[pct-l] Re: OK to redefine goals - pct 2003

[Raylinlane at aol.com (Raylinlane@xxxxxxx)]

Peggy,

I thru-hiked the PCT in 2002 wearing light weight boots. I had much pain in 
one foot in the beginning of the hike (plantar fascitis) and then different 
kinds of pain and different intensities of pain in both feet over the rest of my 
hike. Hiking downhill in Washington was absolute torture. I felt as if someone 
had taken a hammer to the bottoms of both feet.

I took 4 days off in South Lake Tahoe hoping the plantar problem would 
disappear. The pain diminished somewhat. When I resumed hiking, I walked on the 
outside of the foot trying to alleviate the pain in my heel and arch. Not good. 

Long story short..... After seeing a podiatrist once home, I found out I had 
2 stress fractures. One worse than the other. I also could feel nothing in my 
toes on both feet. The upper portion of my feet were numb. I also had done 
some nerve damage on the plantar problem foot by walking on the outside of that 
foot. I couldn't separate the last three toes for months. I could move the toes 
up and down, but couldn't spread them. I could feel the nerve involvement up 
my leg. Physical therapy and time has cured the spreading problem. The 
numbness problem went away but took about 6 months before my feet felt normal.

In wanting to have enough protection from the heat of the desert, I had two 
spenco-type custioning pads glued to the bottom of my orthotics. My orthotics 
were the hard kind. 

This is what I believe contributed to my foot problems based on my fearbased, 
flawed choices for my first thru-hike. 

1. I wore hard orthotics as opposed to soft orthotics.
2. I limited the amount of space above my toes in the toe box area of my boot 
with the two insulating cushions under my orthotics.
3. My foot was limited in its movement in the boots. Hence my tendons and 
ligaments had to work harder than in a running type shoe. And my foot wasn't 
massaged with each step as it is in a running shoe.
4. Wore lightweight hiking socks and a liner.
5. Didn't have a large enough size boot. The boot size I wore was a size 
larger than my normal shoe size but with all I had going on inside my boot taking 
up room, the boot halfway through my hike probably was too small even though 
it didn't feel small.
6. Perhaps, just maybe, I did too high mileage, especially in Oregon!!!! 
7. Oh, and jogging a little downhill to make good mileage in a day.

Of course this is only my opinion on my foot problems. But interestingly 
enough, I had NO foot problems when I hiked the 1000 miles of the PCT this year. 
This year I chose to wear running shoes, one pair of socks, double lined, had 
lightweight flexible orthotics made, and wore (thanks to Yogi's suggestion) a 
running shoe 1 1/2 sizes larger than my foot. It was   wonderful to walk and 
not have any pain. A friend of mine, Capetown Jenny, who had walked the AT in 
lightweight boots and had had pain during and after her hike, was the person who 
convinced me to try running shoes. She also hiked the PCT in 2002 in runnning 
shoes and had no foot pain.

With regards to re-entry to the "real" world after my hike, I had/have 
trouble. Rather than get into all my personal stuff online, please email me and we 
will talk. Personal stuff aside, I had/have trouble with re-entry after this 
year's 1000 miles of the PCT too. I can't think about anything else but planning 
another hike. (I will be posting soon looking for partners for the CDT 2004, 
btw. Any takers? Info about me: lindajeffers.com) 

I miss life thru-hiking. I now wish I hadn't gotten off the trail in Sonora 
Pass. I know it was right for me. I am happy at home. But, when I talk to Yogi 
from the trail, I wish I were out there too. I don't know. These days it seems 
where ever I am, I want to be doing the opposite. If I'm on the trail, I want 
to be off the trail and vice versa. Crazy times. I just love the mountains. I 
miss them.

Enough.

Thanks for your post. Misery loves company. Only kidding. But I do enjoy not 
being the only with...whatever related hiking problems or situations. Then I 
don't feel like my case is different. 

Gottago - Linda