Six Month Plan
Month One : Basic Fitness, 3x per week. Aim to complete around 30 minutes per session. Walk gently for 5 minutes to warm up, then increase the pace for 5 minutes, slow down again for 5 minutes, then increase the pace to as fast as you feel comfortable with for the next 10 minutes. Slow down for the final 5 minutes.
Complete these sessions on fairly flat routes, don't walk so fast that you need to stop to regain your breath, but extend the route/time if you feel comfortable with it. Easy.
Month Two : Basic Fitness, 2x per week, as above. Endurance & Stamina, 1x per week. A one hour walk, start slow to warm up, then alternate between 10 minutes fast walking, then 3 minutes gentle walking to recover. Remember to cool down during the final 5 minutes.
Month Three : Basic Fitness, 2x per week, as above, but try to include some gentle hills or inclines if possible. Walk fast up the hills, and use the downhill to recover your breath. Endurance & Stamina, 1x per week as above, but now include some hills, and perhaps small flights of steps if possible. Mountain Fitness, 1x per month. Find a fairly local trail network of around 10 miles and spend a team day walking it. A disused railway or canal trail is ideal.
Month Four : Basic Fitness, 2x per week. You should now be including as many ups and downs as possible, and your distance covered during the session should have increased. If you wish to keep increasing your fitness, and feel comfortable with it, you may consider short sections of gentle jogging. Some people may now wish to replace or alternate this exercise with cycling, swimming or jogging. Endurance & Stamina, 1x per week. As above, increase hills, alternate to other exercises if you prefer. Mountain Fitness, 2x per month, organise a team trip to one of the 'easier' walking areas - Derbyshire, Cheshire, etc., and complete a walk of around 10 - 12 miles.
Month Five : Basic Fitness, 2x per week, as above, increase exercise as you see fit, but don't burn out..! Endurance & Stamina, 1x per week as above, but now include some steep hills and any available steps. Wear a light rucksack on your back. Mountain Fitness, 1x per month. Organise a walking trip to a more adventurous area, and attempt to reach the summit of around 2,500' or so. If you can arrange any more walking trips, all the better...
Month Six : Basic Fitness, 2x per week, as above, start to wear a rucksack, include any step climbing available. Endurance & Stamina, 1x per week as above, but now wear a heavier rucksack on your back. Mountain Fitness, 1x per month. This is the time to attempt a more serious peak. Visit one of the actual Three Peaks if possible, and compare your time to the challenge target times.
