RE: [at-l] Physical Preparation

["L. Parker" <lparker@cacaphony.net>]

The best way to get in condition for a hike is to hike. Plain and simple.
When I was a young man (which was quite some time ago) there were only a few
gurus out there, backwoods men, men who carried 80 pound packs and wore
moccasins instead of boots, and even then they insisted that if you wanted
to get in shape for a long hike, you needed to hike a lot of shorter hikes.
Toughen your feet, your legs, your spirit.

Every year thousands of people start the AT with the intention of hiking it
to the end. Every year most fail. Most, but not all, fail from a lack of
hiking. They think "I am young, or strong, or tough, or...", and then they
push to meet some idealized image of themselves doing twenty mile days. They
are gone before they reach the border. Others who really are tough or strong
or whatever fare better, but lack of spirit kills them before the next
border.

For most people you can't just decide that you are going to hike 2000 miles
and do it. It takes preparation and experience, and training. I have met
many people on the trail in my time, good people, wonderful people,
interesting people, but only a few people who really had some idea of what
they were doing there. Even some of those don't make it, although they
usually get farther then the rest.

Go out and hike, you will train by doing, and the trail gods willing, your
spirit will grow with the hiking until you are ready for the challenge.

Lee I Joe

Why do I hike? Well, how many people on their deathbeds wish they had spent
more time at the office?

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