[pct-l] Foot ready, are you?

[jmhow01 at yahoo.com]

JP, I only read your post and I have no idea where others have taken this thread, but I still wanted to comment
because I have strong opinions on this. They're strong opinions because of comments I hear/read all the time
 from hikers.
 


Inconsistency in your athletic routine is the main contributor to tendon, ligament, joint, and muscle injuries. Ill
 fitting shoes are the greatest contributors to blisters.


Unfortunately, blaming shoes for injuries is the new fad. Yes, ill fitting shoes do cause some foot pains, but it's
 almost become the universal scapegoat for foot injuries.  I found it peculiar that whenever I suffered an injury,
 people always asked to see my shoes first. So I'd hand them a shoe, they'd peer inside, flip them over to
 inspect the tread, make a couple "hmmmm" noises, and then hand it back.  "You need new shoes" invariably
 became the mind numbing prescription. Don't fall into this trap. Instead, ask yourself, "has there been a change
 in my weekly miles?" or "have I taken less and/or shorter breaks?" or "have I increased the intensity of my hiking
 recently?"
 

Your training regiment is exactly what you should be doing before trail. I can't speak to the specifics of it, but as
 long as you'retraining you're decreasing the likelihood that you'll end your trip prematurely. But again,
 unfortunately, there's a train of thought within the hiking community that "you can't train for a thru-hike. So why
 bother"  What this means is that you can't replicate, in civilian life, the physical beating your body takes on long
 distance hikes. This is true, you can't. We all have too many responsibilities to fit in a 14-hour walk 6 days a 
week. But you can decrease the likelihood of ending your trip prematurely by getting just slightly inshape before
 stepping on trail, even if that means being able to hike only four miles comfortably.


From someone who's suffered mentally and physically from foot injuries, I implore you to focus on consistency in
 training and on trail. But realize that it doesn't mean you will or will not get injured. It only decreases the
 likelihood you will. It's tempting to veer from a consistent routine while on trail. There are actually too many
 reasons to name (examples: long distances between water, you want to get to town, you're pursuing a mate,
 your low on food, your friends are hiking big miles, etc. etc.). Instead of concerning yourself with your daily
 mileage refocus your attention on your weekly mileage. That'll give you more control and consistency while 
allowing yourself the flexibility to plan accordingly each day. 


Also, you'd be suprised by the number of hikers who injure themselves in OR and WA. Consisitency is important
 all the way through. I found out the hard way. 

Best,
Jeff
www.mylahikes.com