How did you increase your MPD?

[AO2134]

Hey guys. I just got into backpacking in June of this year and I can hike 15-16 miles at the "outer edge" of comfortable hiking. I could do more, but it is slower and just not as fun. I want to increase my MPD. I really, really want to break this limit I seem to hit around that mileage. How did you increase your MPD? I would love to get closer to 20 mpd.

I have a 30-32 lbs fully loaded pack. I know hiking could be easier if I get lighter, but I just bought all my gear this year. For a while at least, I can't spend more money on hiking. As my gear started to wear, I will buy better gear.

For an indication of how many miles I do on AT and where, here is a list of this month's hikes:

3 night, 4 day hike:

Day 1: Parking lot to Springer to Gooch Gap Shelter: ~17 miles Started hiking around 9:30 am and finished around 6:00pm
Day 2: Gooch Gap Shelter to Neel Gap: ~ 16 miles. Started hiking at 8:30 am and finished 5:15 pm.
Day 3: Neel Gap to Wolf Laurel Top, back to Neel Gap (dropped camera) to Low Gap Shelter: ~ ~19 miles. Started hiking at 9:00 am to 7:15 pm.
Day 4: Low Gap Shelter to Unicoi Gap: 9.7 miles. Started at 8:30 am. Finished at 12:15 Pm.

This weekend I did:

Day 1: Unicoi to Tray Mountain Shelter: 5.7 miles. Started at 6 pm and finished 8:30pm.
Day 2: Tray Mountain Shelter to Deep Gap Shelter and back to Tray Mountain Shelter: ~16 Started at 10:15 am finished at 6:00 pm.
Day 3: Tray Mountain Shelter to Unicoi Gap. 5.7 miles. Started at 9:15 pm and finished 11:50pm.

Does anyone have ideas on how I could get my MPD up?

[soumodeler]

Pack weight is obviously going to be the big thing, but I understand not wanting to buy new gear to replace brand new stuff.

A few of thoughts:

Switch to trail runners as your pack weight comes down. Less weight on your feet means you don't get tired as fast.
Trekking poles can help.
Start earlier in the day and take more breaks. 10:15 is a super late start for me. I like to be on the trail by 8 if possible.
Carry only enough water to get to the next water source to lower weight. Can be tricky if it is dry and you also need to know how much you will need. Takes some trial and error. Always err on side of caution if in doubt.

At home, lower body and core exercises will definitely help you out.

[Malto]

I used to live down in your neck of the woods, Kennesaw so you will be walking many of my paths.

early in my hiking career I was hiking a lot out in the Sierra on weekend trips. In order to get to cool places I had to do some higher mile days, 20-25. Soon that was not enough. I had read that Skurka could hike 30+ miles a day and this seemed absolutely impossible. One Sunday, after still being on a high from Skydiving on Saturday I hiked a 32 mile day along the Chatooga. I could hardly walk the next day. That was a huge day for me because it broke a mental barrier, a 30 mile day was possible. Over the next couple of years I repeated that distance until it became "normal". In 2011 I thru hiked the PCT and averaged well over 30 miles per day on full hiking days. Since then I have continued to push the limits and now view a sub 40 mile day taking it easy. What's the point? IMHO 90% of the battle is mental regardless of what your mileage goal may be. If you don't believe something is possible then it most likely won't be.

a couple of tips to increase your mileage.
1) start early, you can never make up the wonderful early morning hiking hours.
2) don't hike fast, hike consistent. minimize breaks and try to keep a consistent pace.
3) go light. My 8 lb. base goes a long way to enabling high miles.
4) learn to setup and break camp quickly. less stuff helps but it is more technique.

There are other factors such as overall fitness and nutrition. You can find more on that here.

http://postholer.com/journal/viewJournal.php?sid=2384d6eddcbf3ec9d8919132918c38 08&entry_id=20018

[garlic08]

For me, it was all about lightening the load. And it took many years. It'll be nearly a miracle if all the gear you just bought is exactly the "right stuff." You'll probably be selling and buying sooner than you think. For me, it took three packs, three bags, three tents, five pairs of shoes, and many tries at simply leaving stuff at home. As it turns out, the stuff I ended up with is quite a bit cheaper than the stuff I started with, with the exception of the sleeping bag.

But I was in my late forties during this effort. As a younger person, you might be able to do it differently.

It sounds like you're starting pretty early. One thing I do now is stop along the trail for dinner and a rest, then hike a couple more hours and maybe an extra five or six miles before camping at sunset.

Some hikers have a "12 x 12" goal, twelve miles by noon. If you do that, another eight miles in the afternoon is no big deal. I can sometimes push 30 if I get a 12 x 12 on a long summer day.

Being consistent day after day is important. Don't push 20 miles one day if you won't be able to hike at all the next. Near the end of the day I always ask myself if I'll be able to do the same mileage again tomorrow. If the answer is no, I'll stop.

Good luck and most important, have fun.

[rocketsocks]

...start early finish late, don't take long breaks. Your pace is pretty much your pace, sure it can be increased a little, but if you try and go faster with weight on your back, you may injure yourself. Slower and steadily wins this race.

[AO2134]

@ soumodeler

Right now I have hiking boots. I am sorta clumsy and they have saved my ankles at least once every trip. Given weight of pack, I also think they are a must.
I have trekking poles, cheapos from walmart, but they work fine.
10:15 start was a bit of anomaly for me. It was raining and I just didn't want to get out of my tent. So far, I have been blessed with weather. I haven't had to do much hiking on all-day rainy conditions. I decided to wait the rain out. The big problem for me is that it takes me 1 + hrs to break camp. I have awful blisters which require mole skin. I usually try to break camp around 8:00 -8:30. I usually wake up around 7ish. Spend 10 minutes laying there looking at map for day. From that point forward it takes me at least an hour to break camp, and I don't even cook anything. My breakfast is usually a cliffbar and a granola bar. I really don't why it takes me so long. I need a system.
I carry a lot of water because I get dehydrated easily. I sweat a lot. I usually carry 2-3 liters at a minimum. It is so annoying because you never know exactly where/how the water if flowing. Water is one thing I can't go without. I could care less about food if I don't have water. But it does get annoying when I do 10 miles with a 2 L platypus on my back that I haven't touched.

@ Malto

Starting early: Starting earlier would give me more time, but I hit a wall around 12-13 miles that I can keep hiking, but it is slower. I can't keep my previous pace after that point. When I hike, I always tell myself, "where you can, set the pace. Where you can't, try. When that fails, just keep moving." My pace starts pretty good. Close to 3 mph, but it slows after 2ish hours. Then it is 2.5 for an 1-2 hours. Then it 2.0 for 2 hours. After that, it becomes zombie hiking. I just try to keep moving. By end of day, I generally average of 2 miles per hiking hour. I don't take many breaks. I don't eat a "lunch." Just another clif bar and granola bar. The only breaks I really take are to getting water and possibly switching my socks and mole skin. I get awful blisters (my feet sweat a lot), but even with soaked socks, 1/2 the time I refuse to stop. I just keep pushing.

Sub8 base weight? Jesus, my sleeping system is 7 lbs 7 oz alone. Maybe one day.

Tips to setting up and breaking camp? It seems like it takes me 50% longer than everyone else.

Thanks for the journal. I will be devouring that soon.

[10-K]

It's pretty much been covered. Increasing time and/or speed is the only way to go further.

It's just math.

The only thing I'd add is to find some hikers faster than you to hang out with and try to keep up with them. I fell in with a bunch of 20somethings on the PCT and soon I was hiking quite a bit faster and I credit it with trying to keep up with them. I cut them loose in Washington but I can now hike faster than I used to and I'm getting older too.

[AO2134]

It's pretty much been covered. Increasing time and/or speed is the only way to go further.

It's just math.

The only thing I'd add is to find some hikers faster than you to hang out with and try to keep up with them. I fell in with a bunch of 20somethings on the PCT and soon I was hiking quite a bit faster and I credit it with trying to keep up with them. I cut them loose in Washington but I can now hike faster than I used to and I'm getting older too.

I wish I knew some people like that. Everyone I seem to meet on the trail seems impressed by my MPD, but to me it is just mediocre.

I probably need to consider bring more food per day. I usually bring about 1 lbs of food per day. This last trip, I had my dinner for lunch (baco-cheese w/ mashed potatoes) and took an 1hr break. After the break I did 3 miles in first hour. I had nice boast of energy. I never had that before since my normal lunch is a bar or two + water. At night, when I made camp, I just ate one of the bars. I think I am going to start doing this. Eating a real lunch and taking 1 30-40 minute break for lunch.

Usually, from the moment I start hiking until i finish in the morning until I make camp, I don't take a break unless I need water.

[Praha4]

the good advice already given here. Simple algebra: Distance per day (mpd) = Velocity (mph) x Time (hr). To hike more miles per day, hike faster or hike longer. Starting earlier in the day is the easiest thing you can do...... there's only so many hours of daylight each day. I'm usually awake at first nautical twilight and on the trail NLT 7 a.m. My hiking buddy on the Long Trail last year had a simple saying: "Good things happen whey you start early". To increase your hiking speed, drop your pack weight, and work on your aerobic fitness levels. Most hikers are pretty close to equal speed on flat terrain. Of course taller hikers with longer legs have a great advantage over shorter hikers on flat terrain. Where I see the biggest difference between the slower and faster hikers is on the uphills. If you want to keep up with the gazelles on the trail, work on your hill training, do repeat staircase cycles at home with a weighted vest or backpack, or do hill repeats at home with a weighted pack. And reduce your pack weight, get it down below 30 lbs, below 25 lbs. is even better. You should notice on the trail that you can hike faster uphill if you work on that at home.

[10-K]

I probably need to consider bring more food per day. I usually bring about 1 lbs of food per day.

Well... there you go.

A *lot* of people like to hike for the weight loss benefit however temporary it may be.... but you can't go on a diet, burn 4k+ calories a day, and expect to hike big miles.

(not saying you personally are going on a diet - I meant "you" in 3rd person) My point is that you have to fuel the body with food to have the energy to go far.

[AO2134]

Well... there you go.

A *lot* of people like to hike for the weight loss benefit however temporary it may be.... but you can't go on a diet, burn 4k+ calories a day, and expect to hike big miles.

(not saying you personally are going on a diet - I meant "you" in 3rd person) My point is that you have to fuel the body with food to have the energy to go far.

The "you" applies to me too. Three months ago, I weighed 261lbs. I now weigh 211lbs. I do use hiking as an form of exercise. I go to the gym every day during the week, but on weekends, well I don't see the gym on weekends. So, when I hike, it helps greatly. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, for example, I go a AM weightlifting workout and a PM 10 mile cardio day. Wednesday is either a pool day or rest day.

But I do hike to help lose weight, but I don't bring more or less food to lose weight if that makes sense. I want the physical activity on weekends. I just bring less food because I usually don't eat a whole lot, especially on the trail. I am never hungry on the trail, but I do notice dips in energy. I will add one more meal per day and see how that helps.

Again, I just started this June. I am still learning, but I will get there. I hate losing or giving up. I am stubborn. It will happen. Ideally, I want to be able to put together four 20 mile days together with a reasonable amount of comfort.

[lonehiker]

Part of it is your pack weight and pace. Short term you don't want to do anything about your pack so nothing to be done about that. But, you are tiring yourself out by pushing the 3 mph pace early. Hike 2 mph from the start and you won't tire as quickly. Additionally, listen to what others have posted. It is generally good info.

[jimmyjam]

...start early finish late, don't take long breaks. Your pace is pretty much your pace, sure it can be increased a little, but if you try and go faster with weight on your back, you may injure yourself. Slower and steadily wins this race.

Lighten your load and do as RS says above .

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[peakbagger]

I found stopping for a 5 minute break every hour even in the morning made a big difference over a day. The first couple of breaks feel sort of useless and easy to skip but it makes a difference in the afternoon.

[Starchild]

To increase your m/d don't try to increase your m/d - let it happen naturally, but there are things you can do to help this.

my $0.02...

Trying to increase m/d just for it's own sake is a recipe for hurting yourself or deeply depleting energy stores which may give you a day or so at that higher distance but it will also tend to give you less total mileage over the rest of the week due to recovery needed. So yes yo may be able to say you did a 20 but backpacking is not about going to that extreme, it is about sustainable travel.

Work on gaining experience, and getting that pack weight down, which comes from gaining experience. This and if needed losing weight / getting in better shape is the best thing you can directly do to get ready to increase m/d.

Gain experience by backpacking with other people, sign up for group backpacks, from multiple groups/hiking clubs to see what others are using, see what works for you and what doesn't. This goes for gear choices and for hiking strategies (get up early or late). This will help you know how your body likes to hike when you are 'self directed' (not part of a group), matching the hike to how your body likes to hike should increase m/d.

Along with the above find out what type of fuel your body needs on and off the trail, it may not be what you expect, it may not be conventional wisdom of what a diet should be. Listen to your body's food cravings and try to answer it correctly.

If you can swing it plan a backpack of at least 4-5 weeks in duration you will get your trail legs in that time - they do stay with you to varying degrees after the long duration hike - not to the thru hiking standard but there is something extra I now have and can draw upon. Also on this long duration hike don't set distance goals, just hike is the main plan and let the distance happen.

...

During my thru I started doing regularly 15 mile days, but could not break 20, got to 19 on a few, till I got my trail legs, my average went from 15 to 25 per day and it was a amazing feeling of well being on the trail. My own observations was the days I got in the most miles were, counter-intutivally, the days I slept in a little and was the last one to leave the campground/shelter area, Having enough sleep time gave me what I needed to pull those long mile days (most was 36 m/d). Getting up early seemed to have me stop sooner in the evening and not travel as fast, resulting in lower m/d.

Also use your incentive days as challenge days. Town days seem to add speed to most thru hikers pace, the excitement of real food and a beer in hand can quicken your stride and also is most likely the safest time to pull a long day as coming into town for resupply is the lightest you pack will be, the excitement may also tend to keep one alert and avoid injury. Again this is listen to your body, let the miles happen on their own. Your body will tell you if it wants to continue or not.

[10-K]

Without eating enough to provide your body the fuel to actually do the work everything else is kind of a waste of time.

It's like building a hot rod and not putting enough gas in the tank to drive it.

So if losing weight is your primary objective I'd suggest backing off the desire to go a lot further every day - otherwise you're chances of not having a good time, or at least being in a shi**y mood, goes way up.

There's nothing wrong with hiking to lose weight - it's a lot more fun than going to a gym for sure - but losing weight and hiking far are in opposition to each other.

[TroutknuT]

Got to fule your motor. Hydrate at camp, evening and morning,good breakfast,snack all day. Slower and a steady pace with fule ie... food, will help keep you from( Bonking )!

[10-K]

Got to fule your motor. Hydrate at camp, evening and morning,good breakfast,snack all day. Slower and a steady pace with fule ie... food, will help keep you from( Bonking )!

Yes sir! And my comments are based on the OP saying he only carries 1 lb of food a day.

That would not get me very far.


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[slbirdnerd]

I'm still working my way up to where you are now, but the following things help me:

1. The right trail runners for me (Brooks Cascadia)
2. The right insole for me: FIT green
3. The right socks: Injinji trail tow socks
4. Pack weight 25-30 pounds max
5. Get up and get going (takes discipline)
6. Don't stop too early for the day (but I do have this general "in camp by 6 p.m." rule so I have time to pitch tent, hang bear bag, visit with new friends, etc.)
7. Take breaks, don't rush. Enjoy the sights, sit down for lunch and get your shoes and socks off. This is good to recharge your body/feet and your mind for more hiking. See #3 and you'll have more time for this.

I also found this year that while I enjoy hiking solo, it was fun to hike with a friend as well and the miles just kinda ticked by. It was also easier to make myself take breaks. The trick is finding a friend with a similar hiking style and speed and camping style.

[Gambit McCrae]

+100 ON LIGHTENING THE LOAD, eliminating useless things, and everyday exercise. I would also suggest loosing the boots and going with trail runners with a stiff bottom. I try and spend my walking time pretty conentrated, the best way I can describe my pace is like a business man in new york, a swift and concentrated stride, I think that full leg extensions and "walking with intent" go along way in my distances. I dont take alot of breaks, but I listen to my body, not my brain. The Brain wants to quit, especially after hot tired long days. You have to know what part of the body is "complaining" and what part is saying "I have seriously had enough for the day".

Right now I am planning a week hiking in WV and VA and although I have not selected huge miles, I want to get them done timely and successfully, so I am setting a goal of being able to run 4 miles by the time I leave, I quit smoking and I walk/run 7 miles a day. With time, you find that you can handle bigger miles, its more of a mental thing than physical