This past August I set out to complete my first thru-hike on the 500 mile Colorado Trail. I was confident despite my inexperience because I had researched the trail extensively, lightened my backpacking kit to resemble a daypack, and worked manual labor all summer. I intended to walk from dawn to dusk and average a marathon each day because I thought an average pace would be too easy. Still, my longest backpacking trip prior to this was only 40 miles.
Within three days on the Colorado Trail, I had hiked more than 60 miles but could not fathom another step. I was ravenously hungry, keeping to a diet that I thought was adequate. My pee, when I could pee, was burnt orange from dehydration. And, the outsides of my knees exploded with hot pain on every step. I had no trace of the confidence I had three days prior.
But I had to take action. I knew basking in my pain wouldn’t do me any good, and I was 20 miles away from the nearest town! I had to find a way to walk again.
Assessing the obvious and talking to experienced thru-hikers, I learned that I needed to eat about 3000 calories per day (I was averaging 2000 calories), drink a liter every 1-2 hours, and stretch at regular intervals. Above all, I had to listen to my body.
Until I bonked on the trail, I listened to my ego alone. I valued the arbitrary goal of hiking a marathon each day above caring for my body. I would forgo breaks, snacks, and stretching to keep walking. This was idiotic of me. I could not hike, let alone a marathon each day if I was not taking care of my body.
Broadly, I learned (the hardest way) that health comes before arbitrary success. This includes not only physical, but mental, emotional, spiritual, financial, and relationship. Without health, we literally have nothing.