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Re: [pct-l] How conditioning works
As a marthon runner and a very long distance hiker (4000+ miles) I
could not agree more with these comments...everyone should take
them to heed-- see for examples Galloways' book on running...this
methodology is and has been in use for many Olympiads.. The
ancients also figured this out pretty quickly as well...although
that is only foklore and not substanitated as are Galloways
Stanford and Hopkins studies.
Bon Voyage...
--Rich Calliger
At 6:04 AM -0000 8/31/99, reynolds@ilan.com wrote:
>Joanne,
>
>My son is a high school cross country runner. Beacuse he had problems with
>his knees I became knowledgable with how conditioning works.
>
>My son was advise to run relatively long, relatively slow training
>workouts. The theory was to work near, BUT NOT OVER, his capacity. This was
>equated with cutting wood and storing it for later. Right before
>cross-counrty season he began to do speed workouts. This has the effect of
>making him faster at the expense of the stored conditioning he previously
>acquired. The book says that, after many months of workout, he could
>sustain fast racing for ONLY about two (2) months. If Alan [my son] had
>done faster workouts earlier he would have gone faster sooner but not
>faster in the long run.
>
>What I saw from most of the thruhikers I met was an attempt to push to get
>in shape by walking more miles than they were really capable of. Theirfore,
>they degraded their physical condition rather than improved it. What I am
>saying is that starting at a pace of 10 miles per day, or even less, will
>increase your physical wellbeing allowing you to hike more miles later
>while starting out at 20 miles, or more, will degrade your physical
>wellbeing causing you to be unable to walk later.
>
>Most thruhikers say that thruhiking is mental. This is said about running
>also. This book would disagree. The book says that it is possible, by
>proper training "near, BUT NOT OVER, your capacity", you are able to get in
>a condition of super health when you are almost never sick or injured and
>your attitude improves immensively.
>
>What I am saying is that you walked too far too fast. I know you are
>considering return to the trail. My advice is to listen to your body and
>STOP when it tells you [this is what I told my son]. Don't push it. You'll
>goforther in the long run.
>
>Tom
>
>
>
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