Last training hike – 9 miles, 1600 ft EG carrying a 25 lb pack.
The amount of time available to train is inversely proportional to time left before a big hike – taking even a few hours gets harder and harder as more stuff has to get done.
Fortunately I live near mountains where I can get out for a hike with just a few minutes driving.
My training goal is not primarily aerobic fitness. After all, if I get winded I can just stop and catch my breath. Taking an extra hour to make my miles for the day is no big deal. Rather, I am trying to strengthen my joints – feet, knees and hips. If they start hurting, hiking gets pretty brutal pretty quickly, and the only remedy is to get off the trail entirely. Definitely a hazard for old guys.
With luck, my training and a slow initial pace of 15 miles per day should help me avoid that disaster.
Not bad for a training hike trail.