As you're probably aware, Scott Jurek just set the new AT FKT record by a whisker at 46 days, 8 hrs, and 8 min...just in over 3-hrs vs. Jennifer Pharr Davis' previous AT record. How many of you LRCers have the potential to break the record but just haven't yet tried? Would you do it for 15-min of fame. For instance, USA Today has a front page/online blurb about it. Or, what would it take (e.g., dollar amount? sponsor requirement? other? ) for you to become a legend of the AT? I ask because when Davis did it, she became a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year with lots of perks, including speaking and travel allotments...but probably because she set the overall record as a female.
In other words, what makes it worth the effort to set the AT FKT??
Would you attempt Appalachian Trail speed record for 15-min of fame?
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Wait a minute... all that drama and he only beat a woman? And not by much?
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Bad Wigins wrote:
Wait a minute... all that drama and he only beat a woman? And not by much?
Yep, I also find it unbalanced.
Never knew the guy before, neither the woman.
But to call himself a "runner" and only three hours ahead? He should have had the decency to wait three more hours to finish.
He is as likeable as Team Sky. -
yes.
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Onward wrote:
As you're probably aware, Scott Jurek just set the new AT FKT record by a whisker at 46 days, 8 hrs, and 8 min...just in over 3-hrs vs. Jennifer Pharr Davis' previous AT record. How many of you LRCers have the potential to break the record but just haven't yet tried? Would you do it for 15-min of fame. For instance, USA Today has a front page/online blurb about it. Or, what would it take (e.g., dollar amount? sponsor requirement? other? ) for you to become a legend of the AT? I ask because when Davis did it, she became a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year with lots of perks, including speaking and travel allotments...but probably because she set the overall record as a female.
In other words, what makes it worth the effort to set the AT FKT??
QUIZ
Q: Before attempting a FKT of the AT or another big trail, what tradition is honored among trail runners?
Answer that to deepen your journey. -
I would guess exactly zero LRers could hike 45-50 miles a day over rough terrain for 40 odd days. Jurek hiked most of his trip because he had to.
Alan -
Bad Wigins wrote:
Wait a minute... all that drama and he only beat a woman? And not by much?
You realize he also beat all the men that have completed the AT as well, right? -
Fogrunr wrote:
QUIZ
Q: Before attempting a FKT of the AT or another big trail, what tradition is honored among trail runners?
Answer that to deepen your journey.
Call them and let them know. -
Bad Wigins wrote:
Wait a minute... all that drama and he only beat a woman? And not by much?
You think you could do it faster? -
Was he supported or unsupported?
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Was he supported or unsupported?
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This was a supported run.
Matt Kirk hold's the unsupported record at 58 days 9 hours and 38 minutes -
People will do almost anything for 1 min of fame. Just check out American Idiot, or America Got (No) Talent, or people that go to sporting events just so they can be around celebrity (with 50k others).
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Scott Jurek's credentials:
Held United States record for 24-hour distance on all surfaces (165.7 miles/266.01 kilometers) from 2010 to 2012.
Won the Spartathlon 153-mile (246 km) race from Athens to Sparta, Greece three consecutive times (2006–2008).
Won the Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance Run (2007), and held the record time for one year until Kyle Skaggs set a new record in 2008.
Won the Western States Endurance Run seven consecutive times (1999–2005), and held the record time (15:36:27 in 2004) until 2010
Won the Badwater Ultramarathon twice (2005, 2006), and held the course record for two years (2005).
Finished first three times (2002–2004) and second three times (2001, 2005, 2006) in the Miwok 100K Trail Race.
Won the Leona Divide 50 Mile Run four times (2000, 2001, 2002, 2004).
Won the Diez Vista 50K Trail Run twice (2000, 2003).
Won the Montrail Ultra Cup series twice (2002, 2003).
Selected as UltraRunning Magazine's North American Male Ultrarunner of the Year in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2007.
Set the speed record for completing the Appalachian Trail (approx. 2,200 miles) by running the whole trail in 46 days, 8 hours, and 8 minutes in 2015. -
The key is that it is the fastest KNOWN time. I've done it faster a few times, but I don't really like to make a big deal about it.
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Ultra running is a joke sport for the most part. The only ultra runners that I'm somewhat impressed by are Yiannis Kouros and, to a lesser extent, Killian Jornet.
Either one of them would destroy Jurek. -
Bad Wigins wrote:
Wait a minute... all that drama and he only beat a woman? And not by much?
It does amaze me that the record was held by a woman. I saw he doing a record attempt and then saw the runner's world interview with the former record holder who said she was ready for her record to be broken.
When I saw it was a woman, I was stunned.
I'm just amazed by the old record holder. She is described as 'a hiker'.
Jurek isn't some sort of good ultra guy.
http://www.runnersworld.com/trail-racing/scott-jurek-breaks-appalachian-trail-thru-hike-record
[BRW wrote:
The Appalachian Trail record caps one of the most decorated ultramarathoning careers in history. Jurek’s resume includes wins in nearly every prestigious ultra race in the country. Among them: seven consecutive Western States Endurance Runs, two Badwater Ultramarathons, the Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance run, and a runner-up finish in the Leadville Trail 100.
So i'm shocked he barely beat some female 'hikers' record. Not knowing much about it, I don't think I can agree with RW's conclusion:
[BRW wrote:
But even with a cadre of world-class endurance accomplishments, Jurek’s latest feat may be his most impressive. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy, which oversees the trail’s maintenance, recommends people take five to seven months to attempt a thru-hike. Completing 46 consecutive ultramarathons, Jurek finished the trail in a fraction of that time.
Seeing this record makes me wnat to do a story on the woman who set the record. ANyone know anything about her?
Someone could definitely put this record much faster. Maybe I should sponsor my old boy Sage Canaday. That being said, 47 miles a day for 46 days in a row doesn't sound like fun.
How rocky is the trail?
I can't imagine doing that every day, day after day. If I was simply walking on a railroad track, yes. I could walk for 15 hours a day, stopping for an hour for lunch and sleeping 8 hours. But I imagine it's a hilly, muddy mess.
Congrats on the new record. -
Trail running is a sport that is not for everyone and is considered to be pseudo running. Many of the records, I believe, are very arbitrary. Yes it is neat that Jurek accomplished the Appalachian trail and set a new record, but I believe the true american trail runners are Lewis and Clark, Daniel Boone, and the people of the Oregon trail. People think Alberto Salazar was and still is crazy, but Jurek exceeds Salazar's craziness beyond measure. Many people hike the pacific crest trail each year. Where is their glory?
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The PCT also has a FKT record. The AT is just the bigger name.
From what I've read on Whiteblaze (Letsrun for hikers) a lot of the AT is basically a pile of rocks and East Coast trails typically go straight over a hill vs switchbacks.
Also, the female set the former record going southbound which is much easier according to whiteblaze. Jurek bested the northbound record by a number of days AND the 2015 AT distance is 8 miles LONGER than the 2011 AT that Pharr hiked. She was also already an accomplished multi-day hiker.
Alan -
I would just start in Georgia, take a selfie, then drive to Maine and run the last 3 miles.
