RE: [Philmont] - philmont Digest - V01 #1140

RE the Physical Fitness thread (Sorry, but I try not to include the
LOOONG message thread in my reply)

Great compliments to that Crew Leader for his sense of responsibility!!
He wants his guys to be ready and is willing to risk unpopularity to
attain that goal. A PT test is a great goal to strive toward and an
indicator of overall fitness.

But...

Physical studs are not appropriate to be the lead guy on a trail because
they cannot relate to ones who are not. It's probably the same with
this lad. My son could not pass that test, largely due to asthma issues
plus he has poor arm strength. However, he busted his butt to get ready
for Philmont this summer , running on a treadmill and using a stair
climber with 30 pounds on his back for 40 minutes 3 nights a week for 6
months. He made every prep hike and he pushed himself to carry
everything on the Phil-list on every hike. But he would NOT have passed
that PT test.

I have watched my son cruise right past football-playing "jocks" on a
trail not because he's physically tougher than them, but because he has
a mental edge they do not, an edge he has gained through experience, and
exposure to the challenges of backpacking. Prep hikes that are
physically challenging are far better indicators of future success at
Philmont than a PT test, IMHAWIO.

He successfully completed his Phil-trek this summer despite breaking a
toe the night before leaving for Philmont. He was grateful for the
physical preparation he made, but more importantly, for the MENTAL
preparation he made in the years leading up to this experience. All the
PT in the world could not substitute for the will and the determination
he had that he was GOING TO COMPLETE THIS TREK.

Backpacking depends heavily on the mind and the heart. It is about
willpower and resolve. There is no room for couch potatoes on a trail,
but neither do you have to be a PT stud either. Adequate physical,
mental and experiential will produce a great trek. But you need all
three.

Dave Parmly
VCA Crew 506
I used to be a Bobwhite...SR424
IWTGBTP!

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Received on Fri Sep 24 09:24:49 2004