Date: 2013-08-11
To: 5 Recommendations
Miles today: 0.0

Just wanted to share some thoughts and things I learned during my hike, specifically aimed at people looking to do any extended hiking themselves.1. Start in shape2. Pack light3. Fuel the engine4. Listen to your body5. Know your gear1. Start in shape.It killed me to see people whos pre-hike prep involved eating pizza and drinking beer. They struggled so much. Yes, you can hike your way into shape. Yes, it seemed like that make for a miserable first month. Do yourself a favor and train. By the end you will be an endurance athlete whether you want the label or not. Do your best to start in shape. Run a 5k. Get off the couch. While its tough to start with 20 mile days, be able to do 12 mile days. This also means more than just aerobics and muscles. The limiting factor will likely be ligaments/tendons/joints. Training these areas specifically for hiking is tough, but they are the parts that are most likely to break during your hike.2. Pack light.You dont need all that crap. Seriously. Leave it at home. Have people look at your gear list, pick it apart. Also be willing to spend the money. Light gear is expensive. You can get some pieces on a budget but the best stuff will cost you. Find a way to pay for it, your knees will thank you later.3. Fuel the engine.This consists of three areas. Food, water, and rest. You need to be intentional about over-doing all three of these things. The few times I ran into miserable hikers they were the ones who it seemed to me werent eating enough. You'll be burning thousands and thousands of calories a day. Dont be afraid to pig out. Some goes with water. Don't hike dehydrated. Every time you see a water source you should be drinking until you are full. Piss should be clear, not looking like sweet tea. Finally, theres rest. Get a good full night of sleep every night. Your body takes a beating during the day, give it time to recover. Being intentional about fueling your engine will make the hike so much easier.4. Listen to your body.Push yourself but dont break yourself. Learn to understand what different aches and pains are. Some will force you to stop, others you will have to force yourself to stop. Be in touch with your entire body. I initially mis-diagnosed a high ankle sprain as an achillies tendon issue. In some areas its hard to figure out exactly what is hurting, but take the time to self-diagnose it. If your body needs rest, give it rest. Pushing to do 20 miles when you should only be doing 10 will set you way back in the long run. Look at the injuries Woody struggled with as a great example of this.5. Know your gearEven if you dont have much hiking experience you should know how about your gear. This means knowing weight, specs, reviews, etc, as well as simply being able to use it. Set up your tent a half dozen times to get a feel for it, use your stove to cook before you burn down a shelter on your first night out, understand how to distribute weight and pack your backpack so it carries well, and have a good idea of how long it takes and under what conditions different clothes while dry out. While you will learn all of this through trail and error as you hike the trail can and will punish mistakes. Dont be a mistake, and dont let unfamiliarity with your gear be a hindrance while you hike. Finally, there is no such thing as bad conditions only bad gear.Sorry if this is a bit preachy. Take this all with a grain of salt and understand it comes from my hiking style and preferences.