Mid-trail Slump
Early into my hike, I asked a former thru-hiker if hiking ever got easier. They said, “No, it never gets easier because as you get stronger you just keep hiking more miles.”
For the first 2 months of the trail, I kept trying to do more. My daily mileage went from 12 to 15 then 17, to finally 20 as I pushed myself to go further and faster. I wanted to see if I was strong enough to keep up with these around me (most of them are guys who are about a foot taller than me). Could I hike 20 miles a day for multiple days in a row? Could I do that mileage without getting to camp significantly later than my friends?
In between Glasgow, VA and Harpers Ferry, WV, I proved that the answer to both questions is “yes.”
- We averaged 20 miles per day in Shenandoah National Park and I was arriving at meet up points only a little after my friends.
- I held a 3 mph pace for over 4 hours coming into Front Royal, VA.
- I hiked 48 miles in 2 days to make it easier to go into DC.
It feels rewarding to tackle big miles, but I’m tired. I’ve been on trail for over 75 days now and the cumulative fatigue is kicking in. During the first 7ish weeks, I could come into camp drained and wake up the next morning good as new. Now, even after a good nights sleep, I’m still tired; my body isn’t fully recovering anymore.
I’m also missing evening leisure time. I used to get into camp early and have time to do self-care like stretch and journal. It hard to do those things when I get to camp at 7pm or later. I’m typically exhausted and my priorities are camp chores (get water and make food) before it gets dark. I don’t have the energy to sit around chatting with other hikers or do self-care.
The challenge for the next few weeks is figuring out how do I balance the miles with leisure. How many miles a day do I need to do to feel like I’ve pushed myself while also leaving time to rest and recover?
I’m not sure what the answer will be but I’m hoping I can find out soon.
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Comments 3
Thanks for the reminder that self-care is more than eating and sleeping at the end of the day. I need to incorporate some mindfulness exercises and stretching.
Hey Linnea! it’s Beth from Trail Magic at PenMar. Did y’all make it to Hersheypark? Hope all is well, keeping you all in Prayer and please tell everyone who was there at TM that Wendy and I said HELLO!!!!
Sorry for the very delayed response but thank you so much for the trail magic!