I apologize in advance if this topic is crass, but even the most basic advice can prove invaluable. And if there are only two tips I can give you for your walk, they are these:

— Hydrate. Joan already gave some excellent advice about keeping plenty of fluids handy, and page 23 of the MS Challenge Walk Fundraising & Training Guide goes into further detail. In short, what works for me is to drink at least six ounces between rest stops (which tend to be 2-3 miles apart). I alternate between water and Gatorade, so whatever I got at the last rest stop, I'll next top off my bottle with the other one. You don't need to know what electrolytes are to know that your body needs them. Your kidneys will thank you.

— Evacuate. You're going to be drinking much more than you do in your day-to-day life, and you may not immediately realize that this requires an additional change to your routine. But trust me: use every rest stop you can find, even if you don't think you need to. There's nothing worse than hearing the call of nature when you're two miles from an appropriate opportunity.

Heather already made some of these points, but I felt them important enough to repeat. Keeping mind of these simple tasks will make your walk a much safer and more pleasant experience.

Ken joined the MS Challenge Walk in 2005, more than a decade after his mother was diagnosed. After walking for three years and 150 miles, he switched to the support crew and now rides his bicycle along the trail, providing whatever encouragement (and snacks!) he can to the 600 walkers. He is also an alumnus of the event's steering committee and is this site's webmaster.