Pain

Pain is a daily occurrence on the trail for many people. It manifests at different times in different ways. Sometimes it will enter one's ankle and throb for a hundred yards or so, or your shoulder might have a sharp pain when you twist your arm this way or that. But after a while, you just accept it as a part of the whole lifestyle; the daily trodding up and down hills with 35-40 pounds on your back as you try to carefully step on top of, over and around roots, stones, logs and branches of all shapes and sizes.

In a split second, each of your thousands of daily steps requires you to take a moment and pick a spot to land your foot. Sometimes, you miss, or you glance away at the last minute and step where you didn't mean to. Again, pain. If you are lucky, it goes away quickly, or at least after a few minutes. If not, your pain may follow you for days, or weeks, or perhaps your entire trip or develop into something more serious.

Sometimes, you can mask it with aspirin or ibuprofin, known as "Vitamin I" on the trail, and carry yourself a bit further. Or you may choose to rest and hope that the pain leaves you. But in any case, you just accept that another pain is right around the corner.

Universally, among experienced long distance hikers, they say to pay attention to your body and if you are in pain, stop. Long distance hiking is an endurance activity and just like with a car, if have parts that are damaged, it will eventually break down over time.