry - stream crossing, rain and sweat may increase the chances of having a blister. Integrate a routine during long walks to dry your feet, change a pair of socks or apply more lubricant.
3. Tape - taping your feet maybe necesarry to prevent further damage. A good tape is waterproof and durable.
Monday 10 October 2011
How to Find a Hiking Trail
One of the added challenges when going out on the bush is to find a good hiking route. With internet technology, there are some maps and information that can help you.
Internet - most parks and public land information are now available online and there are printable maps you can use for you trip. These maps will show information on facilities such as parking, toilets, water and picnic grounds. Most important, it will also show popular hiking routes with estimated distance and time to complete a route. In my experience, Parks information provides updates on closed tracks and closed facilities -so it's also important to check the website closer to your planned outing date.
Orienteering Clubs - local orienteering or rogaine clubs also retain maps and direction to local hiking trails. They have resource persons who are familiar with the trail. They can give you tips on local conditions and hazards to expect in the area.
Stop by a local Information Centre - towns, regionals centres and tourism areas have information booths. They provide maps and can suggest information on nearby hiking routes.
Trail races - trail race organizers also creates maps of running routes they have organized. They often map out these 'running routes' via gps and provide you downloadable gps info through their websites.
Google Earth - Most of the time, I end up creating my own route by linking trails in google earth. You can determine the elevation profile of the route you created. I find this a very valuable tool in judging the difficulty of the route.
Internet - most parks and public land information are now available online and there are printable maps you can use for you trip. These maps will show information on facilities such as parking, toilets, water and picnic grounds. Most important, it will also show popular hiking routes with estimated distance and time to complete a route. In my experience, Parks information provides updates on closed tracks and closed facilities -so it's also important to check the website closer to your planned outing date.
Orienteering Clubs - local orienteering or rogaine clubs also retain maps and direction to local hiking trails. They have resource persons who are familiar with the trail. They can give you tips on local conditions and hazards to expect in the area.
Stop by a local Information Centre - towns, regionals centres and tourism areas have information booths. They provide maps and can suggest information on nearby hiking routes.
Trail races - trail race organizers also creates maps of running routes they have organized. They often map out these 'running routes' via gps and provide you downloadable gps info through their websites.
Google Earth - Most of the time, I end up creating my own route by linking trails in google earth. You can determine the elevation profile of the route you created. I find this a very valuable tool in judging the difficulty of the route.
Wednesday 5 October 2011
Guide for less than a day bushwalking
Many people who live and work in the City goes to the bush once in a while. If your new to this activity, here are some quick and easy tips going to your bushwalking trip.
Planning for your trip
If your new to bush walking, it would be better to begin with short and easy walking trails. Short lasts for 30 minutes to 2 hours, just enough to let you build your endurance and experience for future hikes. Easy means relatively flat and quite accessible.
Determine how much time you'll be spending away from home. A good thing about Melbourne is that it is surrounded by parks and reserves with about an hours drive from the city. There are dozens of accessible bush trails not far from the city.
Check maps and online information on the park you want to visit. Local park websites has maps and information on parks and other wilderness areas. These maps has information on available facilities such as water, toilets, parking spots, road closures and opening times. These information will help you plan your trip. Make sure you print and carry the park map with you. Also place it on a plastic sheet to protect it from moisture. Once, my map got very wet when I was walking in the Dandenongs. I had a hard time finding my way back to where my car was parked.
Determine where you want to start. This lets you plan out driving directions and identify spots where you can park your vehicle. Places like picnic and camping grounds, trail heads have space for parking.
Check the weather a day before the trip. Forecast usually changes. Local weather websites gives you an idea on the weather for the scheduled day.
What to Bring
The principle is to pack light. Carry only the bare essentials. This lets you travel faster, covering more trails and enjoying more views. The added weight of you pack slows you down and makes every step a difficult. Heavy pack puts additional stress to your leg joints and muscles and increase the chances of getting injured specially on the downhills.
Bag. There are plenty of hiking bags to choose from, usually with a hydration system. Choose a bag that is light, snug fit, less than the length of you back and doesn't shake when you're moving. THere are packs that keeps your things dry inside.
Food and water. You can finish a 2 hour walk without food or water. But for emergency, you might want to bring them along. Bring food that are easier to pack and are energy dense such as nuts, chips and chocolates. Energy bars are available in grocery stores.
Ziplock plastic bags. These things comes in a variety of sizes where you may store your food, maps, ID, cell phone and other things.
Cellphone for emergency.
Wallet? Leave your wallet behind -they may get wet. But bring your drivers license, a credit card and some cash. An identity card with address and contact number during an emergency is also a useful.
Camera. Dont forget to take photos of the experience.
What to wear.
Principle - dress up for the weather, but also dress light.
Shorts and a shirt or singlet will do on summer.
A thin rain jacket and an added layer would do on a rainy or cold day.
Shoes
I prefer a light pair of shoes with good grip on loose trail. I'm not a fan of heavy gore tex shoes as they eventually get wet in heavy downpour or on stream crossings. Light weight shoes will wick moisture faster.
Other things to do
Tells someone of your itinerary. Leave a note of where you intend to go, list down the trail you will cross and location where you will park. If possible print out a map and highlight the trail you plan to traverse. Also write down the time you expect to be home.
During the walk
Don't forget to lock your car and bring the keys.
Relax and enjoy the scenery, take many stops as possible to take photos and look at things.
Drink but not too much.
When lost, go back and trace the path you passed. Trails are well marked.
Planning for your trip
If your new to bush walking, it would be better to begin with short and easy walking trails. Short lasts for 30 minutes to 2 hours, just enough to let you build your endurance and experience for future hikes. Easy means relatively flat and quite accessible.
Determine how much time you'll be spending away from home. A good thing about Melbourne is that it is surrounded by parks and reserves with about an hours drive from the city. There are dozens of accessible bush trails not far from the city.
Check maps and online information on the park you want to visit. Local park websites has maps and information on parks and other wilderness areas. These maps has information on available facilities such as water, toilets, parking spots, road closures and opening times. These information will help you plan your trip. Make sure you print and carry the park map with you. Also place it on a plastic sheet to protect it from moisture. Once, my map got very wet when I was walking in the Dandenongs. I had a hard time finding my way back to where my car was parked.
Determine where you want to start. This lets you plan out driving directions and identify spots where you can park your vehicle. Places like picnic and camping grounds, trail heads have space for parking.
Check the weather a day before the trip. Forecast usually changes. Local weather websites gives you an idea on the weather for the scheduled day.
What to Bring
The principle is to pack light. Carry only the bare essentials. This lets you travel faster, covering more trails and enjoying more views. The added weight of you pack slows you down and makes every step a difficult. Heavy pack puts additional stress to your leg joints and muscles and increase the chances of getting injured specially on the downhills.
Bag. There are plenty of hiking bags to choose from, usually with a hydration system. Choose a bag that is light, snug fit, less than the length of you back and doesn't shake when you're moving. THere are packs that keeps your things dry inside.
Food and water. You can finish a 2 hour walk without food or water. But for emergency, you might want to bring them along. Bring food that are easier to pack and are energy dense such as nuts, chips and chocolates. Energy bars are available in grocery stores.
Ziplock plastic bags. These things comes in a variety of sizes where you may store your food, maps, ID, cell phone and other things.
Cellphone for emergency.
Wallet? Leave your wallet behind -they may get wet. But bring your drivers license, a credit card and some cash. An identity card with address and contact number during an emergency is also a useful.
Camera. Dont forget to take photos of the experience.
What to wear.
Principle - dress up for the weather, but also dress light.
Shorts and a shirt or singlet will do on summer.
A thin rain jacket and an added layer would do on a rainy or cold day.
Shoes
I prefer a light pair of shoes with good grip on loose trail. I'm not a fan of heavy gore tex shoes as they eventually get wet in heavy downpour or on stream crossings. Light weight shoes will wick moisture faster.
Other things to do
Tells someone of your itinerary. Leave a note of where you intend to go, list down the trail you will cross and location where you will park. If possible print out a map and highlight the trail you plan to traverse. Also write down the time you expect to be home.
During the walk
Don't forget to lock your car and bring the keys.
Relax and enjoy the scenery, take many stops as possible to take photos and look at things.
Drink but not too much.
When lost, go back and trace the path you passed. Trails are well marked.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)