How long should my trip be if I want to enjoy it without crashing after?

Trip length should match how long your body needs to return to baseline after a big day. If a big day costs you 2 recovery days, don’t plan 7 big days.

• Estimate your “big day recovery” at home (1 day? 2? 3?).
• Build 1 reset day per 2–3 active days.
• Add a Recovery Week buffer after return.

• 4–6 day paced trips often beat 10-day marathons.

• “We’ll rest when we’re back.” (That’s a flare plan.)

• Pre-Trip Ramp-Up: Set a realistic activity budget.
• Recovery Week: Protect it like part of the trip.

Why do short trips still flare me? Travel days are physiologic stressors; they count as big days.

Is longer ever better? Yes — if you slow down and stop “doing” daily.

What if I only have 3 days? Make it single-base and low-terrain.

• Pacing frameworks in chronic pain/fatigue aim for sustainable function by matching load to envelope.
• Cumulative exertion without rest increases delayed symptom crashes.
• Micro-anchor (migraine): Multi-city sprint trips are high relapse risk — slow the rhythm.
• Micro-anchor (OA/back pain): Back-to-back long-walk days are the classic late-trip collapse driver.