Hit 1,200 trail miles this year and I'm kind of shocked

I passed 1,200 miles on the Appalachian Trail this past weekend near the Grayson Highlands. That's way more than I did last year when I stopped at 800 because of a bad knee. I started out just doing overnighters and now I'm stringing together week long sections. Has anyone else surprised themselves with their own mileage count like this?

3 comments

3 Comments

robert_craig9d ago

That part about "it just sneaks up on you" is exactly right. But here's the thing nobody's talking about. The real surprise for me wasn't the total miles. It was realizing how much my head changed. Last year I was so focused on beating my old numbers I barely noticed the trail. Now I'm just walking and the miles stack up without trying. @juliagonzalez nailed it about tracking feeling silly at first. But once you stop caring about the pace the numbers start meaning something different. They become proof you showed up not proof you rushed. That 1,200 is way more meaningful than if you'd planned it.

abbyd369d ago

Honestly that 1,200 number is wild. I used to think people who tracked miles like that were just bragging or obsessed with the numbers. But then I started doing weekend trips myself and realized how motivating it actually is to see the total climb. I hit 900 last year and was shocked, and now I'm aiming for 1,500 this season. It just sneaks up on you when you're having fun out there. Grayson Highlands is beautiful by the way, the ponies are a real highlight.

juliagonzalez9d ago

Jump right in and start tracking your own miles, even if you think it's silly at first. I was skeptical too, but after a few weekends I got hooked on watching the number grow and it pushed me to try longer stretches. Your mileage really does sneak up on you when you stop obsessing over the pace and just enjoy the woods.