I hope so hikermor! I hike a lot but I'm rookie at this distance and in this environment. Other than the basics of hiking, I'm considering myself a newbie on this one!

Research, conditioning, gear testing will be the biggest parts of my prep. I've never done a trip of this scale before, so I'm taking all the advice I can get and spending the next two years trying to assimilate it all. (i.e. I am a chronic over-packer so I need all the help I can get.)

As an aside, 75 kms is about as long a big-out trek as I can reasonably contemplate, so that's an added layer of thought in this experience, but I'll put that off to reflect upon on the conclusion of the trip.

Thanks for the idea of adding running to my routine. I started a walk-to-run program a year or so ago, and it messed with my knee, so I slowed down and went back to hiking regularly with a loaded pack. It's working! My distance, time and general condition are improving again after a substantial lay-off. After more than a year of hardly hiking at all, it's great to be back on the trail and I can hardly wait for this trip!