[Andy Reed]

Hi there – and thanks for the question. I am going to assume a relatively mild case of COVID, and that you were healthy, with a solid base of training leading up to the infection? COVID19 illness with significant cardio-pulmonary symptoms needs additional testing (ECG, stress, Echo etc) and clearance by a physician, before return to training, so if this was more than just a mild illness, you should get things checked out.

If this was a mild illness, then in terms of managing return to sport post COVID, the consensus is to limit intensity initially; I recommend keeping your HR in Zone 1 for the first 3 days, with a gradual increase in volume, keeping in Z1. If no issues, you may then resume your prior training regime, up to your AeT. By day 10, you should be back on track, so  you should be able to get in a solid month of training before your climb. To answer your question, then, yes, I would focus on Z1 hiking.

I would not try to ramp up the volume too quickly ‘to make up’ for missed training. You have more to lose by doing too much too soon, than by starting slow and easy, and ramping up gradually. Cramming in additional volume, is just likely to leave you feeling fatigued. Remember to monitor for any worsening or new symptoms – cough, chest pain, dizziness, palpitations etc, and don’t hesitate to get things checked out by a physician. Problems for most fit athletes are fortunately very rare, so in all likelihood, you will be fine as you resume training. Good luck!