[Answered in Great Details]
By Jeffrey Davis - Published: June 29, 2022
Do you enjoy spending time outdoors hiking or running?
If so, you might be wondering which is the harder workout – is hiking harder than running?
This hiking related question has caused a great debate among many outdoor enthusiasts.
Well, the answer is not as simple and straightforward as you might think.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the two activities and see how they compare in terms of difficulty.
Is Hiking Harder Than Running?
The answer is: “it depends”.
There are many factors that can impact the difficulty of both activities including the terrain, fitness level, experience level, and distance involved.
It is up to the individual to decide which activity is more difficult for them based on these factors. So, get out there
The Determining Factors
Since we now know that there is no specific answer to the question: is hiking harder than running, let’s take a look at the different factors that can impact the difficulty of both activities.
The Terrain
One of the biggest factors that can impact the difficulty of both hiking and running is the terrain. The type of terrain you are running or hiking on will have a big impact on the difficulty of the activity.
Running is most time done on even surfaces such as roads or sidewalks while hiking is most times done on a variety of surfaces including dirt trails, rocks, and even snow.
In these scenarios, hiking is generally considered to be more difficult than running because the uneven surfaces of hiking can make it harder on your ankles, knees, and hips. It is also more difficult to maintain a consistent pace when hiking on an uneven surface.
Running on even surfaces is much easier on your joints and allows you to maintain a consistent pace with little effort.
However, there are some runners who prefer to run on uneven, rough, and hilly trails and consider it to be more challenging than running on even surfaces.
Fitness Level
Your fitness level is also a big factor that determines how difficult both running and hiking can be.
A person’s fitness level is determined by many factors including, but not limited to: how active they are on a daily basis, their genetics, and any underlying health conditions.
Fitness as a factor here has the same impact on both activities.
An unfit athlete will find both running and hiking to be difficult while a more fit athlete will find both activities to be easier.
Experience Level
Here the answer is subjective.
A person with vast hiking experiences but little running experience is going to find hiking much easier than running.
The same goes for a person with vast running experiences and little hiking experience.
In both scenarios, the person is more experienced in one activity and will find it to be easier than the other.
However, a person with equal amounts of experience in both activities is likely to find them to be of equal difficulty.
The Distance Involved
Distance is another factor that can impact the difficulty of both hiking and running. The distance you are running, or hiking will have a big impact on how difficult the activity is.
Conclusion:
That is it guys!
As you can see, the question – is hiking harder than running is not a simple question to answer. It depends on many different factors. The best way to determine which is more difficult for you is to try both activities and see which one you find to be more challenging. So, get out there and hit the trails! Thanks for reading!