Do I have wimpy feet?

[gravitino]

I am returning to hiking after many years off. Been training, slowly increasing distance and pack weight. Started with 4.5 miles/15 pounds, and reached 12 miles/17 pounds last week.

Yesterday went for a 16-miler with 19 pounds. By mile 10 my feet were becoming tender. By mile 12 I could definitely feel some discomfort. By mile 14 I wanted to cry and call my mommy.

Today my feet are stiff and painful enough that I couldn't imagine walking even two more miles. Did I overdo it, or are my feet wimpy? I want to section-hike in chunks of three weeks, but this doubt about my feet is raining on my parade.

Please help me understand the conditioning process. How long did it take for your feet to go from wimpy to strong? How do your feet handle multi-day hikes?

[Wise Old Owl]

Hike again tomorrow you know the answer.... If you don't use it - ya loose it!

[w00dchuck]

Ask yourself if your boots are adequate. I had to spend some serious money to find boots that didn't make my feet scream.

[daddytwosticks]

No mention about type of footwear. What was on your feet? :)

[aficion]

Ask yourself if your boots are adequate. I had to spend some serious money to find boots that didn't make my feet scream.

I've never been out for more than ten days, so I don't know if my/your/anybody's feet ever get used to it. Mine hurt noticeably every day, even when fit. Part of the deal for me I'm afraid.:eek:

[gravitino]

No mention about type of footwear. What was on your feet? :)

I am using very comfy trail runners. They don't squish my feet or rub anywhere, and I don't get blisters. Shoes feel great, non-binding, plenty of room, supportive outer sole. They could be improved with better insoles such as Superfeet or Shock Doctor, but I don't think shoes are an issue.

See shoes: http://www.shoecarnival.com/shoe/product%3A78301/Shoes/Multitude/FILA/productDetail/78301/cat390010/?selectedColor=&selectedSize=&categoryNav=false&navAction=jump&navCount=0

See Shock Doctors: http://www.amazon.com/Shock-Doctor-Active-9-0-10-5-10-0-11-5/dp/B00BCGP8TE/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=3GUXBPXG89W6W&coliid=I2B0PDQ10EVUAR&psc=1

See Superfeet: http://www.amazon.com/Superfeet-Yellow-Premium-Insoles-Womens/dp/B003551JR0/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1367165391&sr=1-1&keywords=superfeet+insoles

[gravitino]

I forgot to mention that I am not using trekking poles. I have a pair of Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork (see at http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Trekking-Poles-Reviews/Black-Diamond-Alpine-Carbon-Cork), but I don't want to use them until my training stabilizes (when I have done the 16-mile trail around my hometown several times with my target weight of 25 pounds), so that I can make a more or less valid comparison of hiking with and without poles.

[rocketsocks]

I don't think there's anything wimpy about hiking/walking 12 to 16 miles a day. I am in the exact boat you are and have been walking about 14 miles average for the last couple weeks, this is an increase for me up from about 8 to 12 miles I was previously doing. What I noticed was that when I increased the miles my feet hurt at the end of a walk (this I believe is normal for most people), but the next day I felt stronger and the first 10 miles or so came relatively easier. Each time I have increased my mileage there has been a period of struggling with the new miles, this only lasted a few days and what was previously difficult became quit easy. I plan to push on and keep walking...it's what we do, and I love it.

[max patch]

They could be improved with better insoles such as Superfeet

There ya go. Superfeet green.

If you've never used these before, go to a store that sells them and compare them to the innersoles that came with your trail runners.

[gravitino]

...What I noticed was that when I increased the miles my feet hurt at the end of a walk... but the next day I felt stronger and the first 10 miles or so came relatively easier....

How did your feet feel the next day? Did they hurt but you pushed on anyway? If so, did the pain become less after walking for a while?

[rocketsocks]

How did your feet feel the next day? Did they hurt but you pushed on anyway? If so, did the pain become less after walking for a while?Sorry did not explain that very well...yes when my feet hurt so bad, I took the day off, but then then when I resumed walking they felt stronger...No I wouldn't push through pain....discomfort yes, but not out right agonizing pain. And yes for me even if my feet are sore walking seems to loosen them up and feels good.

I should also add that I no longer stretch before a walk...I walk about a mile or so and then streatch, then resume walking...it seems as though I have less Achilles pain when doing it this way.....and the bouts of tendonitis are further apart...The idea being never stretch a cold muscle.

I also have been eating some protein before bed or rest to allow for rebuilding of strained muscle....just something I read or heard and seems to be working...ymmv

also a big fan of fish oil...3000 mg a day and staying hydrated...this was a recommendation of my Rhuematologist.

[johnnybgood]

There ya go. Superfeet green.


But get your feet fitted there at the Superfeet retailer. The green insoles may not be the ones that form fit the soles of your feet.

[Coosa]

Green Superfeet ......... and quit being your own guinea pig ...... USE THE POLES NOW ....... it'll help your knees mostly.

Soak in Epsom Salts and give your feet a good rubdown ... I like the JR Watkins creme but there's tons of stuff out there.

Coosa

[RCBear]

Like it was just stated...no good reason why your poles should be in the closet instead of your hands. You will know on your very next hike that there is a difference. They supposedly transfer about a third of your weight away from your feet. I don't know if that's true or not, but i know it's enough to make sure i use them for any distance hiking, especially with a weighted pack.

Sent from my Galaxy Note 2 using Tapatalk 2

[litefoot2000]

The feet are usually the first body part to scream for help. And when your feet hurt, you hurt all over. I did the Damascus-thon on my thru, which is a 26.3 mile day, and my feet were wrecked.

[SOBO_Pace]

Your feet will hurt daily. Well at least mine did. You just get used to it. I mainly feel it when I stop for the day and early in the morning.

[fredmugs]

I wouldn't say I have wimpy feet but I do have very soft feet. It takes a long time to tougher them up after not hiking during the winter. Footwear, socks, insoles, etc have no bearing on my feet. I hate Superfeet insoles (yes I tried them all and went to a professional fitter). Shockblockers work great but the price vs wear out factor made them hard to justify. I find that regular Dr Scholes whatever inserts work as well as anything else.

Something you may want to consider is grabbing your toes and pulling them backwards for a 10 count to stretch your feet.

[Chaco Taco]

I am returning to hiking after many years off. Been training, slowly increasing distance and pack weight. Started with 4.5 miles/15 pounds, and reached 12 miles/17 pounds last week.

Yesterday went for a 16-miler with 19 pounds. By mile 10 my feet were becoming tender. By mile 12 I could definitely feel some discomfort. By mile 14 I wanted to cry and call my mommy.

Today my feet are stiff and painful enough that I couldn't imagine walking even two more miles. Did I overdo it, or are my feet wimpy? I want to section-hike in chunks of three weeks, but this doubt about my feet is raining on my parade.

Please help me understand the conditioning process. How long did it take for your feet to go from wimpy to strong? How do your feet handle multi-day hikes?
I just hiked with some newer trail runners. I have never really had feet issues until yesterday. Climbed 1700 over 3 miles in snow and ice. Its my shoes, I know it because my feet never have felt like this and we hike pretty often. Id take a good look at whjat you are wearing on your feet and make sure when you take breaks, take off your shoes and massage your feet, bend your toes, whatever, just get movement in your feet as you break in shoes.

[moytoy]

Lots of good suggestions here. One I didn't notice was daily conditioning. Walk everyday, do at least 5 miles or more if you have time. Do it anywhere, around the park, while your on vacation, a business trip or anywhere you are. It takes a little over an hour for me and it keeps my feet, ankles and legs in better condition. Burns a few calories as well.

[leaftye]

Feet, like every part of your body with muscles and tendons, take time to adapt to increased activity and intensity. Be wary of pushing yourself so hard that your training is set back.

[juma]

I am returning to hiking after many years off. Been training, slowly increasing distance and pack weight. Started with 4.5 miles/15 pounds, and reached 12 miles/17 pounds last week.

Yesterday went for a 16-miler with 19 pounds. By mile 10 my feet were becoming tender. By mile 12 I could definitely feel some discomfort. By mile 14 I wanted to cry and call my mommy.

Today my feet are stiff and painful enough that I couldn't imagine walking even two more miles. Did I overdo it, or are my feet wimpy? I want to section-hike in chunks of three weeks, but this doubt about my feet is raining on my parade.

Please help me understand the conditioning process. How long did it take for your feet to go from wimpy to strong? How do your feet handle multi-day hikes?

uuuhhh, yes. when I was building up, I took 2 asprin and some form of caffeine at noon and pressed on with no pain. my feet got bigger and stronger.

[Crusinsusan]

I'm wondering about the timing of your increases as well as the quantity. I know that with weightlifting, it's recommended that you do not increase more than 2.5 lbs at a time. A google search should turn up acceptable time frames and distance increases.

[Crusinsusan]

I'm wondering about the timing of your increases as well as the quantity. I know that with weightlifting, it's recommended that you do not increase more than 2.5 lbs at a time. A google search should turn up acceptable time frames and distance increases.

[moytoy]

I'm wondering about the timing of your increases as well as the quantity. I know that with weightlifting, it's recommended that you do not increase more than 2.5 lbs at a time. A google search should turn up acceptable time frames and distance increases.
"Listen" to your body. It will tell you when to slowdown or stop. Walking, even with a pack is not like lifting heavy weights. You can walk with a reasonable load for hours on end as long as you build up to it. I thing each individual is going to gain strength at a different rate.

[leaftye]

I'm wondering about the timing of your increases as well as the quantity. I know that with weightlifting, it's recommended that you do not increase more than 2.5 lbs at a time. A google search should turn up acceptable time frames and distance increases.

That's a good way to look at it. With either one, if you try to advance too quickly, the pain will be more than just muscle stiffness, and it will take much longer to heal. The difference could be being fully trained in half a year, or spending over half a year trying to recuperate and get back to step 1.

I've struggled with overtraining on the trail and under a barbell. It took almost a year before my feet felt fine again, and then another year before I could really hike well. My training under the bar has been worse. Due to multiple injuries, I'm only about as strong as I was 3 years ago. I do have much more muscle though. :) Recuperation sucks.

There is a slight difference with your analogy though. The comparison with intensity doesn't quite match up. It's not like you'd want to add more weight as you improve, but you'd want to hike faster. I think that comes close enough. Duration isn't a big deal, and I think it's an overblown part of hiking training. Crank up the intensity while maintaining a walking gait, and longer duration hiking at low intensity is easy.