Hit 500 miles on the PCT this season and my feet barely hurt, but my friend quit at 200 with tendonitis. What gives?

I started from Campo in April and pushed through the desert. By mile 400 I was averaging 20 mile days without blisters. My buddy started the same week, same gear, and he had to bail at Kennedy Meadows because his Achilles flared up. I think it's about how you ease into the mileage, not just the boots. Has anyone else had two people on the same route end up with totally different outcomes?

2 comments

2 Comments

paulperry20d ago

Did you start out doing shorter days and build up, or did you both just hit the trail running? I started with 12-14 mile days for the first week and slowly bumped it up. My buddy who had to quit was doing 18-20 from day one. I also made sure to do some basic foot exercises before the trip like heel drops and toe raises, which I think helped my tendons handle the load better. His Achilles had no time to adapt to the constant stress. Maybe your friend just needed a slower ramp-up period.

campbell.robin21d ago

Did you and your buddy have the same pack weight? I've seen people with identical boots but one carries 35 lbs and the other carries 45 lbs, and the extra load just pounds your tendons into the ground no matter what shoes you wear. Also, some people pronate or supinate bad without knowing it, and that changes how force hits your feet over 20 miles a day.