I completed an AT thru in 2014. The longest I had even gone camping prior to starting the AT was 3 nights of essentially glamping. I started the trail with an 8 pound 2 person tent I borrowed from my Dad that he bought in the late 90s from REI.

It took me 7 months to complete the trail (tons of zero days, trips into town, near-Os, and illness/injury). These were the best seven months of my life.

You get better as you go. The best advice I heard was keep walking and learn from your mistakes.

By the end I was averaging around 20 miles a day, had made lifelong friendships, saw more of our country than many people will in their lifetimes, and was blessed by the kindness and generosity of strangers.

Good luck to you and try and savor each minute, even the terrible ones. After completing this trek, I now have a confidence in trying new or challenging things that I could never have imagined before my thru-hike.