[pct-l] Anyone plan on starting slow?

[Eric Lee]

Mike wrote:
>
I'm a 43 year old guy who is a fairly experienced hiker. I'm concerned about
cumulative damage. Is any of the Class of 2011 thinking of going slow the
first weeks? Like 10mi the first week, 15mi the second and then up to the
20's? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
>

I assume you meant per *day*?

I think starting slow is a fine idea in general and even relatively fit
people can burn themselves out pretty quickly if they jump straight into a
20+-miles-a-day routine right off the bat, but unfortunately your mileage in
southern California is dictated at least in part by the availability of
water.  When it's 20 miles between reliable sources and really hot, it might
not be feasible to carry enough water for two full days.  You've got to move
fast enough to get to the next reliable water before what you're carrying
runs out and that dictates an effective minimum speed for your hike.

I suppose the exact minimum speed depends on the weather you happen to have
and on your maximum water-carrying capacity.  Also, if your purpose in all
of this is to break your body in slowly, remember that there's probably a
break-even point where it costs just as much in wear and tear to haul a
bunch of water on your back as it does to walk farther and faster in a day.
At some point just doing the miles is actually the easiest course of action.

Eric