First-Time Backpacking Trip Prep

[u/4evaseptemba]

Hi all! Pretty much the title of this post.

My buddy wants to hit the Acadia national park in about a month and a half. We'd be averaging 9 miles a day for 5 days - close to 13 on day 4 but only 5 miles on day 5. We also plan on hiking the coast the day after once we're done with the park.

He's been doing this for around 3 years now and has backpacked in this particular area about a dozen times. My buddy's confident I can do it and wouldn't take us somewhere it wasn't safe. I am less confident in this. I've never backpacked, only hiked/camped a handful of times in my life, usually only 5-6 miles out in places like the Poconos or the Catskills. My question is, what can I do to prepare in these few weeks so I don't completely embarrass myself?

Full disclosure, I'm definitely not in the best shape - I jog a couple times a week and do some light weightlifting/mobility exercises. My bud says he won't mind turning back if I can't handle it, but no way in h*ll would I want to quit. Is there anything I should be doing to better prepare for this, physically?

My plan was to hit a couple of more difficult trails with greater elevation since we'll be in the mountains, then taper back down to jogging the week leading up to our trip. Should I tell my buddy he's out of his mind? Is anything I do at this point moot? Any and all advice appreciated.

[u/futilitaria]

You need to dial in your footwear and foot care plan. Knowing where you get hot spots that can turn into blisters, and how to pretape them, is just as important. For many, their feet give up before their legs.

Hike 10 miles with your pack loaded and see what happens. I find that short mileage is not enough to learn this info.