Personally, I have not thru-hiked. Section hiking is more suited to my style and desires. However, in doing my section hikes I have replicated some of the effort a thru-hiker puts in.

RobertL has given you some very good info, but a PCT thru-hike demands a lot and it pays to do as much research as you have time for. One good place to seek information is the email listserv for the PCTA. You can start by poking around in their archives at:

http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/

One thing you will notice is that the list has a high amount of socializing and extraneous noise. However, when a good, juicy topic comes up it can deliver a lot of good, experience-based opinions.

Another highly regarded source of info is Yogi's book for thru-hikers. I don't have her web address handy, but I am sure you'll run across it as you do your research.

Conventional wisdom says that you should accumulate most of your gear before you settle on a backpack, for the simple reason that you won't kow if the pack is too small or too large until you know what you need to fit inside it.

For example, sleeping pads can vary widely in how bulky they are and paradoxically the lightest choices are among the bulkiest. Other gear choices can greatly affect the size of pack you need.

As for trail runners or boots, feet vary so much that you'll have to discover the answer for yourself. The best rule-of-thumb is hike in the lightest option that works! RobertL is correct in identifying foot problems as a common cause of failure. The other most common cause is mental distress.

Try out trail runners while you do some long conditioning hikes - as close to actual thru-hiking as you can manage. You'll find out if they work for your feet. (I haven't hiked the desert sections, but I expect they demand highly-breathable footwear.)

As for developing the mental toughness to finish out, I suspect that requires striking a balance between knowing when to gut it out and push yourself and when to back off and be more flexible and self-nurturing. Every athlete needs to learn that balance. That's how NBA players survive an 82 game schedule and four rounds of seven-game playoffs.

Good luck and happy hiking! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />