Christmas is great for gear

With time off work for the holidays its been great to spend time with the family but its also been great to spend some time training.  How often is the holiday season a time for excessive eating, sweets and drinks.

This year has been different.  We all got gastro! So we have not been eating like made but that being said I have taken the opportunity to do a lot of cardiovascular training.  Everyday has been a good day for a run and 8-10km has made my holiday training not excessive but very fulfilling.

Of course with Christmas comes the opportunity to ask for stuff, and what a score this year.  I received 2 items which I'm very excited to get out and use.

On returning last month from the 4 day hike from Red Jacket to Rumpff Saddle I was able to reflect on what changes I could make in my gear.  Weights, quantities, packaging.  On reflecting on some of the reasons we got lost coming out of Black River I feel like one of the reasons we did get lost was our fear of taking off our packs to get out our assets, maps, compass, GPS etc.  I feel like we avoided for as long as possible getting these items out because of the hassle of taking off our 20kilo packs and knowing we'd have to put them back on a couple minutes later.  So gift 1 will address this.

The Black Wolf Oasis II bum bag (fanny pack) is going to be great for our adventure across the Australian Alps walking track.  






Product specs are as follows.

• Bungee System
• Padded Waist Strap
• Waterproof zip

With sufficient room for maps, compass, GPS and even some snacks & first aid I have no doubt this is going to complement the rest of my pack gear really well.




I may replace the 2 plastic water bottles included for my metal purifying lid bottles but beyond that its just perfect.  Will have to get out in the new year for a couple days with Tim and the boys and test the new addition.






My second gift that will be coming with me on the Australian Alps Walking Track is from Outdoor research.  This to me looks like the bast headwear I could have asked for for the trail.

This versatile hat has a removable. adjustable skirt that gives you shelter from harsh rays or can be removed when you just need ball-cap coverage.  The lightweight fabric provides UPF 30+ sun protection.  Mesh side panels let air flow over the sides of your head.

I'm not a fan of hats when on the trail due to the heat retention but I'm confident this will be a lightweight option that will protect me without adding to trail issues.  Again, can't wait to get out and try it on the trail.





Christmas only comes once a year and man have I used it to my best advantage.  Thank you to family that located and presented the gifts to me and thank you for supporting my adventures.

Stretching for Hikers

Stretching and hiking

While some of us are good at stretching at the gym or before and after a run, we often forget to stretch before hiking, climbing, or just as part of the daily routine. It’s important to maintain a stretching program year round in order to remain supple and agile due to conditions you encounter outdoors like stepping on and over logs, uneven and steep ground, rocks, river crossings, boulders, and twisting and reaching in unnatural positions to find holds.

Stretching before, after and even throughout the day on occasions when you start to feel leg weary are good ways of helping you get through a days hike and also to reduce soreness that may incur.

Try these stretches designed for hikers, backpackers, and mountaineers at home and at the trailhead keeping the following tips in mind:

• Hold each stretch for a minimum of 20-30 seconds, doing 2-3 reps on each side. If a stretch feels
tighter in specific areas, it is beneficial to stretch those muscles 2-3 times per day.

• Stretch to the point that you feel a good stretch, not pain.

• Make sure that your core muscles are kept tight to help maintain good posture: this ensures that you
are targeting the intended muscle.

• Don’t bounce with the stretch, just hold.

Avoid:

• Not stretching both sides of the body.

• Not keeping other joints straight. (example bending your knee for a Hamstring stretch)

• Not keeping hips and feet pointing forward (on a Hamstring stretch)

• Arching the back because the stomach muscles are not tight (example: Hip Flexor stretch)

There is still conflicting advice whether stretching reduces the risk of injury. One thing for sure is that if you have a greater range of movement then you’ll perform exercises more efficiently and effectively and if you find yourself in awkward positions hiking or climbing then you’ll want suppleness and agility on your side.

Stretching is one piece of the jigsaw in terms of the reduction of muscle soreness and general fatigue. Hydration, nutrition and adequate sleep all play a vital roll and without nailing all four factors then it becomes hard to give yourself the best opportunity to smash through the hills of the next days hike.

Below is a series of stretches that can be easily performed anywhere and anytime.

Gastroncnemius:

With back leg straight, move hips forward until stretch is felt.

Soleus:
Keep back leg slightly bent, with heel on floor, lean into wall until stretch is felt in calf. Use a car, tree, or truck at trailhead.

Hamstring:
Place a foot on stool, log, or car bumper, slowly lean forward and keep your back straight, until stretch is felt in back of thigh.

Piriformis:
Cross legs, with one on top of the others knee, Gently pull other knee toward chest until stretch is felt in buttock/hip of top leg.

Hip Flexor:
Kneeling on one knee, slowly push your pelvis down while slightly arching back until stretch is felt on front of hip.

Thigh:

This is perhaps the most common stretch, the thigh stretch. Where you pull the foot back towards the bum and get a pull at the front of the leg.

Regular stretching will certainly aid any tired and aching muscles and make the whole experience more enjoyable.

Marcus Bourne

M-Power Personal Fitness

Fire Track - Mount Corhanwarrabul

Every couple weekends we will be heading out to the Dandenong Mountains for some intense training.  Although we will not be racing or trying to achieve any great time when Tim Marsden & I are on the Australian Alps Walking Track, it is good to know that our bodies will be ready to dig in for some big efforts on parts of the hike.

As part of the preparation we will be racing up this 1 km track which is about 500 meter direct assent from start to finish.  It burns the legs and puts pressure on the lower back so I know I am shocking the muscles into action.  I expect that doing these intense training sessions now will mean I will be able to enjoy the journey from Walhalla to Canberra instead of puffing and panting all the way there.

Oh yeah, we taped this weekends training.  A little fun.

This was our second session and we had much better results this time around.  Cut 4 minutes off our first effort.

If anyone would like to join us at 7am Saturday mornings please either add a comment on the blog comment page below or reply on Facebook.  We will keep you updated on when we will be heading out next.

Big shout out to Steve Walsh for putting the video together.

Keeping in mind that the original inspiration for the end to end hike of the Australian Alps Walking Track is to raise awareness for "Beyond Blue" the national depression initiative, we all wore the blue wrist bands that Beyond blue has sent to oz4adventure as an unofficial sponsor.  As I may injure myself on the hike I am not able to receive full sponsorship from them.

Beyond Blue is a wonderful resource for anyone who suffers or knows someone who suffers from depression and/or anxiety.  Depression and/or anxiety will effect us all through out our lives in one way or another, whether it be our own mental health or the mental health of someone we know.  What I have found since speaking to people about the Hike & Beyond Blue is that it effects people around me who I would not have know had struggles if I had not been discussing depression with them.  I'd like to thank everyone from Sunday who showed their support by wearing the "Blue" wristbands.

Take the time this week to ask someone how they are going, take the time to look out for each other and lets take some time in the outdoors.  Fresh air and physical exercise can really stimulate your mind and help fight the anxious or depressing feelings that may be holding you back from happiness.

Anyone who is able or interested in making a donation to Beyond Blue can do so at their website

https://www.givenow.com.au/beyondblue

Inspired by an event

So yesterday I was talking with Marcus Bourne of M power personal training and he suggested I enter a race as part of my training.  Its not just any race mind you.  Its tough, it's un-timed and its hard work.

This is a run, crawl, freeze, burn, electrical mud fest that will be taking place on Philip Island in March 2012.  It is a mix of cardio endurance, muscular fitness and mental strength.

Their website lists 16 training exercises to prepare for the event and having read through each exercise I can already say that Marcus has me working on at least 9 of those exercises as part of my current routine.

One of the top reasons for going the weights training I'm doing in preparation for the hike is not because I think I need muscle for the hike but rather I need to strengthen my core and put my muscles under some duress.  Hiking will put my muscles under duress and by training them now I hope to reduce the muscular issues I have during the 40 days and hopefully avoid any tears of strains so that I can just enjoy the experience and my surroundings.

Check out the guy on the Tough Mudder website advertisement under training, movie below.  Intense......

Motivating for sure.  To anyone who wants to join "Tough Mudder" with me and see what we can do just let me know you interest in the comments section below this article.