[davelockyer101]

Over the past couple of years I’ve been building a training cycle aorund the suggestions made for 100 mile Mountain Runs in TFtUA, using a mix of aerobic running and ME work. My goals for 2022 are to do a few unsupported Fastpacks here in the UK from between 150 and 250 miles. The terrain will be undulating but hardly ‘mountainous’ (between 15k and 25k feet of ascent on each course) and I guess I’ll be powerhiking at least 50% of the time. My question is whether I need to tweak the training program in the light of this. Are there thinkgs I need to do less/more of? Thanks…

Topic

[Stergios K]

Stergios K on December 29, 2021 at 3:05 am #61263

I hope I’m not highjacking your post. I’m also at the same spot. Looking to do a fastpacking thru-hike in June and was wondering if the plans are ok or need tweaking.

[bback]

bback on December 29, 2021 at 8:36 am #61271

I’m also in a similar boat. While not an expert, so grain of salt, the differences For me seem to depend on how long one runs per day and how heavy the pack is. I can see needing increased strength like a mountaineer or skimo athlete to safely carry the pack.

So for me my hike will look more like a slow motion fkt in an anish/Heather Anderson style with no running. So a fastpack starts looking like a stage race the more days involved. While running most of the day starts looking like a 200 mile ultra?

I’m guessing the real difference would be strength/me to handle the pack and energy management/specific type training for your type of event.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous on December 30, 2021 at 7:24 pm #61321

I have great luck with ultra runners by using the Gym ME progression outlined in the book and on this site here https://uphillathlete.com/at-home-muscular-endurance-workout-with-progression/.

The only mods I would make would make for fast packing would be to sped some time doing weighted hill climb sort of ME work as outlined here https://uphillathlete.com/vertical-beast-mode-what-is-muscular-endurance-why-it-is-important-for-any-alpinist-or-mountaineer-and-how-do-you-train-it/

This will help condition your shoulders and core to the heavier pack weight.

I would be sparing with long weighted run/hikes that simulate the actual event. I’d limit this to perhaps 2 weekend where you did big back to back days of 3-6 hour each day with the same pack you’ll be carrying.

I Hope this helps
Scott

[Stergios K]

Stergios K on January 5, 2022 at 5:21 am #61594

Hi Scott, happy new year.

I’m thinking of getting Foote’s big vert plan for a fastpacking thru-hike this summer. Do you think this is the most appropriate plan to get or the 24 weeks mountaineering would be more suitable? If so, what tweaks would you suggest to the plan?

[davelockyer101]

davelockyer101 on January 5, 2022 at 12:44 pm #61606

Thanks, Scott. That’s reassuring and pretty much what I began to do last year as I built up to one of these efforts. I used 8 weeks of the home based ME progression but did this fortnightly as it was just too much load weekly. I also built in hike/jogs with a 10kg Weighted Pack. My pack weight for the fastpack starts out as 7kg and goes down to 5kg after 2-3 days as I work my way through the food…