Energy Efficient Pacing For Hikers

“Do you have any recommendations or strategies for pacing and speed when I am hiking? If so, what should I be aiming for to help me through long days?” ​

In this video, we explore 'energy efficient pacing' for hikers - and what type of speed a hiker should aim for to reduce fatigue, and help them get through long days as fresh as can be.

Pacing Strategies For Hikers 

Understanding and mastering pacing can be one of the most beneficial skills for your hiking.

Many hikers out there run into the same issues. ​

They hike all day and get really out of breath when they hit hills.

Or they find that on longer days, when they are stringing together lots of hours, by the end of the day (or even three-quarters through the day) they are simply running out of energy.

Or they notice that their legs are getting heavy or burning when they are going up and down elevation.

I hear these three things all the time. And there are loads of things you can do to make a difference here.

You can train. You can improve your nutrition and fuelling. You can do a bunch of other things.

But pacing is a really useful skill to practice that can make a very big difference across all of these problems.

The Basics Of Pacing For Hiking 

The whole idea behind pacing is simple.

We want to go at a speed or intensity while hiking that is energy efficient.

Meaning every single step uses less of your energy reserves. It feels easier. And over the minutes, hours, days and even weeks of hiking, you use less energy and stay fresher.

The Science Of Pacing While Hiking

To understand efficient pacing for hikers, we need a tiny science lesson.

We need to talk about energy systems (the systems your body uses to produce energy).

Your body has two main divisions of energy systems.

1. The aerobic energy system
2. Anaerobic energy systems.

Aerobic Energy System

Your aerobic energy system

• Produces energy while using oxygen.
• It is designed for long-duration activity.
• Can go and go and go.
• Is very energy efficient (which means for every unit of fuel you use, you get lots of energy out of it)
• Does not really have any 'waste products' (you just get a bit hot)

The drawback to the aerobic energy system is that it is slow to produce energy. It sacrifices speed for efficiency.

So it is suited for exercise where you do not need energy quickly, but you need it for a long time. Lower intensity activity. Walking around. All the stuff you will be doing most of the day on the trail.

Anaerobic Energy Systems

Your anaerobic energy systems:

• Energy without oxygen.
• Are designed for short bursts of activity (situations where you need energy quickly)
• They sacrifice efficiency for speed (meaning for every unit of fuel you use, you do not get quite as much energy)
• Because they are fast, they produce waste products that build up and slow you down over time.

These are designed for short, higher-intensity efforts.

The Golden Rule For Pacing

When thinking about pacing, efficiency and minimising fatigue, you want to stick to your aerobic energy system as much as possible on the trail.

That is what it is designed for. It is efficient. It just goes and goes. And it does not accumulate much fatigue.

When you hike at a pace where the aerobic system cannot keep up, you push into a place where you need energy quicker than it can provide it.

Then your body starts relying more and more on the anaerobic systems. And that is when fatigue accumulates quickly.

The more you lean on these faster systems, the more energy you chew through, the more fuel you burn, and the more fatigue builds.

Emphasising The Aerobic Energy System

So, how do you make sure you stay mostly aerobic while hiking?

There are many ways. Some hikers use heart rate zones. That works. But I think the simplest way is to use your breathing as a guide. It is not perfect, but it is close enough to be very practical.

The general rule of thumb is if you are going at a pace where you can breathe in and out through your nose without needing to switch to your mouth, you are probably using your aerobic system.

If you cannot sustain nose breathing and you start huffing and puffing between breaths, you are dipping more and more into anaerobic work.

Some people cannot nose breathe well. Maybe they have small noses, or it is winter, and everything is runny. If that is you, you can use a conversational pace.

Go at a pace where you can happily carry a conversation without getting huffed and puffed between words.

If you can stick to these guidelines while hiking, not only on the flats but also on the hills and tricky sections, you will be much more energy efficient. That is the pacing you want.

The Drawback To Nosebreathing And Conversational Pace

Figuring out and sustaining this pacing can be tricky at first.

You might try it on the flat and think it is easy. Then you hit a hill and instantly get out of breath. That is normal.

You need to practice this. If you practice it over time, it gets easier and easier until you can apply it across the board.

Practising Pacing During Your Training And Hiking

When hiking, practice this as much as you can.

On hills, slow your speed down until you can sustain nose breathing or conversational pace.

If you get out of breath, ease off the pace until you recover. It will be tough at first. Over time, it gets easier and easier.

During your training, practice this in your lower intensity cardio sessions (such as your pack walking, regular walking, cycling, etc).

There is no need to force it during higher intensity sessions like interval training.

But in your low-intensity work, this is a great place to build it.

If you do hill sessions or stair sessions, practice it there too. You can train your ability to sustain comfortable breathing even while going uphill. This pays off massively on trail days.

And in daily life, you can sneak in practice. Walking up stairs or hills. Slow down slightly and maintain easy breathing. The more you practice, the easier it becomes.

Summary

So coming back to the original question - what is the best pace to hike at?

Once you build this skill, the best pace is the one that keeps you mostly aerobic most of the time.

You will not be able to do it a hundred per cent of the time.

But the more you can lean on it, the better your energy will be, the less fatigue you will accumulate, and the longer you will feel strong on the trail.

Simple stuff. But it goes a long way!

Yours in trekking,

Rowan 

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