[pct-l] Section hiker vs. thru

[Robert W. Freed]

  For me the difference is all about getting my trail legs. Over the last five years
I have done a lot of both through and section hiking. I have found that no matter how
much I work out, including day/weekend hikes, I do not really get my trail legs
until a week or more into my adventure. 
  In 2007 I yo-yo'ed the JMT. Starting out south bound was brutal. Each day I fell
farther and farther from my 20 mile a day goal. It took nearly 14 days to reach
Lone Pine. The hike back was a breeze, 9 days. Skipping over the same passes
I struggled with only a week before. Nine days included a couple of thirty mile
days and most of a zero at VV. Of course, now that I think about it, both of my
thirty plus mile days were thirty mile up hills south bound.  :)
  My point is, that after a few hundred miles the altitude and all day up hills of the
Sierra's won't even slow you down. But if you start a section hike there you are in
for some tough hiking.