[pct-l] Trail Injuries (cliques)

Fri Apr 4 17:56:29 CDT 2008

Heed these words of wisdom from Dr Mohawkian, the  world expert on hiker 
cliques (not chicks - DOWN Monty & Reinhold) from  observing thousands of PCT 
hikers, cliqueing in her backyard. When stuck in the  same backyard - damn nice 
place to be stuck - for 3 days in '05, hoping for an  arch injury to heal, I got 
to really observe some of that behavior. I saw 2  hikers, one male and one 
female, who were ready to hike on, actually wait a day  or two until their 
fellow cliqueians were ready. In the AT shelter registers  there were almost daily 
notes: "Catch up, so-and-so", "We're waiting on you  so-and-so", or "I'm 
trying to catch my friends". Oh well, people are  people. Hike your own hike; the 
rest will work out.

Bob  "Trekker"
Big Bend Desert Denizen
Naturalized Citizen - Republic of  Texas

In a message dated 4/4/2008 9:53:02 A.M. Central Daylight Time,  
dsaufley at sprynet.com writes:

We  talked about this in the thru-hiker panel at Trail Fest -- how  the
psychology of social attachments to one's group causes issues of  various
types.  Trying to keep up with a group is one potential  hazard.  Separation
from the group is another, sometimes devastating,  form of mental anguish
that sometimes leads to people  quitting.

Social bonding is a really powerful thing, and we see  "cliques" all the
time, whether the members of the clique realize they are  in one or not.
Separated from their clique, they are like fish out of  water, and don't
assimilate easily into a new group (perhaps the new group  puts out subtle,
unconscious barriers to potential new members). 

On  the panel, Basmati emphasized the need to be flexible in this and  other
regards.  Don't let the desire to be with a group force you to  hike outside
your physical limits, and be open to change should you need to  alter who
you're hiking with -- or if you have to hike alone.   

L-Rod 

-----Original Message-----
From: montypct  [mailto:montypct at gmail.com] 
Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2008 6:51 PM
To:  Donna Saufley; 'Robert W. Freed'; pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re:  [pct-l] Trail Injuries

Darn.  There goes those facts again messing  up my macho perceptions.

This last year, I think it was Bill Person  (Pooh) said to an injured hiker 
simply, "Were you trying to catch  up?"

No matter how much a hiker wants to stick with the group and hike  with their

"Trail Family", it can't outweigh the facts of the  past.  "Trying to catch 
up" can lead to drugs (Ibuprofen) and destroy  dreams (the thru-hike).

Monty

Warner Springs  Monty
Pacific Crest Trail 2650 Miles .....Again.....and Again
Sign my  Guestbook
www.trailjournals.com/monty
----- Original Message -----  
From: "Donna Saufley" <dsaufley at sprynet.com>
To: "'Robert W.  Freed'" <robert at engravingpros.com>;  <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2008 6:43  PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Trail Injuries

> Well, I hope I can  give you an opposite view that is intended to help you
> balance your  "push on" perspective.  Mind over matter is important, but
> there  are limits and realities to deal with.  Years ago when I was a 
>  fitness
> trainer, we always said pain -- real pain, not the "wah, wah,  I don't want
> to do this" sort of thing -- is the way your body tells  you something is
> wrong.  In my experience it is always best to  listen to what your body is
> telling you, even if it's not what you  want to hear.
>
> Here at Hiker Heaven I've seen a fair number of  hikers who had to quit
> hiking because they didn't listen to what they  bodies were telling them,
> which is often slow down and/or stop and  rest until injuries heal. 
> Because
> they pressed too hard for  too long and didn't take care of themselves, 
> their
> hikes  ended. Stress fractures are the usual culprit, but shin splints and
>  plantars also take their toll. It's very sad to see this happen.  It's  
> even
> more ironic to see young healthy people who are so full  of energy and
> strength but haven't learned how (or why) to pace  themselves get sidelined
> with injuries while wizened old timers pass  them up, slow but consistent.
> It's the classic case of the tortoise  and the hare.
>
> It takes time for the body to adjust to carrying  30 (or more) pounds of
> extra weight, and for all the tendons and  ligaments to adjust to walking
> many miles a day. Large muscle groups  adapt quickly, but training for
> tendons and ligaments is a much slower  process.  You can blow yourself up 
> on
> the first day if  you don't take it easy and hike within your limits. The
> first days and  weeks should be a gradual process of allowing your body to
>  adjust.  There's a price to pay for most when they're too fast out the  
> gate.
>
> So, I hope this helps you.
>
>  L-Rod
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:  pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
>  On Behalf Of Robert W. Freed
> Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2008 12:40  PM
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Subject: [pct-l] Trail  Injuries
>
> Injuries are just a excuse your body makes to trick  your mind into
> rationalizing giving up.
>
>  At least  that's what I'm telling myself this season.
>
>   Robert
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