From steep ascents up towering mountains, tricky terrain through sandy deserts and jaw-dropping scenery, it’s no secret that our challenges will undoubtedly test your physical and mental endurance. Fear not! We have a few tips to make sure you’re as prepared as possible – meaning you can embrace and enjoy the challenge – leaving with more pride than pain!  

Start small 

For most of our participants, joining a Charity Challenge is their first foray into the world of trekking or cycling. If you don’t have any experience in the great outdoors, do not panic! You certainly won’t be alone. 

It is essential, however, that your training plan is realistic and accessible. We don’t expect you to start your training by trekking a marathon or completing the Tour de France. Start by easing yourself into a routine of exercise. After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day. 

Incorporating small goals into your daily routine is a perfect way to increase your awareness of your body’s capacity and reaction to fitness. For example, taking the stairs instead of the lift at work, adding an extra kilometre on to your walking commute, or taking 20 minutes out of your lunch break for some stretching or time outside. These may seem like small changes, but they will help contribute to a greater understanding of your body’s fitness and what areas you need to work on.  

Once you’ve added these marginal gains into your routine, and are more comfortable with them, you can start to consider more targeted fitness training. 

A little help from your friends 

If you’re struggling to motivate yourself to train regularly; and find yourself bored of usual routines, especially when you’re first finding your feet, consider incorporating exercise into your social meetups. 

This could be a big weekend dog walk, a group gym class, or creating competitive team targets. Working collaboratively with other challengers is proven to spur on both your fundraising and training.  

Pay attention to your body 

Although pushing yourself out of your comfort zone is all part of training for a Charity Challenge, take care not to push yourself too far – no injuries please! Our bodies are usually pretty good at letting us know our limits, so make sure you’re listening to yours. If you’ve developed a twinge in your knee or are feeling particularly stiff after a longer-than-usual practice hike, there is no shame in adjusting your training to accommodate this. In this case, dial your training back. Opt for shorter walking routes on flat, stable ground or try a different type of less-strenuous exercise, such as yoga. 

It is also vital that you are resting sufficiently and efficiently in your training. Overtraining will inevitably result in injury and overworked muscles that will, in turn, create greater struggle on challenge.  

Details, details, details 

When you’re training, make sure that you’re wearing the kit that you plan on wearing on the challenge. This is paramount in making sure your clothing is comfortable and fits well and will remain so for the 6+ hours a day you will be trekking or biking for. If you’re joining one of our UK challenges, it’s important to test your waterproof coat and trousers to ensure they’re actually waterproof. 

Perhaps most importantly, it essential that you train in your proposed footwear for any trekking challenge. Please don’t (we can’t stress this enough!) arrive to your challenge with a brand-new, entirely unworn, pair of boots, or you will absolutely receive some not-so-fun blisters. Make a decision on footwear as soon as possible, and pop them on throughout your whole training journey. 

You should also make sure to wear your daypack when training, filled with the items you’ll be hoping to take on the challenge (2L water minimum, snacks, portable charger, waterproofs, sunglasses/sunhat/sun cream, beanie and gloves). You can always start with a relatively light pack and build up if needed. The pack will be an additional weight that makes your challenge that bit harder, so it’s best to get used to the feeling early on, and get familiar with how to wear it. 

Here for a good time AND a long time… 

Unsurprisingly, endurance is a huge factor of any Charity Challenge. You will be trekking/cycling anywhere between 6 – 8 hours per day, so making sure that you have built the stamina to remain somewhat comfortable, especially for multiple days in a row for our multi-day challenges, should be a focus of your training. 

As we said earlier, there’s nothing wrong with starting small if you’re new to this. Start with shorter walks at a brisk pace, gradually building so you can walk for several hours at a conversational pace, and eventually to do this for 2 days in a row.  

Fuelling yourself 

Your nutrition and hydration are key in maintaining energy levels throughout your training and when on the challenge. To ensure you’re training from all perspectives, consider what fuel you’ll need. Did your practice hike leave you starving? Did you have too big of a breakfast before your walk? Paying attention to what your body needs whilst training will make your plan for the challenge seamless.  

Some challengers choose to eat a big pre-challenge meal, their packed lunch, and then fuel up after they’ve returned. Others prefer to bring sugary treats to snack on little and often throughout the day to give little boosts of energy. 

Training for a multi-day hike or ride is no small feat and can often feel daunting, especially amid our already busy lives. It’s a comprehensive process that involves building endurance, strength and mental resilience. In tackling some extensive training beforehand, you’ll be able to tackle your Charity Challenge with confidence.  Read more about nutition and hydration on a challenge here

As Alfred Wainwright once said: 

“An objective is an ambition, and life without ambition is… well, aimless wandering”