[at-l] Hiking technique for ascents

[lparker@cacaphony.net (L. Parker)]

Mark

It is normally best to plant your feet flat on the ground.

Unless you are wearing plastic winter mountaineering boots, you will quickly
find the strain of supporting yourself plus pack on the balls of your toes
too much for your calf muscles and plantar fascia to cope with. Plastic
boots are specially designed with very low flex shanks and soles to transfer
the load from your toes to the backs of your calves (not to your calf
muscles, although some inevitably gets through).

For a quick demonstration, place a book, preferably a large one such as a
dictionary on the floor. Now rest your toes on the book with your heels on
the floor. Now lift your heels off the floor until you are not quite
standing on tip toe. Let down and repeat this operation 1,200 more times.
Having problems getting past fifty? Don't feel bad, unless you are a
Jazzercise instructor you probably won't get past a hundred either.

There are lots of climbs on the AT where you would have to do this 1200
times or more.

Now go back to the book and stand in the same position. Step off of the book
(without lifting yourself on your toes). Step back on the book. See the
difference? Yes, it _stretches_ the calves and your plantar fascia, but it
doesn't _work_ them the same way.

BTW, the advice about the boots from the podiatrist was totally backwards.
Unless your feet are in good shape and you have taken time to strengthen
them (through exercise such as walking or running), wear good boots with
stiff soles or restrict yourself to loads well under thirty pounds. There is
a reason boots designed to carry heavy loads have stiff shanks and running
shoes don't....

Lee I Joe

Once I knew where I was going, but now I have  forgotten.  Sometimes my mind
wanders.  Sometimes it goes alone, and other times it takes me along...this
isn't one of those times...