Author Topic: How do you get fit for hill walking when you live in flat East Anglia  (Read 3013 times)

madame cholet

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If I could be bothered I'd use the weighted rucksack up and down the stairs method... and maybe a bit of cycling.


But I can't be bothered.  So I just take the hills slow and steady.  Keep the same cadence but shorten the stride.  Stop frequently for breathers and enjoy the view.  Works for me.


(I live in an equally flat part of East Yorkshire)


Lol that's what I normally do I'm just stopping to look at the view lol. I'll see if I can be bothered too mind it will help me loose 1/2stone  managed 3 miles again today.
Great things are done when women and mountains meet.

oczo81

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I don`t know exactly where you`re based or how willing to travel a bit but Pegsdon Hills and Barton Hills aren`t bad options. It`s near Luton. While not massive it`s still hilly and very nice.
David

Peter

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DA wrote [The best and safest way to develop leg strength, is to go running in sand dunes.

 A method pioneered by the great Percy Cerutty in the fifties.Sand dunes are at 6.30 on this clip.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKqMRpv7ygc

 I would be inclined to agree when it comes to walking or running wearing leg weights.Its a bit like wearing very heavy boots in that the the lower leg is in danger of hyperflexing and damaging the knee.Back in the seventies in karate we used to train kicks whilst wearing iron geta,basically sandals made from heavy iron.Most of us ended up with knee injuries.

 However,I think Madame Cholet should take our advice and start running up sand dunes with a 25kg bag of sand on her shoulders whilst wearing leg weights. ;)

 BTW,if hills are a struggle just try walking up them slower,one step at a time so your legs get plenty of rest.


Fascinating film. I love the weight lifting section. Totally wrong LOL, don't know how they didn't hurt themselves.
Peter
sometimes I fall off the learning curve....
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Andies

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We have the same problem here in Suffolk. It's not totally flat but it's difficult to find any hills of note, and certainly nothing that can really prepare us for our hill walking trips. Yes you can put in the miles on the flat, but it always takes a while to get used to the hills again, only for it to then be the end of the trip.

By coincidence when out walking locally on Sunday we did pass by an old gravel pit area, and discussed whether we might use the various slopes thereof for a bit of hill climbing practice, but I don't think it would be that much fun  ::)

ninthace

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Madame Cholet - you could climb the Gog Magog Hills https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gog_Magog_Hills  ;)
Solvitur Ambulando

RogerA

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Not quite the same problem here in North Warwickshire, there are some hills if no mountains but there is a lack of good long open routes that arnt on roads.
Most walking / route sites I look at seem to have looked to see where I live, drawn a 20 mile radius circle around my house and said to everyone 'dont make any suggestions inside this circle'.
Half the public footpaths I try to walk down are overgrown to impassable, unmarked, chained shut or otherwise obstructed. I of course report every one - which are very slowly being addressed ... very very slowly. (I've reported I think 6 deliberately obstructed footpaths just within 1 mile of my house).

It does all make harder to find good routes that dont become repetitive.

rural roamer

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I’m in Suffolk and managed the Pennine Way training mostly on the flat. We started training in March for the walk at the end of June.  We just built up each weekend from about 5 miles to 17 miles 2 days in a row a couple of weeks before the start. Most of it was flat except we had a couple of weekends in the Peak District in May and June to get some hill practice in. Other than that I walk several times up and down a nearby road hill and generally stay fit. Make sure you also carry your fully loaded rucksack (my hubby actually puts more in when training,) We always aim about two weeks before we start, to be able to do 2 days in a row a couple miles more than our first two days on the LDW.

 

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