Just realized I was pacing my switchbacks all wrong in the Sierras

I did the Rae Lakes loop near Kings Canyon last month and kept getting passed by these older hikers with huge packs. I thought I was being smart going slow and steady, but I was basically stopping every 20 minutes to catch my breath. Then one of them told me I was taking too many breaks and my rhythm was off, so I tried matching their shorter, faster steps and it felt way easier. Has anyone else had that moment where you figure out your whole stride was the problem, not your fitness?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_emma22d ago

Pacing matters but people act like it’s some deep hiking secret.

the_mila21d ago

That old timer basically rewired my whole brain when he told me to stop stomping and start shuffling. Thirty minutes later I covered the same stretch with way less huffing and puffing. It's wild how sometimes the fix is just smaller moves, not more grit.