I understand where your coming from Brett, I really do. If this trip was tomorrow or even next week I wouldn't be going myself. I've had so many truck problems with my milk truck lately, tough times right now. The good thing Is, there's always next year or some other year. I'll be missing you Brett, was very much looking forward to meeting you.
OK......support group time... Where ya at on your conditioning? Where do you "think" you need to be? What are you doing to get there? I'm NOWHERE near where I even think I need to be (where I really need to be is a BIG question). Weight-wise, I'll get to where I wanna be (185#'s), though I haven't been at that weight in over......well....close to 30yrs.. Right now, I'm probably around 198. Aerobically, I'm pitiful, right now. I've done 5-3/4mi., so far this week.....shooting for 20mi.. (and I'll up this as the weeks progress). I'll mix in some light weights, next week. I plan to hike, once a week, from here on out (pack in tow...as soon as I decide on a pack!). I'm also gonna mix in some stadium stair runs here and there. I plan on going to CO in the best shape of my life. So......back to the original question.....................
I'm coming out of a wet, dark winter in prime beer drinking mode with about 8% body fat. I'd like to gain about 10 pounds over the summer to get up to a svelte 180. I think I'll switch to heavier beers, maybe lay off the IPA's in favor of porters as I work into spring bear hunting and rowing season. Sedentary life in the captain's chair of my boat for the summer may leave me sucking wind for a couple days when I get there so you guys may be able to keep up. :D
Tabasco? Man....Texas Pete is made, here in my hometown......and it SMOKES Tabasco! (Rest of that meal looks GREAT!........beer included)
At 240# right now, I've been working out, biking (stationary), hiking, light weights, but I don't realistically expect to be anything under 220#. Once the weather breaks, I'll start biking again, put in 12-15miles per ride 3-4x per week, and when I ride, I ride full blow for the entirety of the ride most of the time. Running is out of the question for me, but I can hike w/ the best of them for the most part. Oh, and I forgot to mention, I've been doing a LOT of snow shoveling over the last MONTH!!! I'll be in the Gym again tomorrow, putting a little time on a bike, lifting a little light-weights, and maybe putting in some hacks in the batting cage if I can get my Dad to feed the pitching machine. If I show up in Colorado at 220#, I'll be delighted, if not, I'll still hike around on the mountains just like I did last fall.
I'm currently 204# and looking to get down to around 186# for the trip. Hiking around 5miles per week (more it the missus can manage it), running in the evening and when i can gym in the morning before work (cardio and legs mainly) Even though I'm LARGE, I wont give up on the hike
I'm currently 186# , i climb/hike up mountains once a month and recreational hiking too , run 4miles - 2x per/week , my job has me walking up steps and stairs most of the shift , press-ups sit-ups , but like big portions and beer is good for you i'm told . I'll stick at 186 , but tone things up a little before i get their . Mark i will have you sucking air in no time , its the altitude that gets ya .
Guys......I've never been anywhere close to this altitude. I have no idea of what to expect. I'm preparing for the worst! And, I STILL might suck wind, when I get there.
I used to guide groups in the French Alps and Pyrenees at around this altitude and never had any serious AMS (sickness) issues. If you take it relatively easy for the first few days you will acclimatise. As long as you are NOT unfit and are used to doing this amount of activity then you should be fine unless your are geneticly inclined to suffer. If this happens to be the case, desend to a lower altitude for a day and sleep the night there, slowly walk back up the next day and give your body a chance to acclimatise. If you are there for a while you should still get a few days hunting in
Rob, I'm going to make a wild guess and say that beer does not fall in the "Light" category...looks tasty
Jeff, no doubt I will be in best shape of my life for CO. I'm currently about 172 - probably same for CO as I typically gain a few pounds the harder I work out. Currently conditioning 3 or 4 days a week, every other day doing either treadmill or stairmill. Currently jog a little over 3 miles each time (working my way up to a 10K in May with wife), stairs I'm up to 3 miles and will work my way to 5-6 miles at least once per week. Also mix in some weights about every other episode. At home I have been doing push ups 3-4 evenings per week. Once weather breaks, plan to start 1-2 hikes per week before work with loaded pack, increasing in length as we near Sept. I've always had a casual workout schedule (very lucky that my employer also owns a Fitness Center next door - spend most lunch hours there), but I've enjoyed having this trip to look forward to with a reason to push myself a little harder. Have laid off the beer lately to help with workouts (though not sure the Captain and Coke Zero is any better for me)...let's see how the summer goes Don't let me down guys - I'm going to be in shape to pack some Elk out...and hopefully not just mine
I have no idea....but would imagine there are those among us that altitude sickness doesn't affect. Living at the coast, I had several ops. to off-shore fish. I never knew when motion sickness was gonna rear its' ugly head. I prepared each time the same way.......and sometimes it "got me"....and many times it didn't. I just never knew. Like a golfing hacker.....I suppose I'll just "hit and hope"!
Jeff, This is part of why I'd like to get there a little early, and "hunt scout" close to camp to acclimate for a day and a half or so. I have exertional asthma as a result of a little surgical intervention gone wrong, but as long as I get a little time to acclimate, I'm decent. HYDRATION is one of the biggest keys, as you WILL suck a little air, and when you start mouth breathing, you start losing water. My body never bothered me the whole time last year. First time out in '05, I wasn't well prepared, and I had to get up in the morning and work through some REALLY sore legs/feet. I learned my lesson, and last fall I had no problems. Along w/ staying hydrated, I take a B-complex, a baby aspirin, an OTC dose of Pepcid (famotidine), and drank an Ener-C each morning and evening. I know the Pepcid makes a big difference to me, even though I don't have heart burn at sea level, in the mountains it's FIERCE. I also have a bottle of Aleve and Benadryl that I may take for an occasional headache or itchies or to help sleep, but I only took the Aleve the first few days as the altitude did give me a slight headache initially. Matt, With this group, I'd like to think you'll get a couple opportunities to pack out an elk quarter or two....... I know for me, I'm gonna have a hard time not arrowing the first cow I see, but that's just me. Last fall I had the same attitude, and the only thing I arrowed was a mountain tree rat, and a grouse......:D I pray this time around is different. Could have killed probably a dozen mule deer as well, but nothing bigger than a small 3x3, and I never had a tag anyhow........oh, and the BEAR I still kick myself over.
A useful link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altitude_sickness I'm holding at 196 for the moment. I will be back into my climbing/hauling weight of 186 by July. Sadly, there's no substitute for a workout in the mountains outside of the mountains. Do you're best...more is better than not. Rob, you could swallow a grape and look 4 months pregnant! Beers to you! Stevie, just keep swimming! You'll get here!
Hope y'all down mind me crashing your thread. It never hurts to throw out your workout plans in order to help you stick with them. I'm a little behind where I want to be at the moment, but only because I plan to run a half marathon in 60 days. But besides that, by the time September rolls around I'll be down to 170 +/- and should have no problems. One change I plan to make this year is hiking with my pack loaded up. Running is great, & I can go all day, but the extra weight of hte pack changes things.
