Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Hiking 50 miles

I see where one of the young couch potatoes thought it was ridiculous that I, or any other Boy Scout, could walk 50 miles in a day.

President Kennedy started this and gave out a medal for it.
Tens of thousands of people did it.
I went looking for the history of it online, and found that it is still going on.
I might have to have earn another medal.

Did any of you other old timers do this in the 1960s?

http://www.jfk50mile.org/

From JFK?

Whoever this outfit is that still runs the program.
I haven't read but a little bit of it.
I take it you never heard of this before now.

Never.

I walked 150 miles once....................maybe I can get 3 medals.

I have no doubts someone could walk 50 miles in a day. Though if your walking is anything like your engineering ability, I'd say you fell flat on your face on the first step.

I invented walking.

...and collaborated on 50 miles.

Easily doable, but not easy to do.

I did 56 miles in 33 hours with another campfire poster, in the Bob Marshall this summer. We pushed pretty hard, but there was definitely room for improvement. Maybe I should try for 50 in 24 in the coming year?

Here's some results of people running 100 in under a day. 50 should be a cakewalk right?


Apparently someone in Canada did 160 on a treadmill in a day, crazy boring.

I read quickly looked over ... you have to do it in either 12 or 14 hours.

The site claims a person who can run a 4-hour marathon should be able to do it in around 10 hours.

Dang, I've got a tremendous amount of respect for you guys! Most I've ever done (when in the Army) is 18 miles in about 6 hours with a 40lb ruck and weapon - that was a few years back! Did 12 miles once in 2hr 45min with ruck and weapon - that was humping it!

No way I could come close to doing either again now!

That would have been a neat trick for me, for the oldest I was in the 1960s was three.

There were a lot of Indians in Texas and Arizona who ran and walked 100 miles in a day. They used to have a contest every year, and bet on Apaches and other tribesmen. I remember my father talking about a bet where an Indian named, appropriately, Fast Walker, raced a horse, caught it, after many miles, passed it, and went on, covering something way over 120 miles in under 24 hours.

Geronimo and his band covered huge distances on foot. When he escaped once, he and this band, including several women, were never able to be caught because the calvary horses gave out.

Another time, some Army scouts pursuing Geronimo on foot covered 125 miles in 3 days, with little to eat or drink. It was a LT Davis, a soldier named Sieber, and some Indian scouts. These guys didn't have today's boots and socks, either, and that terrain is no coastal highway.

BTY, President Kennedy was already dead by the time I earned my 50 Miler medal. His President's Physical Fitness program kept on going, and may still be going.

I've driven that far in a car before.

I know it's not probably medal worthy, but do you suppose I could get a certificate for it or something?

I've wrecked that car before. you can't weigh in on this without sounding like an ASS- but here goes. I was talking with my buddy whose a triathaloner the other day, he just finished IM in Florida. He was saying the stuff I do would kill him- too which I laughed that a TRI would total me. I definatley consider 50 miles in the mountains, off road-with + or - 50 lbs to be a long day, but not a particularly memorable one. But like everything else there's 1% of the population who finds that kind of stuff fun. even if it's not fun until a week later. "we all know better than to be doing this"

British Royal Marines to walk Scotland for Charity
210 miles in 5 days, backpacking their gear

http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1464279?UserKey=

The RM are known for humping it long distances in fast times through rough terrain and weather, carrying lots of gear.

In the Falklands, they carried the L1A1 with over 200 rounds of 7.62 ammo, plus their packs and other gear and weapons.

Lee,

You can't take 50 breaths without lying.

There are lots of people who can't do something, and constantly shout that no one else can, either - hiking, running, strength, endurance, shooting ability - 95% are incapable of conceiving anything beyond their own stunted abilities.

I would rather talk to, and read about, the doers, the winners, at least those who try.
----------------------------
A lot of US Marines and US Army infantry are capable of much more than the minimums for PT.

50 miles on foot is just part of the endurance tests for Special Forces.

British Royal Marines cover 30, 40 and 50 miles a day routinely, with full ruck.

Ingwe

Boy Scouts 50 Miler Award
This is over a few consecutive days, as park of hiking and camping requirements.

50 Miler Award. This Award is meant for Boy Scouts. Decide for yourself if it is appropriate for your younger scouts or not. ...
http://www.boyscouttrail.com/content/award/50_miler-538.asp