Advice from one successful 100K hiker:

The only advice I can think of conveying to others is to take this hike seriously. Spend time training for it. Figure at least two months training. Don't over train. Sleep and rest is just as important to your body so that it can heal and strengthen itself. Improve your diet with fruits, vegetables, and whole grain foods. Make sure your shoes fit your feet well. Don't wear shoes that are too tight. If you can manage, buy shoes a half to a whole size larger than what your measured size is. You should be able to freely wriggle your toes in the toe box and have a little room on both sides of your feet, yet the shoe should be secure on your foot when laced up. Don't be cheap about socks. Buy at least two pair of good socks. Either a wool blend or I prefer some of the synthetic blends i.e. Ultramax. They fit well and keep your feet dry and comfortable. With good socks and shoes along with the training hikes, you should have few, if any, blisters. The one thing I learned from last years hike is to pace yourself. It's also very helpful to eat a good meal before the hike. I found that Moby Dick's was open until 4:00 am and is only a half a block from the canal and a few blocks from Thomson's Boat House parking lot. Get enough sleep. I stayed at the Washington International Hostel, and this year I was lucky enough to get a good 5 hours of sleep before checking out after 1:00 am. I shared a room with some very understanding Irish travelers. Last year I didn't get any sleep and it really negatively impacted me on the trail.

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