View Full Version : Thru attemp over, I'm now a section hiker!
Puddlefish
06-11-2016, 14:06
I had a blast, I managed nearly 600 miles, lost 30 pounds, learned a whole lot, and met all sorts of great people before my MCL tore entirely. I toughed out the plantar fasciitis for two months, and the knee pain for a few weeks, but eventually the knee started causing me to stumble, so I figured I better get the knee healed up before I fell off the trail permanently.
If all goes well, I'll start doing some MCL strengthening exercises in a few weeks, and try to get back on the trail later this summer; likely the northern sections. I'll plan on finishing the southern sections next year, after I save a bit of money, since I spent some ugly amounts of cash just to travel back home.
I initially felt kind of crappy about failing to thru hike and had a hard time removing myself from the trail, but then I remembered the point of the hike was to have fun, and not necessarily to finish in a set time frame. I'm currently trying to distract myself from the gnawing hunger consuming my entire being. I will eat normal sized portions of healthy food, I will eat normal sized portions of healthy food...
600 miles is nothing to sneeze at. Outside of this forum have you ever met anyone that hiked 600 miles? You've got nothing to prove to anyone, including yourself.
Moosling
06-11-2016, 14:45
Nothing to feel bad about a huge accomplishment! Congrats to you.
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MuddyWaters
06-11-2016, 15:30
I'm currently trying to distract myself from the gnawing hunger consuming my entire being. I will eat normal sized portions of healthy food, I will eat normal sized portions of healthy food...
For months, once you start eating you will inhale everything in sight.
Teacher & Snacktime
06-11-2016, 19:04
That's 500 more miles on the AT than I've hiked! Congratulations and I hope it's always fun for you!
Odd Man Out
06-11-2016, 21:20
Congrats on the effort (and weight loss). I like to think about the fact that it is impossible to fail at a section hike, unless you die, in which case you won't care anymore.
600 miles is a lot of fun, misery, and experience. Just what you signed up for. I see many new and interesting trails in your future.
600 miles and 30 pounds down! WOW! I hope you heal quickly.... just curious, what is an "MCL"? (My husband had his ACL replaced with a cadaver ACL a couple years ago. Bless the person and family that donated it, so he can be painfree and hike again!
Trailweaver
06-12-2016, 01:53
So - you hiked starting where and ending where? 600 miles. Like several have said, that is several hundred miles further than I've done, and I'm impressed. Be proud of yourself - you did 600 miles (bet no one else you know around the neighborhood has done it, right?), lost weight and got fit, and "proved" yourself to be someone who could stick it out through some tough times. . so you really do have some "bragging rights."
Best of luck to you with the healing, and hope you are able to get back to the trail soon.
600 miles is great. The mountains will still be there when you heal up,
CamelMan
06-12-2016, 07:28
You hiked more distance than most of the other long-distance trails. There are only a few that are 600 miles or longer. If it had been one of the other trails like the BMT, Long Trail, Ozark Trail, Pinhoti, Sheltowee Trace, or Superior Hiking Trail, you would have been able to yo-yo it and have distance to spare. It's definitely a great accomplishment.
What a great effort. 600 miles is awesome. Thank you for renewed inspiration for my upcoming section hike of the PCT.
Trust me, there will be many more hikes for you once your injury heals. Just do the rehab and take your time.
Congratulations! 600 miles is amazing- especially considering your injuries.
Puddlefish
06-12-2016, 11:33
Thanks for all the kind thoughts. To answer the various questions...
- I started at Springer April 7th, and ended at the Helveys Mill shelter, just past Bland, VA... then limped back into Bland on June 9th.
- The MCL is the medial collateral ligament, it's on the inside of the knee, but outside of the knee joint itself, if that makes sense. It hasn't torn completely, so I'm hoping it will heal up without surgery.
- There was really minimal misery. I was really only in a bad mood one morning where I felt like I was trudging slowly... then it started raining and that actually encouraged me to get moving and out of my funk.
- Months of food cravings? I'm doomed. I started off eating well yesterday, then I baked and wolfed down half a dozen scones last night.
Don't buy any new clothes right away...I did and 2 months later they didn't fit :-)
Secondmouse
06-12-2016, 13:16
Thanks for all the kind thoughts. To answer the various questions...
- I started at Springer April 7th, and ended at the Helveys Mill shelter, just past Bland, VA... then limped back into Bland on June 9th.
- The MCL is the medial collateral ligament, it's on the inside of the knee, but outside of the knee joint itself, if that makes sense. It hasn't torn completely, so I'm hoping it will heal up without surgery.
- There was really minimal misery. I was really only in a bad mood one morning where I felt like I was trudging slowly... then it started raining and that actually encouraged me to get moving and out of my funk.
- Months of food cravings? I'm doomed. I started off eating well yesterday, then I baked and wolfed down half a dozen scones last night.
ligaments don't heal. go ahead and do the surgery, it's one of the less involved and your recovery and rehab will go quickly. you should even be able to get back out really quickly. certainly before the summer's over...
Patrickjd9
06-12-2016, 13:50
Hoping for a quick and full recovery, and welcome to the ranks of AT section hikers!
Love the attitude. Instead of moaning about what could have been, you made it into a positive. With that kind of attitude, you'll be back in no time.
Section Hikers are cool people also!
TF
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MuddyWaters
06-16-2016, 21:26
- Months of food cravings? I'm doomed. I started off eating well yesterday, then I baked and wolfed down half a dozen scones last night.
Cut back on the solo pizzas, AYCE buffets, and double breakfast platters and youll be fine.
Puddlefish
09-04-2016, 21:47
Update: No knee surgery. It was feeling pretty good about a month ago, (one month after the injury) so I did a day hike of Mt. Moriah. Big mistake, the knee barely held up, but the plantar fasciitis pain pretty much doubled up after a month off from hiking, I ended up limping into town late in the evening. FWIW, the White Mountain Hostel in Gorham, NH is pretty awesome in every way.
Now it's two months later, and my knee is 90% better. No lateral twisting pain, and it only hurts at the very last inch of bend when squatting. I'm still working on getting that last bit of range of motion back.
I did regain 20 of the 30 pounds. Boo! Two months without exercise has been killing me. Last week, I started hiking my little 3 mile loop at the end of the road. The plantar faciitis is still a mess, but the knee is stable and strong. I'm going to keep bumping up my daily day hikes until the winter, at which point I'll just stretch my feet a whole lot.
As of now, I'm planning on heading back onto the trail next May, in scenic Bland VA, and seeing how much further I can get.
Sounds like you did what you set out to. Congrats.
Yeah, changing up the diet to fewer cals post hike is something to be aware of. I'm surprised more people doing LD hikes don't have eating disorders. One thing post hike I try to follow is still drinking copious amounts of H2O as I do on trail and simulating the same in the sack and hopefully asleep by 10 p.m. and stirring about 1 hr before sunrise. Don't get lethargic post hike either.
BTW, "scenic Bland?" That adjective scenic isn't used enough to describe a town, hike, Nature, etc.
Puddlefish
09-04-2016, 23:00
BTW, "scenic Bland?" That adjective scenic isn't used enough to describe a town, hike, Nature, etc.
I rather liked Bland, and scenic does somewhat describe it. Little town with a giant brick courthouse/town hall surrounded by a shaded green. The owner of the motel was nice, they had washtubs and a clothes line out back. Bubba shuttles you anywhere you want. People stop for hitchhikers. The services are kind of spread out mileage wise, so it's not an ideal hiker town, but it serves well enough.
My only complaint is that it's an hour or more away from the nearest airport, so I'll have to pay big shuttle bucks to get back on the trail. I also didn't particularly like the road walk that was part of the trail.
I like to think about the fact that it is impossible to fail at a section hike, unless you die, in which case you won't care anymore.
This cracks me up.