At long last managed to do the 1st segment of the trail today. Nice hike. Gotta wonder though, despite my daily 3 mile walks and usually at least 1 5-6 mile hike a week, after 17 miles pretty sore with blisters on both feet, so how the heck do you go multi segments day after day!!! Need to know the secret I guess!
Tim
You made a big leap from 3-mile walks to a 17-mile section. Congratulations on your accomplishment, but your body and feet needed more of a gradual adjustment. The key to not blowing your body out on the first few days of a long hike is pre-hike conditioning (building up mileage slowly and steadily). Short-cut the process, and well, you’ve seen (and felt) the consequences.
Matt
Well actually had been building up, just last week did an 11 mile Neon Canyon (Grand Staircase, UT) hike with approx 2000 vertical and no issues. Really, other than the 2 blisters on feet (one in bad spot, the other didnt matter), we did pretty good. 6 hrs 45 min to do the 1st segment, and we took at least 20 minute break for lunch and a couple of other small breaks along the way. Tired at end of hike, but other than the blisters, all fine after one nights sleep… just not sure I could tackle 2nd segment next day, though looking at the maps and book, not really concerned with our abilities on segs 2-4. Segment 6 looks to be a challenge, no way a day hike, and at altitude!
Not sure how much more can prepare, spend 1 hour per day hiking (6500 feet, with a hill each day) along with the longer hikes every week, beyond that, not sure how to come up with more time to devote as at least in my case, I gotta work (and running my own biz requires bit more than 40 hrs per week, HA).
Tim Tonge
I find that I am more inclined to get sore feet and blisters when hiking roadways like the first section of the CT. I find I walk much faster on the roadway and my feet take much more of a pounding on the hard surface.
I walk much slower on the singletrack trail out of neccessity and my feet do fine.
Last year prior to hiking the CT I hiked the Centennial trail in SD followed by the Michelson rail trail. The rail trail gave me blisters and sore feet, a similar surface to the start of the CT.
Incidently section 2 of the CT was by far the toughest section for me, due to the weather. I was more exhausted at the end of section 2 than at any other time on the trail.
RichardD
Tim - Didn’t mean to suggest that you’re a slacker. Most of us have jobs that limit our pre-hike conditioning. And most of us initally suffer through blisters and sore muscles because of it. Luckily, the body can absorb a lot of punishment and when you set out on a ld hike, you just walk through it. After a few days the body catches up and starts to cope with the daily stress.
Matt
Well good to know others have similar issues… we felt we handled the trail well but wasnt sure how we would attempt multi day segments (ie 6) when we get to it, our goal for this summer is segs 1-4 or 5, realistic goal for us given work schedules. Didnt take it that you suggested I was slacker. Hopefully can keep making incremental progress on the trail, wish I had weeks off to do it but my busy season is summer, and slow season winter, not so good for the trail.
Tim