Training Program for a Flatlander

[Flatlander2]

I'm looking for a training program for a flatlander. I'm hoping to hike my first 14er in June. I'm looking for something calendar style. TIA

[LURE]

training in the flatlands? do you have access to hills that you can run up and down?

in a pinch, stair climbers are excellent.

[Flatlander2]

We have a really great treadmill in our basement and I have a couple of 1/8 mile hills a couple of blocks away. I'm really just getting started in my training.

I'm thinking generally using a pack weighted with rice or dog food would help too. Thoughts?

[mtree]

Stairs, hills, ladders.
Sprints on hills are great! Mix with endurance runs. Long-ass walks/hikes for 7-12 miles. Carry a 20lb backpack. You'll be good to go.
Nothing you can do about altitude training.

[LURE]

We have a really great treadmill in our basement and I have a couple of 1/8 mile hills a couple of blocks away. I'm in suburban Kansas City and I'm really just getting started in my training.

I'm thinking generally using a pack weighted with rice or dog food would help too. Thoughts?

For non competition recreational activities, I think all of those will get you where you want to be, no reason to over think it. There a million opinions on getting in shape, but the key element in my opinion would be consistency and frequency.

Run a lot, not necessarily long, just a lot. Or where I said run, insert "hike" or "bike." Running 1 mile nearly every day is better than running 6 miles once a week.

However, though you do live in Kansas, try and mix in hills - you want some slope specific strength. Whether on the stair climber or running up and down small hills. Again, frequency - do it often.

Edit: And a weighted pack sure can help increase strength, but I would focus on the heart and lungs more than anything.

[RhodoRose]

Is there a nearby stadium where you can do bleachers?

[WishIWasInTheMts]

IMtree's advice is spot on. Walk, a lot. Daily walks will go a long way (aim for 45 minutes to an hour). I'm a personal believer in the "time on feet" philosophy. As stated, try to mix in a weekly long walk. Again, 7-10 is great, but I'd aim to be on the longer side of that spectrum. Running isn't everyone's cup of tea, but if you are a runner, it'll really help. Cross training, such as biking, can never hurt as well. I had a family member from the flatlands complete the Chicago Basin group with this plan and he didn't have any trouble at all.

Come in with a good aerobic base, and you'll do fine. There are some very unfit people who drag themselves up 14ers, so I wouldn't stress about it too much. That being said, at the end of the day, you'll have a much better time if you have a good aerobic base to work with.

[CaptainSuburbia]

Play racquetball! You'll cover more than 2 miles per hour and have fun.

[KS Jude]

Living in the suburbs of KC myself, I can vouch for the effectiveness of incorporating stairs into your training plan. Twice a week I'm at the gym on the stairmaster. Outside of the gym, trail running at Shawnee Mission Park for me has been the most enjoyable way to build/maintain my cardio. Finding the largest hill you can to run up and down is an excellent training workout to add as well. If/when you begin attempting more exposed 14er routes, indoor climbing at ROKC and outdoors at cliff drive (east of downtown KC) have helped me to deal with the exposure and provided some helpful skills. Best of luck with your training and journey!

[TomPierce]

You state that you're just getting started in your program. I'm concerned that if you go straight into hard core training (hill running, bleachers, etc) with no or a limited aerobic base, you could court injury or flame out. My input:

1) You don't mention your age or fitness. Probably good to get the OK from a doc before starting a program, esp if you're over 40. If you're in your 20's, you're immortal, so you can skip that . Kidding...

2) A reasonable program would be similar to a race build-up. Take your event date, say June 15, and scroll backwards from there. One week will be your taper/relaxation/travel time. 4 weeks of anerobic work/intervals before that. Anaerobic threshold stuff. Then for a 14er I'd say 6 weeks before that of "strength" work, which in this context would be hill running, bleachers, power walks with a weighted pack, etc. Everything before that is LSD, long slow distance work, e.g. jogging, etc.

3) If you truly are starting off from zero, start with brisk walks, every other day. Then increase the frequency, maybe to daily? Then intensity ramps up, run/walk, then full runs. May take you a month+ to get there. By my count, you have from now until some time in about mid-April to build an aerobic base. Note also that when I say focus on this/that, I don't mean exclusively, e.g. maybe 1-2 days a week for a focused workout (strength or intervals), not 5 days straight of intervals. That'll burn you out.

4) Personally, I'd say when in doubt (to work out or not) assess if it's just having an off day vs. overtraining. If you go too hard, too fast, overtraining resulting in sickness/injury is the risk. Build in some recovery time to your program.

5) And build in as much time for acclimatizing as possible when you get out here. At least a day in Denver, a day in a resort town at about 9K. More time is usually better. Hydrate.

That's my input, good luck,

-Tom

[HULKHIKEGOOD]

One thing that has helped me(aside from some of the previous suggestions) is incorporating more walking lunges and weighted step ups into my workouts as my scheduled hiking trips get close. Usually a month or 2 out. I'm in the military so I do lots of running and pt anyway, but lunges and step ups really stregthen up my knees and give me a lot more confidence on the way up and really more so on the way down. I usually don't get much time to acclimate on my trips, but being properly hydrated is absolutely necessary. I have drove from Oklahoma day 1, summited day 2, and drove back day 3.... not recommended, but doable. Altitude is gonna hurt, no way around it being a flatlander, but being hydrated and getting a good night sleep before your hike will dampen the blow some. If you want some of my workouts, shoot me a PM. Best of luck!!!

[Rollie Free]

When you say June, do you mean the last part of June?

As a fellow flatlander I have made the mistake of think my summer is Colorado's summer. Even mid June can be questionable. However, I have made it somewhat a tradition going the last week in June. Its still snowy in areas but usually fun and manageable if so.