How fit exactly do you think I need to be for this holiday?

[Dryandirriatble]

I've booked to do the Tour Du Mont Blanc. It's 65 miles, including 6000m of assent over 6 days.

The reviews all say the same thing, an amazing trip but hard going, long days and you need to be really fit.

I am fit, I walked 15 miles yesterday and can run a HM in 2 hours without doing any additional training, but I'm also a woman in her mid 50s, so not fit like a young man. E.g. 19yo DS came on the walk yesterday and I can't keep up with him. I'm feeling very tired today after yesterday's adventure.

So, I'm very fit for my age and sex - Garmin tells me I'm in the top 1% 😆 but is that fit enough?

Also, as someone who lives in East Anglia, how do you train for this? I'm starting to get very cold feet...

You're not going to get altitude sickness problems at 2600m but you will probably find everything just that little bit harder - people are different in their reactions so it's hard to predict how much. Don't let that put you off though, a stunning part of the world!

I have poles but find I don't have the co ordination to use them properly. I quite like using one on steep rocky descents, but also like to have a hand free and have never mastered two. Also, you can't take them in cabin baggage on a plane!

If you practice Nordic walking with them before you go you can get in a rhythm with them, and that in itself can be helpful on long hikes. Also useful when it’s muddy and wet. I often just hold two in the one hand when negotiating a tricky bit.

You can pick them up cheap enough in Decathlon in Chamonix when you arrive…I’d definitely prefer to have them in the backpack and never use them.

Ask if you can borrow/hire some for a ski shop.

You can't take them because they're too big or they're too pointy?

If too big and you just want one then I would just be using it as a mobility aid through the airport. No one will ask any questions surely otherwise no one with crutches/a walking stick would ever be able to get on a flight?

They have to go in checked baggage.

It's hill climbing you need to practice, walking on a treadmill set to steep incline is one option but better would be to go over to the Peak District or Yorkshire and spend a weekend hill walking (all day each time) 3-4 times before you go

I did a tour to Mount Everest base camp (5,300m). The altitude only started to affect me from 4,000m upwards, and a slow ‘up and down’ climb helps with acclimatisation. I would prepare with hiking, because it uses different muscles than other sports like running. But you will be fine - I’m not super fit, and while I found the Mount Everest base camp hike challenging, it was definitely doable and enjoyable for me.

6000m and 65 miles over 6 days doesn't sound too bad. Yorkshire three peaks is 24 miles and 5000m ascent over 12 hours, so if your doing say 6-8(?) hours per day it shouldn't be too hard, relatively speaking. The hard part I imagine is doing it for 6 days, so maybe try doing 6 x 8 mile walks in a row for the stamina/walking through the aches.

Yes, but as I only need one small backpack, I wasn't really planning to check any luggage.

Blimey you need to walk up a mountain in England to practice!

The ups and downs are totally different on the body to walking on the flat. Knees! Knees are amazing magical things. When they work and don't hurt.

Definitely use walking poles. 2 not 1.

Gey thyself to your nearest mountain and get walking!

The altitude shouldn't be an issue, but yes, coming down I find harder! I've done a similar distance hike years ago and didn't train, big mistake! Also take compeed blister plasters, have good socks and make sure you wear in your boots and socks ahead

You need to practice hills. Where are your nearest big hills - Peak District? Chilterns? You need to get a good number of walks in with significant vert or you'll be struggling.

It would be worth practicing with poles even if you have to buy some in Chamonix if you can't take them in luggage. They make a surprising difference.

Other than that I would suggest a general programme of strength work for your legs and glutes - squats, lunges, bridges etc. With bodyweight initially and once you're confident with form start adding some weight.

You will be fine. Take poles for the descents.

Beeston Bump, OP? lol.

You'll be fine. I am similar age & fitness to you & wouldn't hesitate. I walked at ~3500m in Africa about 7 years ago, btw.

I also wouldn't walk 15 miles regularly, but 65 miles over 6 days is 10-12/day, or 3-4.5 moving hours/day, and probably you'll stop loads. You can do this.

I don't like poles but reasonable idea for descents if your knees aren't brill.

That altitude shouldn't be an issue unless you were already over-sensitised to altitudes.

See I think you need to get some hills in so that you're hill fit. It's so very different from walking on the flat. Also second practicing and taking poles, they're fabulous

YouTube a great resource for those who have done it and the challenges/fitness levels req. good luck I hope you smash it :)

OK, so I live close to what is apparently the highest point between here and the North Pole. 😆 It's not very high, but there is a route that's 1.5 miles steep uphill would repetitions of that be enough? E.g. a 12 mile walk that took that in 3 times, plus other smaller hills. I might get the odd weekend in the mountains, but realistically can't do more than that.

I ran the Beachy Head half in October and the Jurassic Coast half in the spring, both very hilly, but not mountains. I'm doing a 15 mile trail run, which is notorious as a beast for hills locally, although obviously all realtive and I have the XC County championships coming up, that's a surprisingly tough course. We runners are pretty good at finding tough routes, even in mostly flat places and running them repeatedly. l can probably do a few more events like those

If I run rather than walk, I can get more miles covered in the time, but obviously that's less time on my feet.

If you've done hilly HMs you'll be fine OP. Carry on as you are.

Apologies - assumed cos you live somewhere flat you don't really bother with hills!

Whereabouts roughly do you live, OP? People on here might be able to suggest hills you could get to within a couple of hours to train

Can you contact the tour organisers, likely they have a suggested training plan ?
At our gym there is a horrible step machine- not the elliptical ones, but straight up - if you're not able to do many hills, some lengthy sessions on that would probably help.

I did the TMB over about 10 days or so in my 20s. I wasn't that fit and we were carrying the full kit, food, water etc. I suffered quite a lot, but if you're doing it with no heavy luggage and with some consistent training beforehand you should be fine. Agree that training on lots of hills will be good. Walking on the flat just doesn't train the same muscles. It's definitively doable for a relatively fit individual as long as they don't try to set a speed record. Attitude shouldn't be an issue, but do pack for everything between a heatwave and a snowstorm. I'm very jealous OP, it's hands down the best long distance trail I've done.

If you live near a short steep hill you could do some interval training - as a start, try going up and down it repeatedly for an hour or two. Download podcasts to listen to to relieve the boredom.

But definitely get yourself to the Peak District, south Pennines or similar for a few days to experience some real sustained ups and downs. Plus can you get some stair climbing in at the gym or anywhere else? Even at work or a local multi storey carpark or other public multi floor building?

You sound cardio fit but you need to train your muscles too, especially in your legs. so start squatting, lunges, glute bridges etc. Plus add some planks for core stability. And the stair climber in the gym is your friend. I'm a PT who has trained people for long hikes.

Actually google is your friend, I've just picked one but there are loads more plans on the web tourdumontblanchike.com/training-for-the-tour-du-mont-blanc/