[pct-l] Choices and Completion Rates

[Scott Bryce]

On 9/2/2010 4:04 PM, Bob Sartini wrote:
> The completion rate is more like 50% and the failures are because
> people run out of money and time. (They underestimate the need for
> both and spend to many "zero" days in town.) My take is that injury
> is a small portion of people who quit. In fact many of the injured
> (usually shin splints and the like, hole up somewhere until they heal
> and then get back on the trail.

For me it was money. The money problem was from too many zero days. The
zero days were due to injuries. The injuries were the result of too
little training, and lack of care for my feet.

I had a knee injury, and a swollen ankle, and the balls of my feet were
almost entirely covered in blisters.

As for head and heart problems, I arrived at Lake Morena with an injured
knee, but kept going, because I didn't want to quit. I paced back and
forth in front of the Mount Laguna store after limping 9 miles on that
injured knee to get there, wanting to continue. When I got back on the
trail after 2 days off in SD, I determined to hike to Scissors Crossing
even if I had to crawl all the way. I went crazy in Warner Springs
watching other hikers leave while I stayed to nurse a swollen ankle.
When I made the decision to leave the trail, I sat on the foot of my bed
in the Idyllwild Inn and cried. I didn't want to go home.