Aerobic & physical fitness levels
The club’s events typically require one of three levels of aerobic & physical fitness:
Basic level of fitness, i.e. “in decent shape” by Colorado standards
Intermediate level of fitness, i.e. “in pretty good shape” by Colorado standards
High level of fitness, i.e. “close to really good shape” by Colorado standards
What does “by Colorado standards” mean? It refers to the broad community of outdoor recreation enthusiasts (e.g. hikers, cyclists, skiers, etc) in the state. This usage is preferable because “level of fitness” is a relative term, and we’re not referring to our more sedentary family and friends, for example.
And why “close to” really good shape when referring to a “high” level of fitness? This is because being “in really good shape” by Colorado standards starts to place you in the camp of the elite triathletes, marathoners, cyclists, trail runners, etc, living in (say) Boulder, in which case you probably don’t need to be reading this.
Why “aerobic” and “physical”? This is not written by a medical professional, but consider running a marathon on asphalt: you need both types of conditioning.
Your “aerobic” fitness refers to your cardiovascular conditioning: the ability of your heart and lungs to get oxygen to your muscles – as in, how soon do you start gasping for air? Whereas your “physical” (don’t get hung up on the words) conditioning refers to the ability of your muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, fascia, etc to handle the exertion and stress – as in, how soon does a chronically weak muscle group or joint make it really hard for you to go on?
The long and short is it’s a good thing to be aware of your limits in these areas, whatever level of fitness and skill at which you might be.
For any tour you must know what the tour’s distance, altitude, and elevation gain are. This information is always available in the map provided with the tour. Setting off on any outdoor outing – be it a ski tour, hike, bike ride, etc – without knowing this information beforehand, particularly if you’re going far out there, is unwise. It is especially unwise in the winter bush, even if you have friends out with you.
Tour participants are usually tired at the end, but “good tired” – we are not typically engaged in a heads-down, empty-the-tank workout. We travel at a pace that, while not leisurely, usually allows for conversation. That is generally a walking pace up hills, and a brisk walking or jogging pace on the flats, though our pace is of course conditions- and skills-dependent. We'll stop to regroup, rest, snack, take photos, etc, at appropriate intervals, including after any challenging climb or descent. Lastly, it should be noted that descents can be quite fast on tours at higher skill levels.
If you feel that a tour will take you to your physical limits then it is not the tour for you. Do not use one of our tours as an opportunity to “test yourself” – you must be confident that you can comfortably handle the distance, elevation gain, and pace. Also note that if you cannot finish the tour then getting back is your responsibility and at your own risk.