Tales of 20 miles days… or how to do 20 miles and make it effortless.

[Hiking Malto]

Kevin,
Your calories were not high enough. Try doing 250 calories, high carbs per hour. I bet you won't Bonk.

[David Chenault]

Kevin, your daily nutrition is not enough, and not regular enough. You may or may not be eating the best stuff. More experimentation and you'll get that sorted.

The other thing you're overlooking is patience. The changes in your metabolic, muscular, and connective systems which will make consecutive 20s easy do not happen in the course of one month. Your body needs time to adapt to burning fat well while aerobic. Your legs and core need time to develop the ability to recover, completely, from one 12 hour day to the next. Hike and train this year to hike better next year.

As far as going faster, specificity is king. Hike to hike. Uphill walking interval workouts with a 25 pound pack will be your friend. They're the key to bumping up to a 3 mph overall average pace, including breaks and all those big climbs.

[M B]

Ive had more issue with my toes feeling like they were "pressurized" and going to explode with every step at the end of a high mileage day, than consistent bonking problems.

rest, snacks, water seems to take care of bonking

[CW]

Bonking requires depleting your glycogen stores. If you're moving efficiently, you shouldn't be burning a lot of carbs, and you definitely shouldn't be depleting your stores.

[Corbin McFarlane]

I showed up late to this thread as a result of being out in the wilderness. The peanut butter and honey burrito, or more like a wrap or enchirito or what-have-you, is the food other backpacking foods dream of being when they dream of being real backpacking foods. The carb rush kicks in in 20 minutes, and transitions smoothly out into hours of energy. It will rejuvenate a tired packer in the afternoon like nothing else. It could probably revive a dead person, cure hypothermia, or any other affliction, all while tasting like the food of the gods. I'm sure you could substitute almond butter, etc. for a similar effect.

[Bill Segraves]

I'm with Brian. If you eat a balanced diet of real food, you're going to get everything you need. (In hot weather, some of it may need to have added salt. No-salt-added real foods are mostly pretty low on sodium.)

Bill S.

[Nick Gatel]

Distance = Time x Pace

That is pretty simple.

Frequent hiking makes 20 mile days easy. Body is in walking shape.

I think the food concerns for a 3 day hike is exaggerated. My food for decades has been

Breakfast: 2 packets instant oatmeal and cup of coffee.

No formal lunch: snack during the day on beef jerky, trail mix, and snickers.

Dinner: 2 person Mountain house and a cup of instant hot chocolate.

[Travis Leanna]

Nick,
I have a damn near identical menu. Easy and simple.

[Author]

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