The Road Less Traveled

In your quest to use all the newly found energy you have gotten from your workouts with SD PERSONAL TRAINER, you may be considering hiking as the right option to both fulfill your new desire for exercise endorphins and enjoy the great San Diego outdoors.

When planning your hike, there are a few items you should consider making sure that it is the best experience it can be.

Most experienced backpackers recommend a maximum pack weight of about 30% of the hiker’s body weight. If you are beginner, remember that you should be careful not to over-estimate your pack-carrying abilities. However, as you gain more experience, you should consider that your pack is not only a tool for carrying your supplies, but also a way to increase the intensity of the exercise you will receive from your day’s hike.

There are a few categories you can use to determine the difficulty of the hike you are going to choose. Make sure to do a little research ahead of time and find out both the distance of your path, as well as the altitude you will ascend (and eventually descend).

The height climbed in one day is the total, not just the difference in height between your starting point and end point – remember that you may experience peaks and valleys along your route.

“Easy” Street
Elevation: 2500 meters above sea level
Speed: 4 km/hour on level ground
Pack: 25% of body weight
Distance: 10-15 km/ day

The “Harder” Road
Elevation: 2500 meters
Speed: 5 km/hour
Pack: 25% of body weight
Distance: 15-20 km/day or a climb of 750 meters up

The Road Less Traveled
Elevation: 3000 meters above sea level
Speed: 5 km/hour
Pack: 25% of body weight
Distance: 15-20 km or more and/or 1k meter climb

Pace Yourself
If you are hiking with a group, being average is actually the best place to find yourself. The leader of the pack may find themselves having to rest too often to let others catch up and the caboose may not be getting enough rest to efficiently make the day’s trip. Try to find a hike and group that places you right in the middle of it all.