Introductory Zone 1-2 Introductory Hike at Laguna Niguel Regional Park

Hello everyone,
We have a good size group with different fitness levels. We will be doing a 3-mile introductory hike at Laguna Niguel Regional Park. This is a very easy walk around the lake with bathrooms, water fountains, etc.

An entrance with free parking is behind Whole Foods(23932 Aliso Creek Rd, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677). You can park in the front parking lot and walk between the building next to See's Candy(convenient eh!).
You will see a baseball diamond and the entrance is to the right.

If you are new to hiking and/or are not familiar with heart rate zones, please don’t be intimidated. This can be an easy leisurely walk. There’s only a few slight inclines so this is a very good starting point.

A recap of Zone 1 and Zone 2:

Zone 1:
Percentage of your max heart rate: 50–60 percent
What it’s good for: Overall health and recovery. “This is really like your recovery zone,” says Sara Dimmick, CSCS of Physical Equilibrium LLC. “So this is your long, slow duration — something that you should be able to sustain for a long time.”
What it feels like: Walking from your couch to the fridge to get snacks while rewatching “Parks and Rec” for the third time. Basically, very, very light exercise.

Zone 2:
Percentage of your max heart rate: 60–70 percent
What it’s good for: Basic endurance and fat burning. “You’re still working, but you’re not going all out,” Dimmick says. If you’re one of those brave souls who runs marathons, this would be about your pace, French adds. Zone 2 cardio is low-intensity, so you're able to do it every day without any serious repercussions
What it feels like: You just saw someone walking a really cute dog, and you’re trying to catch up to them to pet it. It’s like a warm-up or a cool-down — you should be able to carry on a normal conversation in this zone.

Since this is a diverse group, if we are wearing HRMs(heart rate monitors), we will be going at different speeds. If you are interested in Zone 2, please calculate your Zone 2 HR range before this hike.

The purpose of this hike is to assess abilities and fitness levels. We can then scale future hikes so everyone can have great hikes and conversation.

Colossians 4:6 encourages us to let our speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt. This means we should speak with kindness, humility, and respect, even when we disagree with others. This will create an environment of mutual respect and understanding, even in difficult conversations. In our present world environment, since there are many opposing opinions on just about everything, let's use this introductory hike to respectfully get to know one another.

I will be at the entrance to the right of the baseball diamond about 7:45 and can answer any questions. I will be wearing an orange shirt.

Have a good week!
Tom