[pct-l] Anyone plan on starting slow?

[Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes]

On Dec 27, 2010, at 10:00 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:

> Hello All,
> I'm a 43 year old guy who is a fairly experienced hiker. I'm  
> concerned about cumulative damage. Is any of the Class of 2011  
> thinking of going slow the first weeks? Like 10mi the first week,  
> 15mi the second and then up to the 20's? I'd love to hear your  
> thoughts. As of today, I've parked my truck and will walk  
> everywhere for everything until my start date of the 26th.
>
> cheers,
> Mike

  When I was first planning to hike, I assumed because I had never  
been able to hike further than about 16 miles (on a day hike with a  
day pack) without being completely destroyed at the end of the day  
there would be no way I could do the high mileage days that PCT  
hikers say they do. I was wrong. I did 15 mile days at the beginning  
and found it to be a comfortable distance and even managed some of  
the longer days where water was 20 miles apart. I still had plenty of  
time when I got to camp to rest and time to rest during the day.  
Section A and half of section B are fairly gentle compared to the  
rest of the trail, too, which really helps. I didn't think the trail  
got steep until around section F somewhere before Walker Pass.

It's good to start out slow and easy so as not to get shin splints or  
other problems, but you may find, as I did, that slow and easy on the  
PCT is different than slow and easy elsewhere.