If you're reading this, you're probably in that exciting (and maybe slightly terrifying) place where you've decided it's time.
Time to finally do the hiking you've been talking about. Time to get outdoors and reclaim that sense of adventure. Time to prove to yourself that 35-plus doesn't mean slowing down.
But here's what I wish someone had told me before I spent months breaking in boots, dealing with plantar fasciitis, and nearly giving up on hiking altogether:
Your feet at 35 are not your feet at 25.
And that's not a bad thing — it just means you need to be smarter about support.
After 35, our feet begin to change. The fat pads on the bottom of our feet naturally start to thin out (thanks, aging). Our arches might not be as springy as they once were. We might start dealing with arthritis, bunions, or that lovely heel pain that makes those first morning steps feel like walking on broken glass.
Add to that the fact that many of us are carrying a bit more weight than we did in our 20s, and suddenly our feet are working overtime on every hike.