Cycling UK Forum

Most of my walking is on the flat so I've no idea about how hard slopes should be. But, yesterday I want on a walk, out and back and the back" was 3 miles at 8% slope (so over the 3 miles average 8%, clearly some bits steeper, other bits flatter). And by the end I found it hard work.

(The "out" was 3.5 miles downhill).

Is 8% for 3 miles trivial (and I'm very unfit/walking unfit) or is it a fair effort (making me feel a bt fitter)?

Thanks
Ian

So overall you did 6&1/2 miles near all of which was up or down hill. Walking down hill can be more effort than walking on the level, because you have to control your descent and walking up hill is going to be more effort than walking on the level. I guess that you were out for nearly three hours and three hours of walking isn’t, I think, trivial. Be pleased with yourself that you managed it, next step is to get a dog and do that distance every day .

It was an almost out and back -3.5 miles out, 3 miles back. Out downhill, turn round and walk back except way back followed a local who knew some short-cuts (that didn't actually cut much off) but shortcuts don't affect the altitude change (as I had to get back to the same hotel.

It was around 2000m altitude that I don't really regard as relevant as 2000 m is hardly going to affect performance.

Ian

What you haven’t mentioned is pace. Doing that climb at a fair old lick would test even pretty fit people, I think; doing it really, really slowly, you’d not notice it.

Nearholmer wrote: ↑12 Mar 2023, 5:23pm What you haven’t mentioned is pace. Doing that climb at a fair old lick would test even pretty fit people, I think; doing it really, really slowly, you’d not notice it.

The uphill return was approx. av 2.3 mph (took 1h20).

Ian

Psamathe wrote: ↑12 Mar 2023, 4:01pm It was an almost out and back -3.5 miles out, 3 miles back. Out downhill, turn round and walk back except way back followed a local who knew some short-cuts (that didn't actually cut much off) but shortcuts don't affect the altitude change (as I had to get back to the same hotel.

It was around 2000m altitude that I don't really regard as relevant as 2000 m is hardly going to affect performance.

Ian

I doubted no adverse effect at that altitude so had a quick ‘Google’ to see what I could find out. Expect a 4% drop in performance at 2000m : https://www.mysportscience.com/post/201 ... erformance . I wouldn’t be surprised if older / less fit folk suffer a bigger loss than that.

There are a lot of factors that affect how strenuous a walk is, and mileage can be one of the more trivial. Height gain is a major one, and so is gradient: slopes shallow enough to walk with your heels on the ground are much easier. Having said that, climbing with your heels off the ground uses muscles a lot more like cycling. Type of terrain has a huge effect, I could make 4mph easily on level tarmac, but I've walked on the level at 1mph and found it absolutely exhausting on ground so rough it was throwing me violently off balance with every step because the tussocks were hidden from view under long grass. Loose scree and powder sand are also energy wasters. The weight of boots makes a significant difference, as does a rucsac, and so does weather: driving wind & rain sap your strength.

Naismiths Rule is an estimator that fellwalkers use, along with Tranters variations, but it's only a guide. If you collect enough data you can calculate your own personalised Naismith: IIRC, I used to estimate on the basis of 4mph, and 1000 feet per hour, which is faster than Naismith on distance and slower on ascent: the result of training in flat Essex.

As with cycling the speed you achieve depends on the distance you're going, and how often: a short one-off is different to all day, every day.

(I calculated my Naismiths Rule for cycling: 5m26s per mile, plus 26m06s per 1000 feet, not including rest stops, or 6m26s & 43m01s including stops.)

I would say 8% average gradient over 3 miles is definitely not easy and potentially tough dependent on how much effort you apply.

I am finding I have to walk at a moderate "natural" pace (for me). Back in Jan I damaged my Achilles Tendon, not disastrously and just one physio appointment more for advice than treatment (given my decision to depart anyway).

Going slower on crowded streets is difficult and quickly gets painful. Most days out walking the tendon not too bad in morning but limping a little by late afternoon but OK again next morning.

Weird thing was the uphill (I asked about as OP) didn't really hurt the tendon although in places it must have been stretching it more than walking on the level.

Ian