Stupid questions but want serious answers...

[sbhikes]

It's so true about finding your individual hiking style. And also having it differ from whatever your hiking style was before. On a long distance hike things just seem to work differently than whatever you did before. At least that's how it was for me. I couldn't hike further than 16 miles before my hike but during I surprised myself by easily hiking a marathon or more each day. I got to where I had a lot of control over my hiking days, too. I like breakfast food so I would time my arrivals in town for breakfast rather than lunch or dinner. I could really fine-tune my schedule way better than I thought I would be able to. It sort of matters little what you are like in ordinary life. Everything changes out on the long trail.

[pyroman53]

I can do about 15 miles a day but my body likes 10 much better and that is what I usually do.

+1 on this, at least when I have to make and keep to a schedule. I find I average 1.5 miles per hour, all day, including breaks, and including the typical ups and downs of the AT. Thus, if I hike for 10 hours, I can do 15 miles. If terrain is easier, then my pace would speed up a bit, and no way would I be able to do this in the Whites.

Some say they get bored if they get into camp too early, and I agree with this. I prefer to takes more frequent breaks during the day, kicking back and enjoying the sights, and getting to camp later in the day.

For me, the best part of climbing a mountain is the break at the top. When you drop the pack and your legs suddenly feel light, it feels like you’re walking on air. The breeze blows and the sweat on the back of your shirt begins to evaporate and cool your body. You get that confident feeling of accomplishment from having just met and overcome a physical challenge. You take in the views. Often, a short 10 minute break turns into 30 minutes or an hour. Mileage suffers, but my hike doesn't.

[modiyooch]

my day is hiking, eating and sleeping. Up with the sun, and down with the sun. I hike to dusk. I'm not good at stopping early. That's one reason why I don't stop at shelters. I avg about 2 miles/hr.

[JAK]

I've been doing my own experiment of one, trying to figure out how much faster and farther I might hike and run as I lose weight and get into better shape. Its a bit of a race against time because I am also getting older and will be turning 50 next June.

Speed: My own experience seems to confirm that for moderate running and hiking speeds, for the same effort and duration and fitness level, speed is more or less linear with total weight on feet. So if you drop from 240 pounds with clothing and gear, down to 180 pounds with clothing and gear, you should be able to cover about 24 miles in the same time and calories you would have covered 18 miles.

Distance Per Day: Distance per day is a little harder to figure out, especially over several days or weeks. This is because the wear and tear on muscles and the rate at which you can repair that microdamage is a little more complicated than energy in and energy out. I know from running that if I slow down my average running speed by 10% I can run considerably more miles per week, but how much? Is it 10%, 20%, 30%, or maybe only 5%. Same with hiking. Harder to get good data on it though, because we are talking about the long term, like days or weeks, and there are so many variables. Also, different things come into play over different time spans, and running or hiking speeds. Sometimes the limiting factor is cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength and stamina. At slower speeds the energy stores and how fast they can be resupplied might come into play, but for myself I am more limited by how fast my msucles can repair themselves.

Currently I am 210 pounds, hike with about 10-30 pounds skin out, depending on the season, and can cover about 60km in 3 days on the very rugged Fundy Footpath, and probably keep going at that rate for weeks if I had one rest day in 7. Not sure. I would assume that if I was 165 with 15 pounds of gear, at the same fitness level, I might be able to do 20 miles a day in average AT conditions, but again, not sure.

[The Walker]

I've been doing my own experiment of one, trying to figure out how much faster and farther I might hike and run as I lose weight and get into better shape. Its a bit of a race against time because I am also getting older and will be turning 50 next June.

Speed: My own experience seems to confirm that for moderate running and hiking speeds, for the same effort and duration and fitness level, speed is more or less linear with total weight on feet. So if you drop from 240 pounds with clothing and gear, down to 180 pounds with clothing and gear, you should be able to cover about 24 miles in the same time and calories you would have covered 18 miles.

Distance Per Day: Distance per day is a little harder to figure out, especially over several days or weeks. This is because the wear and tear on muscles and the rate at which you can repair that microdamage is a little more complicated than energy in and energy out. I know from running that if I slow down my average running speed by 10% I can run considerably more miles per week, but how much? Is it 10%, 20%, 30%, or maybe only 5%. Same with hiking. Harder to get good data on it though, because we are talking about the long term, like days or weeks, and there are so many variables. Also, different things come into play over different time spans, and running or hiking speeds. Sometimes the limiting factor is cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength and stamina. At slower speeds the energy stores and how fast they can be resupplied might come into play, but for myself I am more limited by how fast my msucles can repair themselves.

Currently I am 210 pounds, hike with about 10-30 pounds skin out, depending on the season, and can cover about 60km in 3 days on the very rugged Fundy Footpath, and probably keep going at that rate for weeks if I had one rest day in 7. Not sure. I would assume that if I was 165 with 15 pounds of gear, at the same fitness level, I might be able to do 20 miles a day in average AT conditions, but again, not sure.

I like your post. I am sort of experimenting with how much % gain in speed and mileage derives from footwear (lighter, etc.), what I eat and when and how much, the loss of body weight, etc.