That's the key since hiking up and down steep trails works all the leg muscles when compared to just doing squats but I find that I must do it regularly (twice weekly) to allow muscle adaptations which provides the ability to perform prolong endurance exercise.

I'm wondering what your pace is? Maybe you're pushing yourself too quickly?

I agree with others here - protein is key. If you're just doing day hikes, then I'd start the day off with eggs and fruit.
When I'm backpacking, I put together an oatmeal mix for the morings that includes quick oats, ground flax, whole chia seeds, hemp hearts, chocolate protein powder and powdered peanut butter. Yum yum and has everything I need to stay full for hours and keep my body moving.

I also munch on nut-heavy trail mix throughout the day.

wow. lots of advice here. If you want better fitness for hiking, DO more hiking. Trust me, it works.

I find that taking lots of small breaks to let the lactic acid in the legs disperse is best.. A camera is a great excuse to stop for a bit, get some deeeep breaths in. Some dynamic stretching beforehand (save the static stuff for after). Gatorade is great for not bonking, not so great for electrolites, get Nuun tabs for that.

Aspirin or some other NSAA before bed, lots of fluids, elevate the legs a bit if you can, did I mention stretching?

There really is so better way to condition yourself for hikes than hiking.

I think a lot of people underestimate the value in taking frequent, short breaks. My friends and I will typically stop every few km's for a few stretches and it makes a world of difference. And you're bang on re: dynamic stretching. The last thing you want to do is tear your muscles before you even get started!! I typically do some dynamic stretching before I start, and then a bit of both during our short breaks. At lunch I'll usually get in a good 10-15 minutes of just stretching, and then again after setting up camp or getting back home.

LOL I mean at the top of every switchback. ie every 5 minutes, or so, if necessary..

Stop, stand tall, get your breathing under control (shouldn't take more than a couple minutes), then continue..

Thanks for all the replies guys. Lots of good info here. Appreciate the feedback.

I think i'll fix up my breakfast diet as well as get started on doing more higher rep work for climbs/cardio.

Thanks!

Oatmeal is the preferred carb since it is low glycemic however since the gastric emptying rate is slower it's not a fast energy source like high glycemic juices and sports drink. In the long run, low glycemic foods/drinks are healthier. If you're the type that gets hypoglycemic, you probably need to start your hike a couple of hours after the oatmeal breakfast whereas a shorter hiking time is only needed for simple carbs. Having said that, a study which involved a group of endurance cyclists showed that there was no significant difference in performance regardless of the glycemic index of foods when eaten 1 hour prior to exercise. I guess in your case it depends on the person.

I am glad that you asked this question as I have the same issue, burning in the front of the thighs. I am still trying to figure it out myself. Looking back this was not an issue when I started hiking but now I feel it regularly and I am out hiking every week. I can still do the hike but it slows me down.

The more you hike, the less tired you will feel the next day. Your body becomes efficient and conditioned.

And you should help it out with plenty of water and lean protein, fresh fruit and veggies, stretching, yoga and plenty of restful sleep. Rebuild the micro-tears in the muscles, clean up any debris in the joint spaces, heal any areas of infection, remove waste products from your muscles (lactic acid comes to mind). It's not as hard as may seem!

Excellent tips all around.

I have increased the frequency and pace of my hiking, with 30 lbs. and this sure helps conditioning. I like the idea of taking a short break to do stretches, etc..

Steepdownhill hikes hurt the quads, sometimes very painfully. Doing stretches and squats really loosens up the tightness, and cuts down the pain markedly.

K

update: Since reading this thread and other ones I started eating a lot more spinach at the suggestion of another hiker, spinach salads. The burning that I was having in my legs has gone away. I even hiked 7 days in the Rockies with no problem at all and a number of other hikes after that. The hikes in the Rockies average about 20 km each. Though I can not say 100% I believe that my problem is a diet issue.

I've come across many great tips in this thread. Thanks for posting them!

TimeToGoHiking, congratulations on your success!

It depends on your food, additional activity, lifestyle etc. It may be a primary role how you spend your ordinary day without hiking. In my opinion, anybody on this forum can't give you the 100% correct answer that would be perfect fit for you. At least you can visit a physician or any sport instructor and ask them about it.