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Training
The Cairngorm Challenge brings a whole new meaning to the phrase walk in the park! Preparation is essential to enjoying and completing your chosen course.
We have special training plans for gold, silver and bronze routes below.
Gold training plan (PDF)
Silver training plan (PDF)
Bronze training plan (PDF)
Depending on your fitness levels, we suggest you start training at least three months before the event. We also recommend you talk to your doctor before you start if you have any concerns about your ability to complete the challenge.
Training tips
- Get in the habit of walking and cycling everywhere – to work, see friends, shop. Avoid using your car and public transport
- Exercise at least four times a week
- Try other sports to provide variety to your training, while building up your fitness
- Do your longer walks, runs or bike rides at the weekends, when you have more time for them, on varied terrain
- Find a training partner, to help keep you motivated. Train with your team and you can take it turns to plan where you will be training. This also helps you learn each others pace and builds up a great team spirit
- Stay safe – always make sure someone knows where and when you are going, and when you expect to be back
- Know your equipment – get used to the way your bike handles, the gears change and that the seat and bars are at the correct height
- Warm up and warm down properly. Stretch your muscles for 10 minutes before and at the end of your session to reduce the likelihood of injury
- Keep an exercise log, detailing what you are doing, when, how much distance you are covering and the time taken to complete it
- Try not to fall behind in your training, but if you do, do not ‘over train’ or you risk causing yourself a severe injury
- Cover your longest training distance two weeks before the challenge. Give two weeks of lighter training to build up your energy for the big day.
Remember to also make the time for your fundraising as well.
Training visits
The Cairngorms National Park is happy to accommodate visitors that wish to visit and train. However, all visitors must be respectful of the wildlife and stick to routes and tracks for bikes.
