Flexibility and patience from the beginning

I will admit it: I started too confident.

Reaching Mount Katahdin, the northern Terminal of the AT, was without problems. My mother and dad led seven hours from Massachusetts to Baxter State Park with me, and we camped to spend the night. When we woke up at 3:45 am the next morning to drive the hour and a half until our beginning of the path and start early on the mountain, the sun was already coming out in a magical and brilliant way. My dad walked Katahdin with me, which was grateful since we decided to take the knife path. I have been wanting to do this path since 2018 when I cusqué to Katahdin in the rain to finish my first walk.

This time, my dad and I advance the fighting rocks, enjoying the perfect climate and clear views. We remember our time there seven years ago, and I had this overwhelming feeling that starting AT is exactly what I should do. We took photos on the sign and walked through the base of the mountain where my mother was waiting for us with a picnic lunch.

It was difficult to say goodbye to my parents while walking only towards the path, but not as hard as the first time I went up at 19, walking towards the Georgia desert. This was felt as a complete circle moment. I could really reflect on the ways in which I have changed over the years since then. Now I had every different team, a lot of knowledge and experience with long distance and trust paths that I did not have at that time.

Picnic lunch that my mother provided

After inventing Katahdin, the official start of AT, and descending the hunting path, I walked the 10 miles more to the camp, feeling excited as always for being there. I slept like a baby, lulled by the relaxing sound of rain in my store. Day 1 in AT2 (my shorthand for this second chance), done.

100 mile desert

The following days through the 100 -mile desert were put in the morning (sometimes literally). In addition to a small drizzle the second morning, the weather was spectacular: dry, crunchy, sunny and fresh but not too cold. I loved seeing the different vegetables, mosses, rocks and bodies of water. I feel such a strong connection with these landscapes. I swam several times in the pristine lakes, crushed the miles, and my body felt surprisingly well. Because I have been breastfeeding an injury in the hamstrings for several months, I have not walked more than 13 miles from my CDT through last summer. But here, 25-28 miles a day felt great. I was tired but in good sense, and I felt very proud of my body.

Entering the 100 mile desert

Things changed on day 4. When approaching at the end of the 100 mile desert, I walked 28 miles with almost 8,000 feet of vertical gain. If I had my «paths of trails» (through the term hikers for when our bodies get used to the daily physical and mental demands of the path), this would have been fine. But unfortunately, for the beginning of a walk with minimum training. Fact, these great days were too much. The next morning, I began to feel knee pain. I tried to ignore it a little, see if it would happen. But it only worsened with each step. Finally, I decided to be intelligent and accept a trip to the city from a dirt road to 11 miles from the end of the 100 mile desert. So close.

Feeling of failure

I have dealt with many injuries for excessive use, but every time you feel as heartbreaking as the last. I felt stupid, thinking: «If I had done this or that little thing differently, this would not have happened.» But the reality is that an injury due to excessive use such as at the beginning of a walk is incredibly common. There is no amount of training that can really recreate the challenge of resistant Maine trails, especially making great miles. There is no way to practice walking for 12 hours a day in normal life. So, of course, it is an adjustment for the body.

The roots of Maine’s paths

I took a day off to rest my leg and had a telesalud appointment with my physiotherapist, Blaze Physio, who has helped me greatly with problems along my walks. She diagnosed the lesion as a quadruple tension that pulls my knee and showed me how to use KT tape for some structure. After a day off and some new supports in its place, I returned to the path with a plan to complete the last 11 miles and then continue with the next section of the path. But after a few hiking miles, even with a slower pace and the KT tape, the pain only worsened.

Verification of reality

A few miles inside, limbing pain, I sat under a rock in the rain and cried. I felt like a failure. I entered this walk feeling that I could do anything that proposes me, just for my body to break down and tell me that I just can’t. For a few minutes I let this feel, and let myself cry the idea of my walk that I now had to let go. If there is something I know about until use, it teaches you to be patient and flexible. The plans constantly change and that is fine. I gathered and thought again that this is not the end of the world. It is a small problem that will take a few days to take care and then I will be on the way.

Resting my leg

Slowly I went to the road, I picked up from an incredible host host and published for a few days. Now I am doing a real recovery of my leg, and I hope to return to the road soon. I have met many incredible hikers who come through the shelter in recent days, and I am anxious and excited to return to the road. I have not lost sight of why I am here and I believe that this injury can fulfill the purpose of staying under control. I feel more hungry than ever because I am in the forest, not having to think about anything except walking, eating and sleeping. But for now, rest and recovery.

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