Could you walk 50 miles in a day?

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NorthCascades
NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Joe McConaughy of Seattle finished setting a new fastest known time on the AT last week. He hiked 2,190 miles in 45 and 1/2 days without support. That's an average of 48 hilly miles per day, carrying his shelter on his back.

The previous record was 54 days. This one seems likely to stand for a very long time.

It's hard to imagine the physical and emotional toll this must take on a person, or the dedication involved.

https://gearjunkie.com/appalachian-trail-unsupported-supported-speed-record-fkt-string-bean
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Replies

  • DX2JX2
    DX2JX2 Posts: 1,921 Member
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    Probably not. If I could, it would likely be for one day only (unless slow zombies were chasing me, in which case I think I could find the motivation).
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    I am confident I could walk 50 miles in a day. But for 45 and 1/2 days in a row? That's amazing.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,472 Member
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    SURE!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,071 Member
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    You sure he didn't have an alpaca hidden somewhere? I mean, "unsupported" means "no one keeping track," right?

    It's quite an accomplishment!
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    For one day, yes, maybe even 2. After that...no. I can't even imagine what it took to get to the level of maintaining that over 45 days
  • jdlobb
    jdlobb Posts: 1,232 Member
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    Not likely. My pace unburdened, without actively trying to walk faster, is about 3 mph. It would take me over 16 hours to walk 50 miles, not accounting for breaks or terrain. So I'm going to say nope.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    His record is safe from me!
    I might be able to walk 12-20 miles in a day right now assuming carrying stuff and breaks but would probably not be able to walk the next day so 45 days of walking all day is out.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,987 Member
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    No way.

    20 max @ 2.5 miles/hr for 8 hrs on foot for me.

    Otherwise, I'll take a bike, cab, Uber, bus, train, Sega, horse, mule or donkey instead.
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,565 Member
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    Not me! I've walked maybe 20 - 22 miles with a daypack, but anything more would be waaay out of my range :)
  • scorpio516
    scorpio516 Posts: 955 Member
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    Not over the Whites. Maybe JMT or PCT. The AT over the Whites goes straight up and down rock fields.
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
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    Very inspiring!

    With some training and under the right conditions (able to take breaks, decent weather, doing it to challenge myself and it's not a stressful situation) I believe I could!

    I can walk 4 miles in just under one hour at a comfortable, moderate pace.

    So it would take me 12.5 total hours to get it done.

    Hmmm.....
  • bikecheryl
    bikecheryl Posts: 1,432 Member
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    I ran/walked an ultra marathon.... 50 km of up & down trails ..... once..... I'm good with that. :)
  • ramshackles
    ramshackles Posts: 85 Member
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    No, my max was in the Lake District in the UK for 18 miles and it took hours and destroyed me
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    edited September 2017
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    Back to back marathons and/ or short ultras are quite enough for the moment.

    A couple of days of 50s are feasible, but not for more than that.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
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    No, not through those hills!
  • ccrdragon
    ccrdragon Posts: 3,370 Member
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    Yes, but not for 50 days in a row...
  • scorpio516
    scorpio516 Posts: 955 Member
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    XMJ6pL
    That's one of the trails in the Whites. Its like that for 1 mile while gaining about 3000'. There's a tent platform, but it's a mile of constant boulders. Feels like it never ends :smiley:
  • WanderingRivers
    WanderingRivers Posts: 612 Member
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    Nope. My physical limitations say heck no.

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