Let me chime in as I've found that much of the advice I got online before I hiked was garbage because the people giving that advice hadn't actually thru hiked and was just spouting second and third hand info.
I'm almost 1,000 miles in now, have met every type of hiker. The only people I've met that can consistently do the big mile days are the ultralight people. And they've all been in their 20s.
Not saying you can't, but realistically if you've been in a sedentary office job for 20 years you'd be putting yourself at great risk of injury attempting 100 days thru hike.
So I'd say if you want to try it then really work on getting in shape NOW and keep your full pack weight under 20lbs.
Also big miles everyday with few zeroes takes a mental toll on people. There was a young couple going 25-30/day through VA who threw in the towel at Harper's because they just burned themselves out.
So my question to you: do you want to hike for an ego achievement or hike to enjoy your trip? If you want to be able to brag about doing it in 100 days before you're 50 then do that but that pace will strip a lot of the fun out of it. Sorry to be a Debbie downer in this post but it's very clear to me now having gone almost halfway that the people who want to do big miles for the ego boost ALL burn themselves out.
Some people genuinely enjoy hiking 12 hours a day, everyday, but those people are a very special breed. If you want to hit 100 days you'll most likely have to be going 10-12 hours a day, everyday, with very few Nero's and This means you can't stop. stopand enjoy the views, you won't be time for side trails. You will have o skip towns d hostels. You won't make many strong bonds with other hikers. Unless you've done long distance hiking before and know you can maintain this pace don't try it on your first thru. It's a recipe for injury and burnout.
Last edited by SGTJones; 08-02-2016 at 10:14.
Just remember, just because you can't do it or don't/won't enjoy it doesn't mean that others feel the same way. I do agree with you on UL, all the people I know that can do major miles are UL or close. I strongly disagree with your assessment that it is 20 somethings doing it for ego. Also, most of the folks that I know tend to be a bit older than their 20s and far more disciplined.
Finally, as to your comment about non-thruhikers giving second and third hand advice...... Didn't you do the exact same thing. You provided your wisdom yet you have neither completed a thru hike nor have you done a 100 day equivalent so this is just a tad hypocritical.
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I never said it was impossible or unattainable... simply that based on experience and observation that it's not a good goal for someone new to long distance backpacking. If you care to refute any of the points on risk of injury, burnout, and overall experience please do.
As for me not having finished a thru yet, mile 500-1000 is where people hit their physical and mental limits. That's why the term Virginia blues exist. All the novelty has worn off, you hit physical and mental exhaustion and either settle down into a pace you can sustain or another 1200 miles, or get off the trail. What I've observed is perfectly relevant to the OP. People whose hikes are dictated by arbitrary mileage goals are the ones who are most likely to burn out in Virginia. Because they're not listening to their bodies and often they've set themselves on a timetable that they must meet, which precludes them from taking the rest and slowing down that they need, which then leads to them getting off the trail either due to injury or burnout somewhere in VA. Anyway that comment is mostly aimed at the people who just pull up a calculator and say"well you only need to average 17 miles a day so that's totally doable." Taking no account of terrain, fatigue, weather, or any other number of uncontrollable variables you'll meet on the trail.
I had to meet my GF in Waynesboro so I had to push 360 miles in 17 days. That arbitrary schedule meant I had to walk through a few very dangerous thunderstorms, skip places I wanted to see(like Apple orchards falls) and hike ahead of everyone I knew. Overall an unpleasant 360 miles. Those are some of the realities that the OP should be aware of while making his decision, realities that a simple mileage calculation do not take into account.
2016 FlipFlop. GA>WV>ME>WV
Hiking with DSLR photos at www.instagram.com/jackjoneshg
Blog at www.thejourney.co
A youngster of 50 can still do great things. (I ran four 50 milers that year).
Things get a bit tougher as you approach 60. You have to keep active, but you recover much slower. At least I do... But if you stop being active, forget it.
But I wouldn't hesitate a hike even at 60-65. It's just walking, folks. You don't need to be fast, and you can take lots of rests and days off.
Best of luck to you! Stay healthy!
“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”
― Mark Twain
Thru hiking the AT in 100 days or less at age 50 is a fine accomplishment which has been done by many individuals over the years.
Possible? Absolutely. Recommended? No. Take your time and enjoy the hike. I say this as a former speed demon.
Already pointed out, but worth keeping in mind. The miles you do on a good day are probably not the miles you can average. Many people do not get out of town early in the morning and in some cases, getting a ride to the trailhead can be problematic. Thus it is not uncommon to have a fairly modest day coming out of a town if you spend the night. Likewise, most people like to get into town at a fairly early hour to enjoy the fruits of victory, shower and do chores. I have found those two days are rarely high mileage days and can put a lot of pressure on you to do big miles on the complete trail days in between. That scenario caused me problems on a failed long hike.
I'm 48. Although I have not thru hiked the AT (yet), it's more likely that I could do it in 100 days at my age than ten or twenty years ago when I was in MUCH worse shape. No reason why 50 has to be some limiting factor. Tom Brady says he could play until he's 50 and I believe him.
Does everyone realize they are responding to a question asked in 2015, for a possible 2016 hike?
HansKris info says join date 07-24-15 age 55, but wanted to hike at 50? And I wonder if they hiked or still a rat in a box in the corporate world?