How many miles are you comfortable pushing yourself to do?

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shuteye
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Re: How many miles are you comfortable pushing yourself to d

Post by shuteye »

I guess some people believe they "see more" by covering more miles and some "see more" by going slower and paying attention. Myself, I like negotiating a terrain, scrambling, and climbing—I might be looking at my feet more than a thruhiker but I feel engaged with the wilderness, which is, for me, the point. In truth, long trails bore me silly although I hike for training 3 or 4 days a week. I'm 64 and about to slow down sometime very soon. I have never done the JMT, but I have to say, given the traffic, that particular hike doesn't sound like much of a wilderness experience anymore. Since the difference between a slow hiker and a fast hiker is about 1 mile per hour, isn't mileage less about speed—about pushing—and more about hours? I have done 20, but for myself, I seem to cover more miles if I set a slower pace.
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kpeter
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Re: How many miles are you comfortable pushing yourself to d

Post by kpeter »

I agree with pretty much all the perspectives above--so much depends on your purpose and on your own physical condition, age, etc.

But I'm surprised no one has pointed out that the condition of the trail makes a difference. A packed earth trail in a forest is twice as fast as a coarsely crushed rock trail across a talus slope. That old mining road going up from the Tungsten Mill at Pine Creek, or the unlevel cobblestones coming down Lewis Creek to the Merced Ranger station--still make my ankles hurt just to think about them.
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rlown
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Re: How many miles are you comfortable pushing yourself to d

Post by rlown »

kpeter wrote: But I'm surprised no one has pointed out that the condition of the trail makes a difference. A packed earth trail in a forest is twice as fast as a coarsely crushed rock trail across a talus slope.
It's not that it wasn't pointed it out.. Just don't like to think about it, or sand, or water bars, or flooded trails or suncups.. :)

Yes, it does make a difference.
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Tom_H
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Re: How many miles are you comfortable pushing yourself to d

Post by Tom_H »

kpeter wrote:...the condition of the trail makes a difference. A packed earth trail in a forest is twice as fast as a coarsely crushed rock trail across a talus slope.
Very true. On a section of the Bartram Trail in N. GA Appalachians I hit a soft level stretch of soft packed soil trail once on a scouting trip. The pack was probably 25 lb. We could have jogged on it, but decided to speed walk & made about 5.5 mi. in one hour.
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mrphil
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Re: How many miles are you comfortable pushing yourself to d

Post by mrphil »

I've never seen anybody that's cranking out the miles particularly enjoying themselves, just a look of grim determination on their faces with every step they take. I used to be one of them, and I realized how much I was missing and how damaged it left me feeling. All things considered, I go for consistent pace, not overall distance. I'm 56 and usually hit my limit at about 15 miles in a day, but if where I want to go is 3 miles away, I do that. The only time I do more is if I know I'm absolutely screwed if I don't. Your mind is a powerful tool when it comes to overriding the body's limits. I was about your age when I had my first kids. When they were old enough, I took them with me and slowed down even more to accommodate them. I also realized that it's not the time you get, it's the time you make. I've left a lot of money on the table to do that, and I've never had a moment's regret in that decision.

My son is now 19 and an Army Ranger. He can run 10 miles in about an hour and a half with close to 100 lbs of gear on, but aside from his military training and his willingness to devastate his body in the long-term for what he believes in, the entire reason he has the background and fundamental desire to be able to do it is because I slowed down and was willing to walk 1 mph (and often just sitting still) when he was little. My point is, take your daughter out with you, be her shining example, enjoy your time together, slow down and travel less distance for her (and for yourself), make life about being where you are, not getting somewhere else.
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B.Kruger
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Re: How many miles are you comfortable pushing yourself to d

Post by B.Kruger »

I'm glad you're excited about your goals, and I'm a little dismayed to see so many folks advising you to change your perspective. One person's joy is not another's, and there is nothing wrong with wanting to cover big mileage days, if that's something that brings you joy. As other posters have pointed out, you should be able to complete the JMT in your allotted time frame using the mileage range you're hitting now. But if you're also just excited by covering distance, that's ok too.

I am also a female turning 33 who is primarily a weekender (with a couple longer trips sprinkled in), and also often go for big mileage weekends, not only because many of the areas I want to visit require it, but because I also love big mileage trips. Challenging myself physically has always made me feel more connected to the environment I'm in, and I appreciate the scenery and nuances even more. That's my own personality trait, and I obviously don't expect others to share my viewpoint. I'm also not saying it's the only approach I use to explore the backcountry, but I certainly love long challenging days. My pack is significantly lighter than yours, usually under 30 lbs in the summer. Actual mileage for me depends on terrain, as others have mentioned; on obvious trail 20+ miles are fine, in very challenging cross country/talus slope country/etc. I often just aim to cover anything over 1 mile per hour.
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happycamper0313
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Re: How many miles are you comfortable pushing yourself to d

Post by happycamper0313 »

I am really enjoying the discussion and perspectives! Thank you all for taking the time to respond and give me some joy to discuss the trail while off-trail.  :)

When I first started backpacking, I was with others and usually did treks that were not in bear country. I also mainly did overnighters. All of this contributed to a lighter pack.

However, as I ventured out alone and discovered the bear populated Sierras, my pack got heavier and my trips got longer. Bear canisters are large and heavy. I switched to a 70L so I could accommodate the canister, and eventually carry for two as I take my daughter out. In terms of cutting weight, I don’t take any extras – I even go with the minimum food requirements because I’m not much of an eater on trail. Water is also plentiful, so no need for water weight. Carrying the weight isn’t too much of an issue – I compete in powerlifting, so upper body and leg strength/stamina is there.

Many of you mentioned the feet, and now that I read it – that’s a lot of the reason anything after 16 miles gets miserable. My feet just HURT. It feels as if someone hit all my toes and joints with a hammer. The next day, it was the pain in my feet that got me to call it quits. Not a single blister, just sore feet. My shoes are brilliant, but I don’t think anything would help once the feet feel beat up.

I guess part of my time prepping will be to scout for lighter weight gear when there are used sales and clearances. I have light gear, but not the lightest available. Gear gets exponentially expensive once you pick the lightest weight items!
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paul
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Re: How many miles are you comfortable pushing yourself to d

Post by paul »

Lots of good advice and thoughts here - and the key is really what you are comfortable doing. You need to know your own capabilities well enough to safely push the limits a bit. And, some training will allow you to handle longer days without pushing it - which is not only safer but much more fun. My own experience leads me to believe that certain things are very important to keep in mind when you consider how far you can go in a day - assuming that for whatever reason you want to make miles. These are not in any particular order.

Terrain - are you on an easy trail, a rough trail? lots or little elevation gain? off-trail?

Elevation and acclimatization - if it's the first day at altitude, pushing it can be very counter-productive, digging a hole you never get out of. After a few days you will have considerably more capability at altitude as you acclimatize.

Weather - Cold? hot? high winds? Rain? all of those will slow you down. Cool but not too cool, slight overcast - perfect conditions to make miles.

Nutrition - enough fuel but not too much, and the right kind, eaten at the right time, makes a big difference in both energy while you are going and also in recovery.

Footwear - you have to find what works best for you, but comfort is critical. and what works for a short hike my not be the same thing as what works for a long day - only experience can tell you what will work for you. One thing that helps me is I take my shoes off at lunch and sometimes at other breaks - makes them happier.

Hydration - gotta have plenty of water.

Pack weight - Lighter always means further; but pack has to be comfortable as well.

Fitness.

With experience you won't need to think specifically about all the factors - you'll be able to look at a map, at a route, and know that it's going to be an easy day, a long one, or no way - for you. How it would be for anyone else does not matter. Personally I don't ever plan to push it - I like to have a margin in case something goes wrong and I have to push it.
Last edited by paul on Wed Jul 26, 2017 10:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
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dbogey
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Re: How many miles are you comfortable pushing yourself to d

Post by dbogey »

In the Sierras, I'm comfortable with 15-20 miles a day but it comes at a price. I did the N-S Lake route a few years ago solo and should have stopped to see the scenery more often. I finished that route in 2 1/2 days and regretted it. If I hike alone, I find myself pushing too hard and can complete 50 miles treks in 2 days. This is why I often try to find a hiking partner that is not as fast as I am or one that likes to take multiple breaks.

I did a 2-day trek that was only 15 miles a few weeks ago with a good friend and really enjoyed it. We actually stopped to make camp at 4 pm (a rarity for me). That trip was one of my more enjoyable ones.

I'll be 50 next year (I run marathons and walk no less than 4 miles every day)
Just another day in paradise
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mkbgdns
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Re: How many miles are you comfortable pushing yourself to d

Post by mkbgdns »

my understanding is that exercise physiologists have found that people report exhaustion before their muscles are actually ready to quit. the brain wants to keep a margin for safety to keep your genes in the gene pool. Pheidippides fought in the battle of Marathon, then ran 26 miles to bring news of the victory to the anxious citizens of Athens. then he dropped dead.
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