Getting fit before trip to Europe!

Brittany, unless you plan on doing a lot of hiking / biking then doing some walking before your trip should be good. Expect to walk up to 10 miles a day if your doing a lot of sight seeing. I took my first "big" trip at the age of 42, and am in average shape. My husband and I climbed lots of towers, did a lot of walking, and some moderate hikes in the Lauterbrunnen valley. The only thing I did before the trip was walk 3 miles 3 or 4 times a week, and I did fine (only a little huffing and puffing). I might have been slightly better off if I had hit the stairmaster a little more, but I was able to do everything I wanted.

Brittany I am with you on this, I always walk alot more in the months befoe I leave,, even if one is not a backpacker they will walk alot more then they do in everyday life. Its easy to walk 5-10 miles a day just city sightseeing. I can't stand backpacks cause my back is not strong, but I am also older then you,, although again, when I was 23 my friend and I did 3 months with rolling cases rather then backpacks, so just don't like them and can't use age as an excuse really, lol I imagine the thing to do would be to get used to carrying some weight around. Good luck, I am in training for this summer too!

Brittany,
If you don't do much backpacking now, and you're going to be wearing the pack for more than just walking from the train to the hotel (for example), then you will want to take some hikes with a full pack before you take your trip. That way you can get your body used to carrying the weight and make any adjustments you need to make the pack more comfortable for you to wear. My husband and son do this even before short backpacking trips since they don't backpack very often.

Brittany, I tend to agree with Leslie. I've found that it's a good idea to not only increase walking in the month or so prior to a trip, but also take a few hikes with a fully loaded Pack. As mentioned, that's a good way to ensure that the "fit" works for you and the torso range is adjusted properly (most of the weight should rest on your hips, not your shoulders). It's much better to get that sort of thing sorted now rather than have to deal with it when you're travelling. If you're planning on doing any hiking in mountainous areas, keep that in mind when you're conditioning. I found last year that I wished I had done more vigorous exercise before embarking on hikes in the Cinque Terre. The first trail from Monterosso to Vernazza just about wore me out! Happy travels!

2 months prior to my European trips, I hit the treadmill....and the increased grade button. I live in flat florida and am always shocked as to how sore my legs are on day 2 from the terrain in Europe which is more hilly than florida. 30 minutes in the treadmill with various grade increase to simulate the non-flat terrain is the way to go. I also do 10-15 minutes on the stairmaster and take the stairs anywhere they are available. I see people working out at my gym with a weighted vest, which may simulate a pack on your back....I don't do that. I just hit the weight machines to strengthen my upper, mid, lower back muscles. Good luck and start training... you'll be glad you did.

Get hiking! Pack a picnic in a backpack this weekend and research a good 5 mile hike. Repeat every weekend (increasing distance) until trip. We are big walkers. Lucky enough that I can take a two hot hike Sunday morning in the woods and a long Sunday afternoon stroll in the city. Walking is cheap entertainment!

No matter what exercise regimen you choose to get ready (good ones suggested already) you MUST MUST MUST break in all pairs of shoes you intend to take with you. All the prep in the world will not help you when you are laid up with blisters on every surface of your foot. Also, your feet, legs, hips, and back are all affected by footwear - if you make a bad choice you may get off on the wrong foot altogether (ha!). Breaking in footwear should start several months before your trip - if you're talking about summer 2012, I'd suggest you start that now. Plenty of posts on this site about shoe selection - the best advice of them all is go with what fits your feet and is comfortable for you.

Brittany, I read thru the responses pretty fast so if someone already covered it sorry. The biggest challange I find in Europe is getting the ankles accustomed to the cobblestones. After a day or two of walking around European towns my ankles really feel the effects. My advice is that whatever walking you do in preparation, make sure you walk on uneven ground or gravel. No matter how much walking you do on a treadmill or sidewalk, nothing will prepare you for the cobblestones.

Walking regularly before your trip should be plenty. My wife was dieing on our last mountain bike camping trip so she's doing about an hour of eliptical a day to get ready for the next trip. If you're in Littleton, CO, you have the advantage of preparing at higher altitude, which helps. Generally, know your limits so you don't hurt yourself, take care of your feet (or you'll come to a screeching halt), and get a snack or soda when you need some energy. Plenty of sleep, fluids and good food should keep you healthy.

you really should be excerising anyway, if an upcoming trip is what inspires you than that is a great start. Make it a part of your life and you won't have to worry about getting in shape for trips, you'll already be in shape!
Walking, hiking, running, weight training, cardio will all be good for. Do a vareity of activities.

Stairs, stairs, stairs. Just practice with stairs and long walks, because that's what you'll be doing here.

I can't believe no one has mentioned this. You can't go from zero to multiple pastries per day. You need to start now to be able to eat tarts, croissants, pain au chocolat, ets. Also, multiple coffees and hot chocolates. Then there's the wine. If you don't start training now, you'll never be able to keep up. Courage!

Love your post Karen! Too funny.

Where's the "Like" button for Karen's comment? And you didn't even mention Gelato?

"like " Karens observation! Brad, you wife must be super fit doing an hour on an eliptical a day,, you guys must be pretty hard core..

But Karen forgot the nectar of the Gods, pint Guinness. By far one of the best relaxation instruments, fuel for a hike, or carrot on a stick.....As in "We're nearly there, must keep going, a Guinness awaits." Just saying.

Karen, I seriously laughed out loud reading your post!! I am working out now so I won't feel guilty in addition to being ready for those long but glorious walking days. "There's a pint of Guinness waiting" is awesome too!

i loved karens response! im leaving in two months for my trip. ive vowed to spend the next month walking five miles a day just to get into shape. then for my last month, i will add climbing lots of steps to my walking. i keep telling myself it would be such a shame to go all the way to florence and not be able to reach the top of the duomo.

Brittany, the amount of stairs and steep hills (and I'm talking paved sidewalks) are going to blow your mind. Take The Stairs from now until your trip. And look for hills that you can climb up...AND down. And prepare yourself for the fact that sometimes you do have to stop every 5 mins LOL! Or every 2 mins...( not LOL). But you've got to do this prep work; those pastries and bottles of wine aren't gonna just come rollin' down the stairs TO you. Again, courage (makes solidarity fist, held aloft).

I regularly backpack Europe myself and I'm 60 y/o. All the above advice is good but the best way to prepare which I do is to go on practice hikes with a loaded backpack.

Karen's post caused me to spit coffee on my laptop! LOL Brittany, Walk a lot with a backpack. As the backpackers say " the best way to prepare to walk up a mountain with a pack is to walk up a mountain with a pack"