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Triathlon and Hiking
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I've been doing triathlon for several years for fun and fitness but have recently started getting into hiking. I really enjoy doing it and have done a mountaineering course also.

However, I feel the more time I spend on hiking, the less triathlon training I can physically handle during a given week and need to scale back the tri training to 2-3x each sport rather than 3-4x per week especially if it is a hard or long day of hiking (6-7hrs hiking on a Sunday).

How should I fit hiking into the season bearing in mind that the best time for me to go hiking with friends is over the summer, which is also tri race season? Does hiking compliment one sport better than the other and I should only bikes or only runs with hiking? Does it make me a better cyclist or runner by doing hiking or are they not benefiting each other?

I do triathlons for enjoyment but also like to get stronger and race faster.
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Re: Triathlon and Hiking [ENP] [ In reply to ]
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You don't say what kind of hiking you do. What kind of terrain? Day trips - Multi-day self-sustained?

It also depends upon how fit you are. Hiking will help with your strength but depending upon how you hike, it may not do a lot for your overall fitness if you are already fit. And, likely won't do much for your speed in any of the events.

If you decide to "Fastpack", that'll be great training for overall fitness. Especially if you do it over multiple days in the mountains except you'll need a really long trail.

BC Don
Pain is temporary, not giving it your all lasts all Winter.
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Re: Triathlon and Hiking [ENP] [ In reply to ]
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Not really answering your question...but I got a bit of a chuckle.

My brother lives in CO and set up for me to go out there to tackle a 14er. He's done several...me...well...he calls me a 'flatlander'. Needless to say, he proclaimed "you'll be fine, come in Aug after your Tri season and your Tri fitness should be all you need to get you to the top."

That is total BS! My ass was handed to my by that mountain.

Currently planning my redemption trip late this summer.

Be safe.

---------------
It's not about what you've done, it's about what you're doing!
@trecca17
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Re: Triathlon and Hiking [BCDon] [ In reply to ]
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BCDon wrote:
You don't say what kind of hiking you do. What kind of terrain? Day trips - Multi-day self-sustained?

It also depends upon how fit you are. Hiking will help with your strength but depending upon how you hike, it may not do a lot for your overall fitness if you are already fit. And, likely won't do much for your speed in any of the events.

If you decide to "Fastpack", that'll be great training for overall fitness. Especially if you do it over multiple days in the mountains except you'll need a really long trail.

Hilly terrain but not full on mountain summits. We tend to do it in mountain ranges routes to huts, etc. Just day trips or weekend over-night hikes.

I feel fit aerobically from the tri training but the strength to lug a heavy backpack and go up steep inclines isn't really there for me yet. I normally do it with a local club for safety reasons
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Re: Triathlon and Hiking [Trecca17] [ In reply to ]
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Curious. What did you climb.
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Re: Triathlon and Hiking [ENP] [ In reply to ]
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ENP wrote:
... Does hiking compliment one sport better than the other and I should only bikes or only runs with hiking? Does it make me a better cyclist or runner by doing hiking or are they not benefiting each other?
Other than general aerobic conditioning and maintenance, no, traditional hiking will not improve your cycling or running. Now, if you're fast-packing or trail-running...that's different (for running improvement). Training specificity must be kept in mind.
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Re: Triathlon and Hiking [coyote39] [ In reply to ]
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coyote39 wrote:
Curious. What did you climb.

Attempted LaPlata with my brother and a cousin from Dallas.

Went fine until we hit the 'wall'. I got 3/4 of the way up and then it was one step, rest, one step, rest. They forged on and summited. I turned back seeing as the weather window was closing.


Not to wage a war against Mother Nature....but I'll be back.

---------------
It's not about what you've done, it's about what you're doing!
@trecca17
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Re: Triathlon and Hiking [Trecca17] [ In reply to ]
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Bierstadt and Quandary are good ones to hit if you are a flatlander coming in for a visit, of course they are 14ers but shorter trek to the top!

Colorado Triathlon Company, CO2UT 2021, Crooked Gravel 2022, Steamboat Gravel 2022
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Re: Triathlon and Hiking [ENP] [ In reply to ]
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Replace one of your long weekend sessions with a long hike (6hours+) once a month? Think of it as a long slow distance workout.
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Re: Triathlon and Hiking [ENP] [ In reply to ]
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This is anecdotal, but: I spent a week sleeping at a mountain hut at 12,000 near Breckenridge and hiking up 14ers. For the next few weeks every workout, from 500 swim sets to my normal running and cycling routes were PRs and I had a great few races a month or so later.

Other years when I focused on hiking more than tri training I did not do very well in my triathlons, however. I did feel healthier with heavy dose of hiking and strength training and lighter dose of biking and running than when only triathlon training.

Lava magazine had a good article a few years ago about very long hikes once a month as good ironman training.
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Re: Triathlon and Hiking [ENP] [ In reply to ]
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for what it's worth-High level XC skiers hike quite a bit during the summer
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Re: Triathlon and Hiking [ENP] [ In reply to ]
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I think carrying a pack has been really good for building up random little hip/pelvis muscles. But as for the cardio effects: I have worn a HR strap on a hike before and my normal hiking pace was at a surprisingly low HR (relative to running or cycling). And when we were going up some really steep stuff and I felt like I was really working hard, the HR was only just then hitting long run ranges.
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Re: Triathlon and Hiking [boilerup] [ In reply to ]
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boilerup wrote:
Bierstadt and Quandary are good ones to hit if you are a flatlander coming in for a visit, of course they are 14ers but shorter trek to the top!

Yep...Quandary's on the list of candidates for this year.

In hindsight, and not to make excuses, but I spent 2 weeks in Singapore and flew into DIA two days before the climb so being a jet-lagged flatlander was probably not the best strategy.

---------------
It's not about what you've done, it's about what you're doing!
@trecca17
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Re: Triathlon and Hiking [Trecca17] [ In reply to ]
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Longs Peak is a ton of fun. Hard on this GA boy but I made it. I acclimated in Denver for a week prior to trying it but man was it worth it. 1st and only 14er so far. Left a piece of my heart in CO so I will be back.
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Re: Triathlon and Hiking [ENP] [ In reply to ]
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ENP wrote:
I've been doing triathlon for several years for fun and fitness but have recently started getting into hiking. I really enjoy doing it and have done a mountaineering course also.

However, I feel the more time I spend on hiking, the less triathlon training I can physically handle during a given week and need to scale back the tri training to 2-3x each sport rather than 3-4x per week especially if it is a hard or long day of hiking (6-7hrs hiking on a Sunday).

How should I fit hiking into the season bearing in mind that the best time for me to go hiking with friends is over the summer, which is also tri race season? Does hiking compliment one sport better than the other and I should only bikes or only runs with hiking? Does it make me a better cyclist or runner by doing hiking or are they not benefiting each other?

I do triathlons for enjoyment but also like to get stronger and race faster.

I usually plan a long day hike about a month out from any A race. For example I did Longs Peak in late July in 2013 and followed up with IM Canada in August. I was in great shape and after spending 11-12 hours on the mountain that day I was toast but I had a great race in Canada. In 2014 I did Kilimanjaro and after I got back I felt great and had several good races and training days. I think spending time doing other things besides SBR is beneficial to a point and if you enjoy hiking its my opinion that it doesn't hurt if you have the time to recover. I wouldn't do anything too big too close to a race though.

______________________________________________

I *heart* weak, dumb ass people...
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Re: Triathlon and Hiking [ENP] [ In reply to ]
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I break the year up and give each its own season. For me it works best to focus on an early season tris like Oceanside and IMCDA. Then I hit the mountains for hiking and climbing the rest of the summer and early fall. Then I switch to working on speed with 5K's, swim meets,etc. Then at the start of the new year I am back to building for my tri's.
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Re: Triathlon and Hiking [ENP] [ In reply to ]
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Mountain running. Once you run up a few (in the same day), you won't care much about being fast in triathlon anymore (but you still will since it's great cross training). Besides, what's the point of hiking for a few days with a big pack when you could just run it all in one with a small pack. Sure, there are some places you can only get to with several hundred mile backpacking trips, but if it's shorter than that, run it.

-Bryan Journey
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