[pct-l] Fit for a thru-hike?

Thu Feb 4 17:08:20 CST 2010

How do you know if you're ready for anything? You practice the thing you're 
going to do until you can perform it with satisfaction.

Translated to the trail: If you plan on hiking straight out of the gates 
with pack on at 20mpd, then you'd better be able to do that before you drive 
to the border.

Now, everyone's different. Some don't have to assure themselves of this 
because they know themselves well enough. They have done 3-week hikes 
straight from a sea-level pre-hike training program and they didn't even get 
a blister. Some are in such good shape anyway because they spend their 
weekends hiking that they know the starting expectations won't kill them. 
Others may not care, choosing to "wing it" and find out day-one what their 
body's capable of or not.

Certainly, "To Each His Own" and HYOH, but if you want to avoid some of the 
physical trials and strains experienced in the first few weeks of a thru 
hike far from home, train with your loaded pack on your back on trails and 
in conditions expected at the beginning of the PCT, whichever end you're 
starting from. If you can enjoy without injury the daily mileage you expect 
to do, then you're ready to go!

Ned Tibbits, Director
Mountain Education
South Lake Tahoe, Ca.
    P: 888-996-8333
    F: 530-541-1456
    C: 530-721-1551
    http://www.mountaineducation.org
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Swope Christopher" <sswwooppee at gmail.com>
To: "pct-L backcountry.net" <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2010 2:50 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Fit for a thru-hike?

> I've never attempted a thru hike before, so I've had to do a lot of
> reading about what I do to prepare for one.
>
> I've read what seems like hundreds of threads about the merits of
> being "in shape" on day one, as well as that it's not as important as
> some claim it is.
>
> What I can't remember ever seeing is some kind of a rough baseline by
> which to judge whether I'm "in shape" or not.
>
> What do you grizzled PCT vets consider to be "in shape" enough to
> start a PCT thru hike? How do you come to the judgement that you're
> ready?
>
> Does one have to be able leap Mt. San Jacinto in a single bound or is
> it; be able to string together 17+ mile days indefinitely?
>
> What's your standard, and what is THE standard, as you perceive it?
>
> What would you consider signs of definitely NOT ready? (the answer to
> this question will probably be much funnier)
>
> Thanks,
>
> Swope
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Feb 4, 2010, at 4:14 PM, <ned at pacificcrestcustombuilders.com> 
> <ned at pacificcrestcustombuilders.com
> > wrote:
>
>> Hi, Paul,
>>
>> If a hiker dreams of hiking 2650 miles, you'd think that they'd
>> start in as
>> best a physical fitness as they possibly could, being informed that
>> if they
>> don't and get hurt, they'll have to quit, wasting all that planning,
>> preparation, and expense. We are in equal agreement with you that
>> we, too,
>> want everyone's dream to be realized and more. That's why we offer
>> our snow
>> skills training courses for free--to help them overcome the
>> challenges of
>> the trail by learning about them first-hand, on the snow, with an
>> instructor, so they'll be ready to use the skill when the need
>> demands it.
>> We want everyone to come out the other end with a new sense of
>> completion,
>> confidence, and knowledge of who they are and what they want out of
>> life,
>> and these are just some of the benefits of long trail hiking.
>>
>> There's nothing wrong with starting with the herd or being social
>> along the
>> trail. But if you let another person's speed dictate your's when
>> your body's
>> not up for it, you're asking for trouble. So, do as Paul pleads and
>> get in
>> shape for hiking before your trip starts! If you can't do or don't
>> want to
>> do 20+ miles a day straight out of the gates, then lengthen your
>> trail time
>> by starting earlier. So you run into a little snow, maybe? Are you
>> so purely
>> a summer hiker that you won't even prepare for it? Snow can fall in
>> the
>> Sierra any month of the year.
>>
>>
>> Ned Tibbits, Director
>> Mountain Education
>> South Lake Tahoe, Ca.
>>    P: 888-996-8333
>>    F: 530-541-1456
>>    C: 530-721-1551
>>    http://www.mountaineducation.org
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Paul Bodnar" <paulbodnar at hotmail.com>
>> To: "pct-L backcountry.net" <pct-l at backcountry.net>
>> Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2010 12:32 PM
>> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Fit for a thru-hike?
>>
>>
>>>
>>> Ned,
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> My research shows that most hikers start the PCT at the Kick Off or
>>> the
>>> last weekend of April.  I don't see this changing in 2010.  Most
>>> people
>>> want to travel in a herd, it is typical animal and human behavior.
>>> Because of this most people will probably start close to the last
>>> week of
>>> April.  This limits the time window to about 5 months for the
>>> majority
>>> (more like 90+%) of thru-hikers (see link below for statistical
>>> data).
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> My primary goal is to increase the success rate of thru-hikers
>>> completing
>>> the entire PCT.  Because of this I can not endorse starting the PCT
>>> out of
>>> shape.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I have fallen victim to my own laziness and I admittied this to the
>>> list
>>> to encourage myself and others to get in shape for this PCT thru-
>>> hike.
>>> This trail is not a joke, it will eliminate about 60% of the thru-
>>> hikers
>>> if they follow the same trend they did last year.  I don't want
>>> that to
>>> happen.  I want every thru-hiker to finish.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Getting into shape before your hike is the right thing to do. Not
>>> only for
>>> the hike but for your health.  Everyone knows this, but again here
>>> comes
>>> the excuses....
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Paul
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> 2009 PCT Migration Pattern
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> http://hikethru.com/about-the-pct/pct-hiker-migration
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> 2009 PCT Success Rate
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> http://hikethru.com/about-the-pct/thru-hike-success-rate
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> Paul,
>>>>
>>>> Your math is good, but presumes an average start date. What if
>>>> hikers
>>>> start
>>>> "early?" Wouldn't they, then, have more time to go slower at first,
>>>> speeding
>>>> up to their own desired daily mileage to pull in before the snow
>>>> flies in
>>>> Manning as they get stronger?
>>>>
>>>>
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>>
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