Hiking/mountaineering effects on running fitness

I think running is beneficial for hiking but hiking probably has not any additional positive effect on your running.

That's at least my experience.

Thanks. One thing I have found is that hiking tends to bring the weight off faster than running (I'm 5'11, trying to get to 150lb (currently 158))

Hey there.

I am just an average hobby jogger (35 mpw , now 45 and building up 60 mpw). I usually spend one week in summer and one week in winter doing some mountaineering (nothing super serious but demanding). I t take a couple of days off before bc I want to perform well in the mountains. With the altktude (3000 m), all the weight of the backpack with the equipment and the food it is very comm9n that i reach 140 bpm

I think of it as a period of manteinance and strength training. Dont worry too much. Unless you are very competitive or something, the effect should be 0. Take a day off after your travel and keep training.

Best wishes.

HM guy wrote:

Thanks. One thing I have found is that hiking tends to bring the weight off faster than running (I'm 5'11, trying to get to 150lb (currently 158))

That's probably just because you can hike for so much longer than you can run. Hiking uphill can rival or sometimes exceed flat-ground running in terms of caloric burn rate, but you are burning very little when you go downhill. Your runs have a higher average burn rate, but it is much easier to burn calories while hiking because it is typically enjoyable and lower intensity. And if you're backpacking all day, you're both burning a lot of calories (very slowly, but over a long time), and your appetite is likely suppressed. It can take me up to a couple weeks into a backpacking trip to regain my normal appetite, so most backpacking trips tend to be calorically negative without you even trying. Compare that to a day in your normal life, where you go for a quick run and then get right back to sitting around and having snacks within arm's reach.

I would agree with the poster who said running will help your hiking more than the other way around. The benefit of hiking (for running) is generally just its aerobic stimulus. If you hike a lot of uphills, you might improve your glute strength, but I wouldn't count on it. It certainly takes my muscles/tendons a while to adjust to running when I switch from doing more hiking. I just think running is more of a pounding on your body, and hiking doesn't prepare you for it. Except if you really run the downhills. In which case you can handle any pounding in the world!

Just my take from my own experience as a runner-hiker-backpacker hybrid person (who rotates the emphasis of those roles in my life over time).

I'm wondering the same thing. I want to be a competitive middle distance runner. I am an incoming freshman for highschool. My family likes to hike a lot, and I'm worried that I won't be as consistent with training even if we go on a couple days of backpacking with strenuous climbs. Anyone find that backpacking can benefit running?

I've noticed this too. I or just about any other runner around my level can hike all day and is in shape for elevation changes and uphill/downhills.

Going the other way - it takes a ton of hiking to get aerobically fit - and even then the fitness is generally only enough to start a base program/maybe reduce the amount of time needed to be spent on base before beginning specific training.

I've found that I can generally run and hike on the same day, even getting in 3 "sessions" with 2 runs and a hike. It could be a good idea to reduce running volume if you're feeling tired though. At 40 mpw, that could mean a slow 30 min jog in the evening to maintain fitness. If you're looking at hiking as a way to gain fitness though and you see your 40 mpw as only a waypoint to more volume, keep up the 40 mpw and add in more running when you aren't doing the hiking.

the long time on feet will leave your legs more tired. you won't be in good condition to run workouts same or next day.

the benefit of mountain hiking is only aerobic/base building - to make your aerobic system stronger. and this assumes you are walking uphill and getting the heartrate up to zones 2 and 3. if you are walking flat ridge lines or downhill you won't be getting much benefit of anything, downhill maybe you will be strengthening the quad muscles if the gradient is steep... that's about it.

Very little aerobic benefit unless you are doing some really steep uphill stuff. The benefit is that the time spent on your feet, the undulating surfaces, and the weight of your pack will help to create stronger feet, ankles, knees, connective tissue, etc. Uphill hiking will benefit your posterior chain strength. There are benefits to be had but hiking won't replace running for cardio benefit.

You can't really do speedwork wearing two and a half pound boots and carrying fiftypounds on your back. But climbing up six hours every day is good for base training.

A couple days of backpacking isn't going to mess up your running. As others have mentioned, it's still going to provide some general fitness benefits, just not run specific benefits. For that reason, although it wouldn't be the best plan during season (fall or spring), it's fine during off-season (summer) - half your teammates and competitors in HS might not even be doing anything at all then anyways. Enjoy life a little!

gonna have to strongly disagree with this notion that you couldn't do it while training, and also the above notion that hiking won't help your running.

while of course it's not smart to go for a multi-day, extremely strenuous backpacking trip the day before a race, hiking (and running!) on trails, walking with a backpack, moving in the mountains whether at high altitude or not, all of this has very good benefits for your training. here's why:

1. injury prevention: hikers/trail runners use a wide array of foot, back, and core muscles that flatland road runners do not. you are building up supplementary muscles that will keep you strong and can limit the likelihood of many typical overuse running injuries.

2. cross training: walking/running lightly with a backpack on, now more popularly known as "rucking," is great cross training. training for running is not the great secret that some runners make it out to be. if you go for long walks or runs with weight on your back your are building great and very specific endurance. it's like a baseball player swinging with two bats while in the on deck circle....

3. improved reflexes/general athleticism: hopping quickly from rock to rock, root to root, over water, through mud...if you get even ok at this, you're gonna have a big advantage over a bunch of tiptoeing specialists when you're jostling for the inside lane in a track race, or for position in a road race or XC race.

4. general health: time spent walking is just extremely good for your body. walking for hours a day is better than sitting all day and going for a 1 hour hard run. so if you go for your hard run AND walk, your keeping your heart, bones, muscles as fresh and sharp as they can possibly be.

obviously i'm a big proponent of hiking as a training tool. i really can't say enough about spending as much time walking every day as i can has changed my training....nothing keeps you fresher and stronger in between your big running efforts than hiking. and unless you are really at a very beginner level, running only a couple times a week, hiking really won't be impacting your training in any way.