Hi i am new to the backpacking world when i came across the appalachian trail in a youtube video , homemade wanderlust to be exact and it lit this fire in me to try it. I've always had an interest in camping and bushcrafting and and am seriously considering this journey. To give a brief run down of my situation Id like to know your guys opinions. Prior to covid I ran a business for family and usually did my 10k steps before noon ( Id be running around the store non stop 16-18 hour a day) I was never a athletic person but I stayed in decent shape , absolutely hate cardio but lifted weights here and there. Once covid hit and shut down our business Ive been in a depression and rotting at home for a few years trying to figure out what to do. I had a heart attack about a year ago and had a quintuple bypass. My legs have atrophied to the point where i cant even run ,I started going for walks to try to get some conditioning in but id go maybe 4-5 blocks and the burn would turn me around mainly in my calves and hamstrings from what i noticed( not out of breath ). So one thing i was wondering, is it possible to hike the AT being out of shape and slowly working my way up to getting my hiking legs and completing the AT although i guess that aspect is more mental than anything. So would it be possible with me starting out a few miles a day and my body will adapt to pushing up to 20+ miles eventually?(yes im aware about HYOH but I want to know if it's physically possible as i can be determined as a mule) I Will confirm with my cardiologist prior to going and in the meantime doing my research and study to be prepared for the hike. I am 43 btw and does my prior conditioning have any effect? So is it possible to finish the AT being really out of shape but only with the determination to finish it? Ive been seeing stories of blind people and the elderly finishing a thru hike but i guess this situation is a bit different where im so out of shape I can't even run. I'm more than willing to push through the pain if need be but i dont want it to have permanent damage. I am also a smoker and was looking at the thru hike as my time to quit. Thank you for taking the time out to read this and i appreciate the feedback.