Hiking Through the Pain

You must remember that no one lives a life free from pain and suffering.

Sophocles

Thru hikers and other long distance adventurers all know what it is like to be injured on the trail. In fact, anyone who has carried a pack and set off to explore a mountain trail has experienced discomfort. Even with ultra-lite packs pain is just part of the experience, an unavoidable consequence of any kind of extreme sport.

I remember what it was like to strap that heavy pack onto my back and set off on the first day of a long backpacking trip. This was in the days when I would carry fifty to sixty pounds. It was uncomfortable. Of course it was. I was just over five feet tall and weighed 115 pounds. That was too much weight for my small frame. I knew it then. I certainly know it now. Still there was something comforting about the pain. It was a familiar feeling that told me with every step that I was doing the thing I loved. I was back on a mountain trail. Adventure awaited me. I was never disappointed.

Injuries would sometimes occur, everything from infected blisters to tendonitis to back and shoulder strains. Foot pain is the most common reason that thru hikers leave the trail. This can occur for no apparent reason other than the fact that our feet support our weight and that of our pack and are hitting the trail thousands of times a day. Yes, it hurts.

Most of the time there is nothing to be done, apart from some simple first aid measures, such as taking care of blisters and wounds. This is why hikers talk about “walking through the pain.” The only solution is to get to where you want to go, take the pack off, rest the body. Repeat the next day and perhaps for several more. Taking a day off is usually not an option. Such behavior is even worthy of bragging rights.

It has been many years since I carried that heavy pack, but I am again walking through the pain as I deal with a hamstring injury. There is no place I need to go, no campsite where I must arrive in order to continue my trip. I have learned from experience that such injuries take a long time to heal and that rest is an important part of that process. At my age “rest” reminds me too easily of “rest in peace,” so I always resist this.

It is disappointing not to be hiking this summer now that the trails are free of snow at last. I can see those mountains from my home. I want to be up there instead of here, celebrating the wildflowers, taking in the views in a place that has never failed to bring me peace.

This is more important than ever in a world that has become so fraught with conflict and violence. To a certain extent we are all “walking through the pain.” We can never give up on the journey, no matter how difficult. Our own survival and that of our fragile planet depends on it.

The good news about “walking through the pain” is that it taught me to be strong. Like most of my life lessons I have found that on the trail. I have brought it home with me, along with the aching back and feet. I need it now more than ever, as do all of us. We can do this.