The last few years on occasion, I do a little of what I guess is fastpacking, running/jogging with your bp trip, part of or all of it. I'm 58 now and where no witnesses are about, will jog on flats and downhills on the morning I come out from my trip. Did this a week ago along the PCT in CA's Buck's Lake Wilderness, a few miles from home. Do you still do this? Kinda hard to get into a normal jogging gait, kinda like a old mans shuffle just about. I still take pride that I don't jog like that. On another topic I started got me to thinking that I achieved a good days mileage on the Rae Lakes Loop in Sequoia NP, CA by jogging the second day out, down the river from Vidette Meadow.
Duane

If your knees can handle it, go for it. I'm always worried if I run down hill that I'm going to permanently ruin my knees, but then I've got personal and family history against me.

HJ

Just wait until you guys get really old.

--B.G.--

HJ, with me collecting stoves now, most trips I'm packing two stoves unless it is a week long trip on vacation. I don't want them rattling around. My bp trip a week ago down into Lost Lake below the PCT, I thought I would save time on my way out, so took a XC route down to another small lake. Trouble, much bush whacking, only saved 10 minutes from when I hiked in the day before and I could have made good time going out the way I came in and jogged down to my pickup.
Bubbs Creek is where I went the second day of my Rae Lakes Loop trip, made good time and only saw two rattlers, more than in August this year when I came up.
Duane

"Just wait until you guys get really old."

+1 :(

Maybe I'll get a trail name if I can continue making the younger crowd look slow.:)
Duane

If I see you coming down the trail, I'll trip you with my walker.

--B.G.--

lol

I'm well on my way past the mid-fifties and have been a recreational athlete all my adult life and always fast-pack including a lot of off-trail miles and big elevation gain/decent.

With weight on your back a fast, long stride, controlled walk is just a fast as "jogging" without adding that bounce to your joints - just like an efficient stroke for cycling or carved turns for skiing it's important when fast walking to use all of your muscle groups with each stride - it take practice, you have to train your body to gain that efficiency. With a middle age body I've also found that a routine of stretching and of course exercise is key to enjoying those long hikes.

Keep up the pace, train & hike smart to stay injury free for a long, long time! :-)

mM

I've had a desk job the last 7 years now. I have poor posture, then with sitting at my cubicle most of the day, I tend to place my feet under my chair, on edge, so after sitting for a bit, when I get up I walk like an old person. I have neck issues, so I havn't ridden my mt bike much the last five years, I need to get higher handle bars or a taller riser and get back to riding it a few times a week. I do jog twice a week, weather or not, a few miles each time.
Duane