Hiking pace: to go all out or not to?

[hikingfish]

Hi!
Waiting for the day to end to go in the daks...meanwhile, I figured I'd ask you VFTT'ers a question that's been bugging me in the last couple of months.

I love the feeling you get when you finish a hike while you kept an optimum hiking pace and you know you've burnt the maximum amount of energy. Feels awesome! I probably don't get to see all the nice views and such, but every once in a while, I think it's worth it to go all out. However, I find as I'm going on more and more difficult trails, the need to keep alert for long periods of time far outweights the need to go all out.

As anyone else thought about this?

Just wondering ;-)

Fish

 

[marty]

When hiking solo, I always try to hike at a fast clip, but will fall in line when hiking in a group. I will always stop for views, regardless of the situation.

 

[Artex]

I suspect there'll be a wide variety of answers here.

It's all personal preference. Whatever makes you happy is best, pure and simple. I can't help putting the pedal to the metal on the trail for the reasons you've stated. However, I'm also very curious about wildlife, so I find that when doing multi-day trips, exploring around the campsite and looking for animals and plants satisfies that need.

Just my two cents, but it all boils down to the "hike your own hike" philosphy.

 

[SherpaKroto]

I'll go as fast as my body will take me, which isn't that fast. I do find that if I go too fast, too soon, I can't go as far, as long. I'm also counting the hours until I head north...

 

[hikingfish]

Safety vs Speed ... I guess?

Perhaps my original post didn't emphasize the fact that I was more concerned about safety issues relating to not paying as much attention when one is closer to exhaustion (eg: look at your feet trying to catch your breath the whole way up instead of looking out of objective hazards).

I've made the mistake, when going solo, to push WAY too hard at the beginning of the hike and had to slow down considerably towards the end of the hike.

Fish

 

[LittleBear]

I subscribe to the turtle method of hiking - slow but steady, with plenty of energy for long hikes.

 

[^MtnMike^]

I like to go all out, although for me all out isn't all that fast.
I thought I hiked at a decent pace, but I had a hard time keeping up with the two VFTT'ers I've hiked with.

I'm also a shutterbug, so I tend to stop at every little view/landmark.
^MtnMike^

 

[WhiteMTHike]

For me it all depends on the length of the trail and the height of the summit. For longer trails and higher evlevations I'll actually pick up the pace since my hikes are day hikes. For shorter trails and lower summits I'll slow down since I have more time. Either way I never go too fast where I'm not appreciating what's around me.

 

[Mad Townie]

I like to start fairly slowly, building gradually to a pace I can maintain forever (well, ALMOST forever).

When I'm solo I play around with different paces on different hikes. Haven't yet found anything that matches my favorite, though.

 

[Head]

I tend to take my time when out on a long hike, but go at a quicker pace on short ones. Heres a thread from a few months back that may be of interest to you as well :How fast do you hike?

 

[woodstrider]

Not only is this a matter of personal perference, but for me it just depends on the day and the mood that I am in that particular day.

I tend to slow down in the rain- to avoid slipping
I usually go faster when I hike alone, or am in peak-bagging mode

But I also like to stop and small the roses along the way.

 

[Lawn Sale]

I tend to hike faster when I'm solo, and fall into a pace when I'm with someone else. But, sometimes I tend to overdo it, and wind up paying the price.

I felt so good after a winter's hike in Camden last year that when I hit the road again for the 4 miles walk back to the car, I started jogging. I must have looked like quite a sight jogging in boots with crampons and snowshoes strapped to the pack on my back. Anyway, I made it about 2 miles before my body let me know I wasn't 20 anymore, even though I felt like it. One of my legs cramped up and I wound up limping for the next 1/2 mile before a cop picked me up and took me the rest of the way.

 

[coldmountain]

I think another factor in how quickly I hike is the weather. I climbed Old Speck recently and it was 88 in the parking lot in Grafton Notch. I tried to make an effort to take it easier than normal. Other times its cold enough that Id like to get moving right away to get some blood to my fingers and toes.

 

[Raymond]

If I tried to go all out, I'd soon find myself all in.

I like to find a steady rhythm, whatever it is for the conditions, and stick to it. If I'm with my son and/or my honey, then I just stop and wait now and then until we're together again. It can be as tiring to go at too slow a pace as too fast, but I'm not out there to get away from them.

There were also some hikes back in 1999 especially when I felt pretty lousy and was dragging along in the rear.

 

[alpinista]

I tend to hike in two speeds: slow and slower Actually, I prefer to start out slow, get the blood moving, get my lungs used to the exertion, and to take my time on tough terrain. But on the way down, when I know it won't be as much of an aerobic exercise, I can pick up the pace a bit more as long as the terrain isn't all that difficult.

But as I said my two speeds are generally slow and slower!

 

[forestgnome]

I used to really move along, especially the last part of a hike, but for safety reasons (slipping and busting my arse) I've learned to slow down.

My pace is usually predicted by the trail. I like to stop and enjoy many,many things along the way. Yesterday, on the Gale River Trail, I noticed that the thrushes were among only a few songbirds that I was hearing, as opposed to a few weeks ago when I picked out eight different songs at one time. This is a sign that flying insects, a big part of the birds' diets, are going away, so many birds are also leaving for the season. The thrushes, and a few others, stick around and start enjoying the berries.

 

[skiguy]

Perhaps my original post didn't emphasize the fact that I was more concerned about safety issues relating to not paying as much attention when one is closer to exhaustion (eg: look at your feet trying to catch your breath the whole way up instead of looking out of objective hazards).

Traveling solo I definitely cover more ground at a faster pace. I find that I am less distracted by the lack of conversation that others on a hike would bring,not that I don't enjoy those distractions when I am with others.
I like to seek a pace that is fast but always keep safety at the highest of priorities, especially when solo. If I find myself drifting in concentration related to safety..I slow down.

 

[DougPaul]

I pace myself for my destination (ie a little slower on a long hike to make sure I have the endurance) and the local terrain. I don't stop to rest except for occasional breathers on the uphills. (And yes, I do stop at viewpoints and summits with views.)

Doug

 

[tracker]

Like many of you, I have many different paces depending upon who I'm with, trail conditions, weather conditions, time of day, etc.

when solo, I find that I hike at a faster pace and rarely stop except at view point or other things of interest. When with a group I"ll maintain the pace ofthe group whether it is fast or slow. Wth my kids, they typically lead and I follow. with my youngest son it takes mental preparation to condition myself to a slow but steady extended walk through the woods where every mushroom is enjoyed, every patch of moss is explored and every tree identified. He is my constant reminder of the joys to stop and smell the roses.