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What Happens to Your Body on a Thru-Hike

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Re: What Happens to Your Body on a Thru-Hike

#271

Post by hsitz »

sandeatr wrote: post #230
overcast wrote: post #219

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Average walking speed is 3 miles per hour. You're averaging that or greater, through trails / mountains, for 8 hours straight?

Yes 3mph is the pace for slightly rough trail. On flat/smooth ground it is slightly faster. Up at altitude & scrambling the pace will drop, but the CT doesn't have much of that. The CT is high altitude but overall fairly easy grade(the CDT has much more challenging sections). 8 hrs is nothing, once you have trail legs many thru hikers will basically walk the entire day. 3*15 = 45 miles per day give or take. In CO it…

"many thru hikers will basically walk the entire day. 3*15 = 45 miles per day give or take. "

Yes on the many "hike all day" thing, but regarding mileage this is starting to shade off into hyperbole. E.g., when Scott Jurek set the (then) AT speed record in 2015, he averaged 49.2 miles/day, and that was with support (van carrying food, gear, and meeting him for sleeping spot each night, people helping with massage, etc.). And Jurek is (or once was) a world-class athlete.

Heather Anderson set the "unsupported" (she had nobody helping her carry anything and no help with camping or resupplies) AT record, also in 2015, and she averaged just 42 miles/day.

The speed records on PCT are a little faster in terms of miles/day, but not much. So I would not say that "many" thru-hikers are averaging "45 miles/day give or take", although I agree that 18 miles/day is pretty average. A lot of people may hit a 45 mile day somewhere along their hike, but it's exaggerating to suggest that more than a handful average anywhere near that over the entire hike.

Re: What Happens to Your Body on a Thru-Hike

#272

Post by M_Grey »

Declanomous wrote: post #216
SwellJoe wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll be the lone dissenting voice with regard to the film. I liked it. It wasn't nearly as funny as the book; it was barely funny, at all, in fact. But, it still contained some of the gentle charm of the book. At the end of it, I said to my girlfriend, "I guess I just really like movies about hiking, even when they're kinda boring." (I also really liked Wild , and liked that book, too...in that case, I think the film…

I watched the film with my parents, mostly because they like Robert Redford. I had no expectations going in to the film, and I have never read the book. My view of the film is pretty similar to yours. Most of the people I know who have problems with the movie are really in to hiking, and really liked the book. A fair number haven't watched the movie. I think if you just watch it without any expectations, it's a solid…

I think you're right. I read the book first and the movie was disappointing, while the friend with me who hadn't read the book was pleasantly surprised.

A fun alternative is the unabridged audiobook, read by the author. Now that is great fun on a long drive!

Re: What Happens to Your Body on a Thru-Hike

#273

Post by nether »

david-given wrote: post #158
jon_richards wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The best foods for backpacking are actually peanut butter, salami (depending on the brand), cheese, and nutella. They all have roughly the same calorie density at about 70% fat. Toblerone actually comes surprisingly close (even compared to other chocolates/candies). Raman noodles or tortillas or something like that are generally used as a carrier for those foods to keep you sane, but they aren't very good from a weig…

One of the classic British walking rations (we don't use the word 'hiking') is Kendal Mint Cake: http://oakden.co.uk/kendal-mint-cake-recipe/ It's a slab of peppermint-flavoured sugar, doused in glucose syrup, covered in chocolate. It's one of those things that you cannot possibly imagine yourself eating, until you're actually out on the hills after a long day (or several days) and you're cold and you're tired and th…

On my thru-hike, I ran out of candy (I always carried a bag with an assortment of gummies, hard candies) and just started eating sugar (intended for my tea) by the spoonful. I've never felt such an intense craving for simple sugars as I did on the PCT. It seemed to revitalize me, both physically and emotionally. So I can totally understand this mint "cake."

Re: What Happens to Your Body on a Thru-Hike

#274

Post by mercutio2 »

bitexploder wrote: post #262
mercutio2 wrote: post #231

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Number of people who were dismissive of my heavy hiking boots in the first 200 miles of the AT: too many to count (maybe dozens?). Number of those people who went home with injured ankles: 2. Anecdotal, of course, but I certainly felt vindicated (and, of course, sad for those folks). If you're in a super duper hurry, having your boots slow you down is maybe a slight drag. If you value foot health over speed, I, too,…

Heh yeah. See below... it is sort of a religion. I really do tell most people to wear hiking boots for the reasons you and your parent commented cited though. I just felt like I should say if someone was in really good shape (like, really good) they can get away with less. I decided to do a little research to see if I could find any actual studies. Didn't find anything. Some interesting data about military using comb…

I'm sure I have a bit of a chip on my shoulder about the whole thing; I'm jealous of people like you who never roll their ankles!

Know your own capabilities is a good approach, in most activities.

Re: What Happens to Your Body on a Thru-Hike

#275

Post by prawn »

RUG3Y wrote: post #94
prawn wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is this with toenails trimmed and shoes with enough room in the toe box? For a couple of years, I hiked in shoes I thought of as really comfortable. On long walks (especially 35m+ in a day), I'd get blisters around my heel and sore toes. I just figured that was what happened when hiking a lot. Changed shoes (same brand, but larger and better cushioning) and haven't had those problems since.

Too much room in the toe box can be a problem too, your feet slide around and your toes slam the front of your boots repeatedly. This is actually worse (to me) than having shoes that are too tight.

Don't you cover for this doing up the laces properly? That should at least help. Obviously terrain will influence how much of a problem smashed toes are.

Re: What Happens to Your Body on a Thru-Hike

#276

Post by RUG3Y »

prawn wrote: post #275
RUG3Y wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Too much room in the toe box can be a problem too, your feet slide around and your toes slam the front of your boots repeatedly. This is actually worse (to me) than having shoes that are too tight.

Don't you cover for this doing up the laces properly? That should at least help. Obviously terrain will influence how much of a problem smashed toes are.

Steep terrain will destroy you if your shoes are a little too big. Think going down a steep mountainside with a heavy pack on your back - all of that weight wants to roll down hill. Even if you lace up tightly, your feet are going to move around.

Re: What Happens to Your Body on a Thru-Hike

#277

Post by RUG3Y »

prawn wrote: post #275
RUG3Y wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Too much room in the toe box can be a problem too, your feet slide around and your toes slam the front of your boots repeatedly. This is actually worse (to me) than having shoes that are too tight.

Don't you cover for this doing up the laces properly? That should at least help. Obviously terrain will influence how much of a problem smashed toes are.

Steep terrain will destroy you if your shoes are a little too big. Think going down a steep mountainside with a heavy pack on your back - all of that weight wants to roll down hill. Even if you lace up tightly, your feet are going to move around.

Re: What Happens to Your Body on a Thru-Hike

#278

Post by almog »

Dowwie wrote: post #36

I came across three emaciated, bearded men on the continental divide trail in glacier national park. When I asked one of them where he was from he looked at his buddies and they all replied excitedly, in unison, "Mexico!". It was at that moment that I came to realize that these men were one day away from completing the entire thru-hike. I vividly recall one of their dinners: Dried ramen noodle, straight from the bag.…

The first time I wasn't cooking food on the trail was just a yew months ago, on my 22 days hike in Nepal (Jiri-Namche-EBC and the three passes). People who hike in these areas rarely camp but rather dine in the (very comfortable) tea houses. The food was tasty, filling and cheap, but by 2nd week I started to feel that I miss my evening camping routine of cooking my pre-made meal under a tarp.

I love hiking and but I also love cooking. Few years ago, while starting to shift into lighter base camp, I discovered how easy it is to make your own dehydrated meal. Nowadays when I hike, and especially on long multiple day hikes, I prepare myself a diverse food menu (i.e. Hummus, Pad Thai, vegetarian bolognese, curry, lentils with rice and the list goes on). I find that it keeps me motivated on the trail and full of anticipation for dinner rather than just eating to fight the trail hunger.

Moreover, the entire (long) process of cooking before heading out to the trail is for me a ceremony that fills me with anticipation.

Re: What Happens to Your Body on a Thru-Hike

#279

Post by bitexploder »

mercutio2 wrote: post #274
bitexploder wrote: post #262

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Heh yeah. See below... it is sort of a religion. I really do tell most people to wear hiking boots for the reasons you and your parent commented cited though. I just felt like I should say if someone was in really good shape (like, really good) they can get away with less. I decided to do a little research to see if I could find any actual studies. Didn't find anything. Some interesting data about military using comb…

I'm sure I have a bit of a chip on my shoulder about the whole thing; I'm jealous of people like you who never roll their ankles! Know your own capabilities is a good approach, in most activities.

Yep. Find what works, and try the alternatives when there is no good science one way ir another.

Re: What Happens to Your Body on a Thru-Hike

#280

Post by bootload »

hsitz wrote: post #261
bootload wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

btw @hsitz I ask this question not to be rude, but to work out if overconfidence is driving the answer cf: ~ https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13620745

No worries about offending me. To give you some idea of where I'm coming from, I run, hike, and backpack over 3,000 miles per year, much of it in the mountains, and I'm in my fifties. I have good amount of personal and theoretical understanding of human physiology and psychology in endurance events. Yes, some people are overconfident. I would suggest that the main problem in the context of endurance activities, thoug…

thanks for the great reply @hsitz. One thing I did notice that as a fitness marker was the authors heart-rate (BPM). His resting heart rate measured at 48bpm. This is unusual and is in the range of ^endurance athletes^. In fact, soldiers are tested on carefully for this marker. It indicates no matter how fit you may be, resting heart-rate is an indicator of ^endurance^ capability. That resting heart rate means he can push a lot further, longer than most people.
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