Every deer hunting season the first run I do is 20 miles through some of the roughest country in Canada up and down like stone cliffs all day, I do this to get in shape for the rest of the runs for the week makes them seem like nothing.

My body has the opposite effect. For the first 24 miles it is hell I drink 4l of water and feel like death and giving up the entire way. That time of year it is freezing cold in the morning actually below 0 many days then gets to 10 or more sometimes by afternoon so you can never dress right and sweat your ass off the entire time. The last mile my body kicks into overdrive and I feel like a million bucks.

I also start out with about 75lbs in my backpack and drop to about 50lbs by the end from drinking all the water and eating the food.

To give you an idea of how rough this country is I go for 8 days once a year and every two years / 14 days of doing it no matter what boots I buy they are finished by the end of year two. Pants are also often done after one year from rubbing on stuff.

On a side note if anyone can recommend comfortable boots that last long please do. I've tried everything from high end mitary boots to Irish setters. Can't get more than 14 days out of them. Walking on jagged rocks, slippery rocks and wading through swamps so they are usually soaked all day as well.