Training for Kilimanjaro

I was reading the AfricaTravelResource.com writeup on training for Kilimanjaro:

…try to walk as much as you can… Try to get at least an hour of walking into every day. In addition to this, try to get some morning and evening sessions of aerobic activity in, such as cycling, running or spinning…

Weekends and days off you should try to head for the hills. Try to walk for 6 to 8 hours, perhaps on consecutive days … Use the boots that you will bring with you to Kilimanjaro so that they are well worn in.

Seriously, to me, it sounds a little “to easy”. I was really panting my lungs out when I was climbing Mount Ophir last December! It sounds really easy to say that a certain trek “is a walk, not a run”… when you are carrying that 60 liter backpack with all your stuff - anything is a “run”! Haha… I’m not going to let my physical fitness be my obstacle to reach the peak of Kilimanjaro man! Not after I travel all the way to Africa!

One more thing to note is that I may really need to invest in a good pair of boots. So far, I’ve been trekking with sandals, or just normal sports shoes. Sandals are great for the wet treks, so you don’t get soggy feet at the end of every day. But ultimately I think protection is more important. During one of my trips to Berkelah Waterfalls, I slipped and fell on the slippery rocks and because I was wearing sandals, my toenails almost came off! It bled like… argh, I’ll keep gross the detail out. Haha… Sports shoes are good for trekking, but they aren’t made for trekking. The insole never fails to drop out after its first trek in water… and yuks, it really stinks after getting dipped in all the mud and stuff.

Actually I’m thinking I need a total of three pairs of footwear for all my treks! One pair of aquasocks for water based treks, one pair of boots for treks like Mount Ophir or Mount Kinabalu, and of course, one cheapo pair of slippers for wearing at night!

Tags: berkelah, kilimanjaro