Rate your fitness level

Some days I feel like a bag of dog poopie, others like a bag of horse poopie. I run 20-25 miles (at 7-8 minute mile pace) a week, lift three or four days a week and can play two hard hours of full court basketball with folks half my age and be the last one standing. Yet, that first hike of the year in the High Peaks will knock me on my tail. It all depends on what you are doing, and how you are doing it, I guess. Put me down for a 3, adjusted to a 4 for my half-century old body.

Some of me is a 4, but my knees bring me down to a 3. I hit the gym 5 days a week for cardio and weight training. I'm slow on the trail, although alot of that is overcoming my fear of heights on some of the down mountains (try going down the west side of sugarloaf in the catskills when you have a fear of heights), but I can also be persistant. Funny, before the DP hike, I probably would have rated myself higher. Of course, now I have a great goal for next year!!

There is a mental aspect as well as a physical aspect

I know of several hikers whose mental tenacity more than makes up for their state of physical conditioning.

Although I bike to work, lift weights twice a week, and engage in some kind of physical activity every weekend (hike/snowshoe, Mt bike, ice climb, XC ski) - sometimes my mind gives out before my body does.

Regardless, I have found that my mental stamina has increased with age. Must be that "life experience" stuff.

KZ

I just had to vote for #1. Hiking up mountains is usually no problem, I might be tired afterwards but that's expected. But leaving the car to make the 100 ft. walk to the gift shop is tough, my legs usually feel like lead (unless they sell ice cream).

Mavs - I agree with your observation - too much mental stamina can impair one's judgement.

That brings up another thought - I'm not sure where to draw the line between impaired judgement and stupidity!

Maybe that discussion warrants its own thread.

KZ

I've watched this poll develop rather closely from the time it opened and observe an "interesting" thing happening.

At the outset, a very large majority of respondents rated temselves as a "3" -- about where I'd expect a broad range of reasonably enthusiastic, experienced and active hikers on this board to place themselves. But as the
poll has aged there has been a marked increase in the number and ratio of participants reporting a fitness level of "4". Are we seeing "fitness inflation" here? Or something else?

Just a thought.

G.

Busted... I'm really a 3.

Grumpy, yup, I noticed that too. It could be a lot of people who were rating themselves as 3.8 for example are just rounding up.

Must be all the Type T's finally getting to this thread.

JohnL

I think my level varies day-to-day or even hour-to-hour. I know I’ve have a few hikes where I’ve hike maybe a mile or so and feel lucky if I just make it over the next rise and by the time I make it another mile or so I’m ready to do a few more mountains. I know last year when I did the Northville Placid trail I was in much better shape during mid day than when I first started in the morning although I attribute most of that to fact that your muscles limber up during a hike. Other days it has been the reverse.

Pushing and Balancing

mavs00 - Your point about too much mental tenacity is dead on. Training to run track and cross country throughout high school and college, you could say I was professionally trained to push as far as possible. Hence, I'm pretty good as pushing my bones up the hill...but, as we all know, that's only half the trip. When you run in a race, it's in a totally controlled environment, i.e. when/if I pass out, vomit or otherwise keel over at the end of a race, there is some type pf medical staff there to make sure I'm OK. When you're out on the trail, it's totally different. Over the last few years, as I've gotten into backpacking, I've needed to learn to listen to a different voice, and push to a different degree. Sometimes, I haven't and I've gotten into trouble. I have definitely learned from these experiences. What's interesting is that my competitive juices have started flowing again in a coupel running races and some nordic ski races over the winter...and the voices are sending conflicting messages!

mavs00 said:

Hey Grump,

Once I finally get a life, would you like me to let you borrrow some of it.


All in good fun, grumpy. I hope you know that

Click to expand...

Yeah, I know.

I happen to enjoy watching people (and how they behave).

BTW, I jumped in fairly early and rated myself a "3" -- which well might be "rating inflation" but actually seemed to be a pretty good description (translate: one that probably fits and I sure could live with). After a few thousand feet of up and down, and a fairly modest stretch of miles I AM ready to call it a day.

Couldn't stand thinking about old me as a "2" or a "1."

G.

I'm normally a 3, if "few" means "three or four".

But two weeks ago I felt like a 1.5 just going up Mount Tremont.
Between the heat and humidity, having donated blood two days before and having just turned 60, my butt was draggin' big time.

A week later, the Osceolas were no problem.

Right now a 3.
Next month a 3.5.
By mid July a 4.

If it keeps raining though, I might end up a 2

Along the pushing and balancing lines...Ever heard of Goran Kropp?

Just a quick little note on what I think may be one of the all-time great examples of pushing and then balancing...In Into Thin Air Jon Krakauer mentions the quest of a Swedish adventurer named Goran Kropp (sp?). Kropp cycled all the way from his native country to the highlands around Everest, then proceeded up the peak. A few days before the now famous disaster unfolded Kropp came within just a few hundred feet of the top before turning around due to fatigue and an uneasy feeling about his chances for a successful descent. Imagine biking thousands of miles and attempting the highest summit on Earth only to turn around at the virtual end not knowing if you'll ever be able to attempt the peak again. A defeat? No way...not in my book. To me Goran Kropp's decision is one of the greatest examples of foresight and clear thinking that I've ever heard of. The Everest mystique didn't turn Goran's mental tenacity into stupidity, and as a reward he got to live to climb again. After another failed attempt, Kropp summited Everest a week later.

to continue Cloudsplitters post_

.......And then he rode his bike back home!

In reality more like a 3. In my mind closer to a 4. When I try and act like a 4, I do not enjoy my hikes, the day of or the day after.

My fitness level. Well lets just call it well rounded. If you get my drift.

Re: Pushing and Balancing

trailbiscuit said:

mavs00 - Your point about too much mental tenacity is dead on. Training to run track and cross country throughout high school and college, you could say I was professionally trained to push as far as possible. Hence, I'm pretty good as pushing my bones up the hill...but, as we all know, that's only half the trip. When you run in a race, it's in a totally controlled environment, i.e. when/if I pass out, vomit or otherwise keel over at the end of a race, there is some type pf medical staff there to make sure I'm OK. !

Click to expand...

I also ran Track and XC. There is a hudge difference between Hiking and running. Yes running is in a controlled environment but running is also a sport were there are no breaks and time outs. Hiking if you get tired you can sit and relaxe. You do that in track you are done.

It would be a bit pretentious to claim a 5, so I voted 4. But there is a lot of room between 4 and 5. I often climb several consecutive days of 8-10,000 feet but generally opt for a day off after doing 12-14,000 feet. That nudges me somewhere between 4 and 5 I think. Right now I'm a bit off form, so I'd probably go with 4.5. When in condition I'd vote 4.8.