Denethor's plunge

[Sauron the White]

Folwren and Matthew ... I was happy to give up on this a while ago... I thought we were through with it. But others keep posting their positions on it and I merely reply. Am I at fault for that?

We will agree to disagree then.

I wrote that on the 18th in the theread on Split Personality in the exact same discussion. It was my conclusion that everything that could be said already had been said. But then others keep posting their positions to me and I give them the courtesy of a reply.

I would very much like to move on to other things as long as others are willing to do the same. I will give Alatar the courtesy of an answer then hopefully, we can go on to new things like wings on balrogs.

Alatar -- your latest question

What distance would you consider reasonable for a normal average human (after consulting their physician) to be able to travel in a day, and be able to get up and do the same thing the next day as well?

What I know about is long distance running. I can talk about that with some level of confidence. I cannot discuss walking - sorry. But that is fine because WALKING is not what JRRT describes either in his tale so it is a point that does not have to be discussed. Again, walking at a normal pace DOES NOT prepare a person, or their muscles, for running or even striding. My best guess would be for the average person without training, the best they could travel in a single day would be perhaps 20 miles if they mixed running , striding and walking. After that, their glycogen and muscles would be depleted. If the dogs of hell were on their tail, perhaps they could do it again the next day. And if bones were strapped to their backs to entice the dogs, perhaps they could do it a third day.

Perhaps. That is my best guesstimate.

but this is from Answers.com in their article on GLYCOGEN

A well-nourished person will have enough glycogen in their muscle to enable them to exercise for 1-2 hours at approximately two-thirds of their maximum capacity for aerobic exercise.

Maybe I am being too generous in my estimate if this is near correct.