60+ year old long distance hikers

#1

I am 63, retiring the end of this year, and starting my thru-hike of the AT on 2/18/18. Tried a thru-hike in 2014, starting 3/1/14 and got 554 miles, taking 1 month off due to an injury (hiked from Springer Mountain to Fontana Dam, then took month off to let left Achilles/ calf strain heal, then hiked from Fontana Dam about 1/3 way thru Virginia).
Hiking at older age seems primarily challenging physically - my body takes longer to heal/ recuperate.
I plan on trying to hike an average of about 15 miles/ day, 6 days/ week. With a couple short breaks to visit family added in, I expect it to take me a good 6 months to complete the trek. I am not in any hurry and can take longer if needed. If my body allows it, I may try to pick up the pace - Iā€™ll take it as it comes.
I am working on getting in shape, losing weight, and building my endurance, but from my 2014 attempt I learned that no workout I can do (especially w/ my work schedule) will fully prepare me for hiking 8-12 hrs/day on the AT and its up and down terrain.
My most important lessons learned from my 2014 hike -
1-I can do this and love doing it
2-It is not for everyone
3-I need to listen to and respect my body. If I hike w/in my limits, I CAN DO THIS.

Any other advice for the ā€œseniorā€ hiking class?
Thanks.

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#2

As a partner in arms of the 60+ club with you I can certainly understand some of your concerns, especially in regard to listening to what your body, in particular what your legs are telling you. I have been a much more recreational hiker then you nonetheless I too have sensed the need to get my mind and body aligned with the task of hiking 2100+ miles. I have been involved in physiology and personal training for the last 4 years, with my clientele consisting mostly of Seniors seeking improvements in balance, flexibility and cardio/respiratory function and stamina. My clients have gratiously given me tremendous insight in dealing with failure, and occasional successes.

I mention this only to share my opinion that the preparation needed to prepare your body and mind (they are a package deal) for a thru hike is much longer then say a quick few months to lose a few pounds and get some trail legs beneath you. Sedentary lifestyles can only truly be changed by:

#1 Change your mind, change your body #2 Develop a fitness plan and make it a routine part of your life #3 Do not set a unrealistic timeline for achievement-pad your timeline for delays and setbacks

Off my soapbox. There is so much more to this process.

Just remember that this is a Mind and Body expedition. Listen to your body yes, but train your mind and body and the results will far exceed your expectations.

4 Likes
#3

@themountainsarecalli
Thanks for the advice and support.

#4

As a member of this sub group, I have to agree with you 100%!

#5

Good advice and information above. I am also in the 60+ club, turning 68 during my thru attempt in 2017. I made it into New Jersey and injured my hip so had to stop. Honestly, I think you are correct when you say thereā€™s no prep for hiking that is better than actually hiking. I walked a lot and hiked with a pack but had no work out regimen beyond that. I actually bulked up before leaving by not skipping deserts and eating everything I could find. I had done 4 hikes of around 175 miles before and then did 1335 miles this year and each time I lost a significant amount of weight during the hike, even just a 2 week hike. I planned to take it slow at the beginning and then did a little longer miles quicker than I had planned but it went well. Not sure my experience is typical but it worked for me. I did some longer mile days (for me) like around 20 miles, and also did some at half that. The AT is a long trail so donā€™t get discouraged by a single problem or setback. If you need some days off just take them. There is plenty of time if you start early enough. I started March 3 and expected to finish in 6 months - friends I was hiking with are finishing right now, with me getting those announcements every day. Listen to your body and anticipate some challenges - thatā€™s normal. Donā€™t let a bad day get you - think longer term. Good Luck!

By the way, my trail name is -CBiscuit (with no dash in front - spell checker keeps changing it to ā€œBiscuitā€ and I canā€™t seem to make it work unless I put the ā€œdashā€ there. If you want to read my story I have a journal for 2017 here on trail journals under that name.

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#6

I can be the youngest member of the 60+ club. I turned 60 in late June (2017). I noticed on my last hike, I spent a lot of time conserving energy. There is a waterfall along the way, and many years ago, Iā€™ve climbed up the rocks to get to the top of the falls. Not this time as a 60 year old. I admired the falls from the bottom, thought about how cool it was to have climbed up there before. Drank some water, ate a Clif bar, and went on my way thinking how smart I am to save my energy for more important things like hiking along the trail.

Perhaps as we get older and recognize we arenā€™t youngsters who recover immediately, using our experience to continue enjoying what we enjoy is a good idea.

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#7

Iā€™m presently 65 but I feel like I did when I was in my 30ā€™s. Having ā€œSection Hikedā€ a good bit of the trail (AT) and then attempted a Thru-Hike in 2015, I can honestly say the trail can ā€œKick your Backsideā€. One thing I learned on my 2015 attempt, ā€œI canā€™t keep up with the Younger Crowdā€. So with that in mind, Iā€™m planning on another attempt to become a ā€œThru-Hikerā€ in 2019. We can accomplish our goals but we have to do what Iā€™ve just read above, and that is LISTEN to OUR BODIES. This isnā€™t a race and I plan on telling myself that quite a bit during my hike. I have 6+ months to reach Maine so barring any sicknesses or major accidents, Iā€™m giving it another go. Good Luck to all you fellow 60+ers.

#8

I am slowly approaching 70. By the time Iā€™m 71 Iā€™ll have been collecting social security to boost my hiking slush fund (Aug '18) and retired from work (May '19) with a projected start for my NOBO March 1, 2020.

This year Iā€™m picking up gear, tasting a lot of freeze dried food, and exercising (kayak, bike, and on foot) with plenty of time to get in shape. In January '18 Iā€™ll start at a fitness center with the aim of improving knees and lower back - my ā€˜softā€™ spots.

Not wanting to look much for a camp site I plan on hammocking as much as possible. Got a three season Hennessy and will shortly get under/over quilts to test THIS winter in the midwest.

It will be nice to return to the forum and pick up some clues regarding senior hiking. One thing is established already: 12 mile days and lots of photography on blue blazes etc.

Trail name is Click: and the journal is hereā€¦ http://www.trailjournals.com/journal/entry/580742

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#9

Right on, brother! I too am 63ā€¦retired in July from federal law enforcement career ā€“ and a retired Navy officer. I hope to accomplish a thru hike in 2018. I have been training since July in the hills near my home in western Massachusettsā€¦and while my civilian career required me to maintain fitness standards, I apparently didnā€™t realize how I hurt more and take a longer time to heal. In training, I have fallen a half dozen times! So I literally ā€œfeel your painā€!!! Now nursing my dislocated shoulder----but I still plan to tackle the AT in 2018. Just now, I am considering a flip-flop versus a NOBOā€”to give me more training time. OFIFOTO!

#10

Hope to see you on the trail!

#11

Good morning to us older then dirt club. I did my AT Thru hike in 2014 then the PCT in 2015. My attempted Thru hike of the CDT last year ended with a knee injury. So still need to finish from Streamboat Springs to Canada.
I do little training before my hikes. Mostly riding my bike. The best advice I can give is listen to your body. Itā€™s tells you all you need to know. Hike at your pace. I tend to hike slow espically in the afternoon. I tend to keep up with my bubble mainly because I hike more hours to cover the same ground as my younger friends.
I have found the mental aspect of long distance hiking to be the most interesting and hardest to completely under stand. Espically on your first long distance hike.
I lost 55 pounds on my AT Thru hike. Of course I needed to. A big then I learned was you need to keep fueling yourself all day to keep up your energy level.
Iā€™m a retired federal law enforcement officer and had had open heart surgery about twelve months before I began my AT adventure.
My words of wisdom is hike your own hike. Do your pace rest when you need to. Listen to your body. Take care of those physical problems while they are small. If you need to take a few days off the trail do it. Believe me you will still see your trail friends later on the trail.
Toasted Toad :frog::frog:

#12

@thealy416ā€“hi Tom. I finally retiredā€¦back home in Hadley for PT after attempting flip flop fm HF. I spent 3 days in Waynesboro PA incredibly sick,tried pushing too hard out of PAā€¦had to have the wife drive down and medevac me due to old Navy injury acting up. Still hoping to complete the southern half (HF to Springer) come July. And your words on the mental challenge? Right on! Iā€™m loving retirement from both USN and USFishā€¦ building a custom mountain bike to do the CDMBT in 2020! Weā€™ll see! Hope life treats you well! GMA as Capā€™n Coyote (trail name ā€œNot Yetā€.

#13

Glad you were able to get some trail time in. Sorry to hear you had to get off the trail because of an old injury. I had to finally stop and get off the CDT last year because of a knee injury. Just got done packing my resupply boxes yesterday. Getting back on the CDT on June 2 at Rabbiet Ear Pass (CO) to finish up my hike. Builiding the bike sounds great. Hope to finish my triple crown adventure this summer and then look for some new adventures to undertake. Good luck on finishing up the AT. Happy trails.

#14

A huge respect from Atlanta!

#15

And respect also from Des Moines

#17

Hi Toasted Toadā€¦member of 60ā€™s club too. I remember you from my 2014 hike. A few of us gals played a trick on you one night pretending the ā€˜bear got your food bagā€™ā€¦lol. Hope all is well ~ Kokopelli

#18

Ha ha yes I remember you ladies. You all were south on the trial. Yes very funning the next morning. I heard you all laughing and knew something was up. Hope you all are doing fine.