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Main Boards => Long Distance Walks => Topic started by: Kmo86 on 12:44:00, 12/06/18

Title: Will running help for long distance walks?
Post by: Kmo86 on 12:44:00, 12/06/18
as I said in my last post I’m planning to walk the 3 Yorkshire peaks with a group I go to. I am also expecting to start running with the man who runs the group. I used to do some running with him months back but as he wanted to be fair to everyone he stopped doing it as he didn’t have time to fit everyone in. He did mention by summer he mite start a running group. Now I’ve made it clear I’m keen on this idea and I think a few others have so he’s said he will start it end of this month. I’m wondering if this could help towards me doing the 3 peaks.
Title: Re: Will running help for long distance walks?
Post by: richardh1905 on 12:54:10, 12/06/18
Anything that will help improve your general fitness will help. The trick is not to overdo it and end up with an injury!
Title: Re: Will running help for long distance walks?
Post by: Hillhiker1 on 13:31:49, 12/06/18
Richard's right, but I think most on here would agree, that the best way to get hill fit is to climb hills. I also cycle quite a bit and run a little. surprisingly (to me anyway) neither of those activites uses the same muscles as hiking.
It wiil help your cardio though.
Title: Re: Will running help for long distance walks?
Post by: Slogger on 16:32:39, 12/06/18
You seem to have your planning and activities very fixed on this 'Man'. Running and walking are very free activities, why limit yourself down to what this 'man' decides to do, get out there yourself like the rest of us, stop tying yourself down to what someone else decides what they want.
Walking and running are many peoples, including mine, ways of escaping the hum drum of normal life. No one tells me what to do and where and when to go for a walk, I decide myself. Free yourself of relying so much on someone to go on a simple walk.
Many people who want to do the entire 3 peaks, begin by doing them all seperately, one at a time, then two and finaly all three.
Title: Re: Will running help for long distance walks?
Post by: tonyk on 17:22:17, 12/06/18
 Running will help but you need to do a fair amount of it to get the benefit.Hard cardio work will certainly help with the ascents but for stamina you need long distance done at a quarter effort.Lets say your best time for the mile is 8 minutes then a quarter effort would be around nine minute mile pace.Its comfortable but not too comfortable.Work up to a 15-20 mile run on a weekend done at a quarter effort and you will certainly be fit enough for a walk such as the Three peaks.
Title: Re: Will running help for long distance walks?
Post by: Kmo86 on 17:39:35, 12/06/18
I do do a lot of walking on my own I take my dog walks every day on my own. I do enjoy it more with someone to talk to. Reason I’m wanting to do this with this group is brushed I know it will take like all daylight hours so would get boring alone.  


This actually started last year the man and woman who run the brain injury group I go to walked the 3 peaks then the man noticed me listening when he mentioned them and straight away said I’d not manage them. He wasn’t saying it to have a go or anything but being cautious. Since then I’ve wanted to give it a go and I’m planning to raise money for the brain injury charity by completing this challenge.
Title: Re: Will running help for long distance walks?
Post by: Phileas on 18:13:20, 12/06/18
I would expect running to be very useful, but not complete, training for walking.


I personally came to walking from a cycle commuting background which keeps me very strong in the legs and lungs, helping immensely in the climbing of hills (the leg action for both activities seems very similar).


The problem for me is more in the downhills and traversing of rough ground where cycle fitness is less useful and may be partly responsible, via “muscular imbalances”, for my proneness to knee and ankle problems (although walking poles seem to help here).
Title: Re: Will running help for long distance walks?
Post by: Slowcoach on 20:52:19, 12/06/18
Yes, running will help with fitness and stamina for walking. The fastest i have ever gone up hills in the Lake District was the 2 years I had trained for the London Marathon. But as was said earlier build up steadily.
Best of luck.