[pct-l] Fit for a thru-hike?

[ned at pacificcrestcustombuilders.com]

With just a little bit of snow training, you can start mid-March like I did 
and have lots of time to go slower, take plenty of days off, and still pull 
in before mid-September, so there really isn't a time constraint other than 
the dead of winter and its issues of avalanches.

You do not have to hike at 20mpd from the start to reach Canada before the 
snow flies!

Hikers may have other time constraints that dictate when they start, like 
money, job, or family issues, but don't let your skills limit how much of 
our awesome trail you're willing to enjoy, meaning when its under snow!


Ned Tibbits, Director
Mountain Education
South Lake Tahoe, Ca.
    P: 888-996-8333
    F: 530-541-1456
    C: 530-721-1551
    http://www.mountaineducation.org

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Paul Bodnar" <paulbodnar at hotmail.com>
To: "pct-L backcountry.net" <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2010 8:01 AM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Fit for a thru-hike?


>
> I agree I would guess that most hikers fail within the first 500 miles.  I 
> am still collecting data on this so I can't back up my hunch with 
> statistics.
>
>
>
> I think the lack of training has a lot to do with hikers leaving the 
> trail... If you are hiking with the herd (and most hikers do) you will 
> feel the temptation to keep up with other hikers even though your body may 
> tell you to slow down.  The social pressure to keep up with other hikers, 
> the critical timing constraints of a thru hike (about 20 mile days on 
> average) and the lack of physical fitness are all contributing factors to 
> why hikers fail a thru-hike.   You can't do anything about the time 
> constraints of a thru-hike.  All thru-hikers will have to average about 20 
> mile days to finish a thru-hike.  There will always be social pressures to 
> keep up with certain hikers, we are human....and we like to socialize 
> (well most of us).  But we can change our physical fitness and I think we 
> are at that critical time.  If you don't start getting into shape now you 
> will have a hard time dealing with the 20 mile days.
>
>
>
> Imagine meeting the coolest (hottest) person in the world and not being 
> able to hike with him/her because you failed to get in shape.  Starting a 
> thru-hike out of shape is one of the best ways to reduce your enjoyment 
> and increase your chances of failure.
>
>
>
> Paul
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>> I'd bet the majority of that 15% get those injuries pretty early on, and
>> it's not so much from lack of training as overdoing it from the start. 
>> [...editied out] But,
>> yeah, getting in shape ahead of time would be good too. My plans to whip
>> myself into shape ahead of time for this hike looked great on paper, and
>> that's still where they are. Doh.
>>
>> P178
>>
>> > About 15% of hikers leave the trail due to injury and physical training
>> could potentially eliminate this.
>
>> Paul
>
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