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Ask HN: Are you hiking? How old are you and how many kilometers can you Hike?
11–20 of 70 posts
Re: Ask HN: Are you hiking? How old are you and how many kilometers can you Hike?
#12I'm a desk jockey in my late 50's, and have fallen in with other 40- and 50-somethings who will do multi-day 8-12 mile hikes on the Appalachian Trail. I am, by far, the slowest of the group and depend heavily on their experience and support.
I'd say working your way up, a little at a time, is essential. Have a look at this recent article by another walker of cities, Chris Arnade:
https://walkingtheworld.substack.com/p/how-to-walk-12-miles-...
Re: Ask HN: Are you hiking? How old are you and how many kilometers can you Hike?
#1340+, a bad knee (I think I will need a cleaning of my meniscus soon) and enjoying hiking. Tomorrow we are leaving for a nearly 100km hike between 900 and 2900m with the complete family, our sons are 9, 13 and 15, done over a week, sleeping in Hütten/refuges.
It means that you too can do it, but start slowly. Simply start walking[0] and ensure that you reduce your overweight if you have some. Combine it with regular strength workout, maybe 30 minutes 2 or 3 times a week.
The most important part is that you must find your fun in walking. Find something interesting you (mapping, birds, architecture or simply thinking about stuff) while you walk.
Reinhold Messner used to quote one of his good friends: "Hiking is the art of suffering". So yes, you suffer a bit on the way and some people cannot stand it, some enjoy it.
Re: Ask HN: Are you hiking? How old are you and how many kilometers can you Hike?
#14I'm 58 and my wife is two years younger. We do a few short hike each month, maybe up to 6km about 3 hours (often with our dog). We also do longer ones 3 or 4 times a year, maybe 10 to 15km, 300m ascent in about 6 hours. We just enjoy the scenery and identify plants, enjoy rock formations and the occasional run into fauna. Just take your time and maybe a friend to keep you motivated.
The physical side of things does improve as you learn about muscles you didn't know you had. Before we started doing it more regularly, I complained a bit about my knees and ankles - not so much now. Also get appropriate footwear - we've been pretty happy with what Merrell and Keen have on offer (and also Teva Sandles for summer walks)
Re: Ask HN: Are you hiking? How old are you and how many kilometers can you Hike?
#15With practice, I’m sure you can become as good as you can imagine. Habit forming is the trick, in my experience, prioritizing it and sticking to it. It might help to focus on ways to enjoy hiking, by starting small and having goals. Do easy 2km hikes somewhere beautiful or fun once a week until you’re longing to go harder and further, and then increase your length & difficulty slowly. You can set a destination. In the city, maybe your destination is a new sandwich shop across town, and you can enjoy some lunch and be less exhausted.
I’m also in my 40s. My typical day hikes are around 10km in the mountains, but I like to walk around in the city as well. Some hikes are shorter (~3km), and some are occasionally longer (~20km) if I have all day. On summer nights, instead of sitting on the couch, I like to download a movie and take a “Netflix walk”. In the mountains, I like exploring and seeing new places. My longest hike was about 80km through a mountain range. I went with a friend and it took 3 days because our packs had about 20kg of camping gear and food. That’s more backpacking than hiking, but I guess I’m saying that once you’re hiking a lot and you really enjoy it you can hike as far as you want, the limiter might be more time & motivation than distance.
Re: Ask HN: Are you hiking? How old are you and how many kilometers can you Hike?
#16Hiking is good exercise, and an exercise that you can continue to do throughout your lifetime.
I distinctly remembering as a sixth grader camper watching in utter disbelief as a 70 yo man charged up the mountain ahead of us while us kids lagged behind, and whined how tired out our legs were.
As for age ... I can hike better and further now as a non-smoker in my later forties than I did when I was in my twenties and smoking a pack a day.
Re: Ask HN: Are you hiking? How old are you and how many kilometers can you Hike?
#17I hiked the pct, 4000 km.
Re: Ask HN: Are you hiking? How old are you and how many kilometers can you Hike?
#18With practice, I’m sure you can become as good as you can imagine. Habit forming is the trick, in my experience, prioritizing it and sticking to it. It might help to focus on ways to enjoy hiking, by starting small and having goals. Do easy 2km hikes somewhere beautiful or fun once a week until you’re longing to go harder and further, and then increase your length & difficulty slowly. You can set a destination. In th…
What is a "Netflix walk"?
Re: Ask HN: Are you hiking? How old are you and how many kilometers can you Hike?
#1958yo and walk around 5km daily with the wife on trails. (We're in SoCal, so it's always sunny.) Sometimes I tack on another 5-10km jogging.
Very good for physical and mental health.
Re: Ask HN: Are you hiking? How old are you and how many kilometers can you Hike?
#20With practice, I’m sure you can become as good as you can imagine. Habit forming is the trick, in my experience, prioritizing it and sticking to it. It might help to focus on ways to enjoy hiking, by starting small and having goals. Do easy 2km hikes somewhere beautiful or fun once a week until you’re longing to go harder and further, and then increase your length & difficulty slowly. You can set a destination. In th…
What is a "Netflix walk"?
Just watching a movie while I walk. ;) I take an iPad and wander for a couple of miles enjoying the movie.