The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step

After JMT last summer, I started training for the Ironman in Texas that was scheduled in April. My preparation was going according to plan, and I was hoping to be able to qualify for the big one, the World Championship in Kona, HI in October. Then, one month before the race, we received the news that IM Texas was postponed (again!) due to Covid restrictions. Once again, I decided to switch gear, put my Kona dream on the back burner, and started studying AT.
 
The Appalachian Trail, or AT, is a 2,190 miles hiking trail on the East Coast, extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and crossing 14 states in the process. The concept of the Appalachian Trail was born in 1921 in the mind of Benton MacKaye, as a way to connect different regions on the East Coast. It took sixteen years to build it. The first person to hike the entire trail was Earl Shaffer in 1948. It took him 123 days. He did it again in 1965, and finally one last time in 1998, as a 50th anniversary celebration of his original journey. He was 79 years old(!) and became the oldest person at that time to thru-hike AT, all in 173 days.
 
One can hike the AT going from Maine to Georgia (South Bound – SOBO), or Georgia to Maine (NOBO). One can also hike the entire 2,190 miles trail in one go (thru-hike), and it would usually take between 5 to 7 months, averaging between 10 to 15 miles per day. Obviously, a thru-hike is the most challenging but most rewarding experience you can get from the trail but it means putting on hold your life for the better part of a year. I am not in a place where I can afford leaving everything for several months. Luckily, one can also section-hike the AT, usually 1-2 weeks at a time, and that’s what I am planning to do.
 
I decided to hike NOBO, starting in Springer Mountain in Georgia. I then studied the map and saw that Hot Springs in North Carolina, was a very popular trail town, 276 miles from the start, and most importantly close to the Ashville regional airport, that would fly me back home. Finally, I worked on the daily mileage based on the JMT experience. Damien and I averaged about 20 miles per day. But AT is much lower in elevation, with the highest elevation being the summit of Clingmans Dome (6,644 feet) in NC, while JMT elevation is almost entirely above 8,000 feet. And also, I will be hiking solo this time. Based on these 2 big differences, I devised a 35 miles day average pace that would put me in Hot Springs in 8 days. I really hope that I will live by the African proverb: If you want to go fast, go alone!
 
My entire AT journey will take several years, and it’s about time to start putting on miles, one step at a time. Official start is Sunday May 23rd at/around 4am! You can follow me on my website, or Instagram/Facebook.
 
Patrick aka Frogman (Trail name)