Will Scott Jurek Ruin the AT?

[Just Bill]

"Embarking on a big adventure tomorrow, something I've always wanted to do. The time is now!"

With that vague statement and a picture of a white blazed tree on his Facebook page Scott has already created a media firestorm of epical dimensions. http://www.runnersworld.com/elite-runners/scott-jurek-attempting-appalachian-trail-record

Will the appearance of perhaps the most vegan runner of all time on our beloved AT lead to thousands of non-meat eaters descending on the trail? Don't worry about the record itself, that's not as important as all the people who may or may not want to emulate his efforts and the massive attention likely to be garnered by the much fitter running crowd. Typically runners avoid trails that cannot be measured in K's, but new technology is allowing them to convert K's to miles and with a well liked runner leading the way, it appears the end is near.

Will additional runners flocking to the trail make hikers look fat? Hikers will likely then be forced into trail towns to stand by heavier townies to improve their self image as they drown their sorrows in AYCE buffet after buffet.

What about when the vegan crowd begins saladizing the trail in their "anything goes" supported style of travel. Do support crews have to dig cat-holes for their runners? Where will all this fiber heavy, girthy poop go?

Already the presence of runners on trail has caused problems with the hiking community at large as a recent hiker feed host had this to share, "I was all set up to give aid and support to this year's thru-hikers, when this guy jogged up and just took a slice of water melon. In between bites he asked for his split? I wasn't serving ice cream until tomorrow's feed so what ever that means I'm not sure. I stared at him blankly as he picked up a cup of water another hiker was drinking from, slammed it and tossed the empty cup onto the table." She shook her head as her face visibly paled with the horror of the encounter, "I just don't know what to say, I was simply out doing trail magic and then this guy ruined it. I may not do any trail magic next year if this keeps up... If I'm just feeding somebody and giving them a drink while they race by- the magic is gone"

From just that first post, runners are suddenly asking disturbing questions:
"Heather Yamane- Are you running the Appalacian trail? How long do you think it will take?"
"Jerry M Gartner- Not Boulder, but where?"
"Johannes Jackson- For a second I thought Georgia in Europe. You would need to be a good swimmer to achieve that"
"Carrie Rogers- Appalachian Trail? Awesome."

Perhaps most troublesome of all- comments like this that show some runners may not only be aware of, but ALREADY on the AT-
"Scott Hock-So awesome. Is there somewhere we can follow your progress? I run the Appalachian Trail some here in PA and love it. Have fun and stay safe"
"Mark Farley- Awesome! I'll be on the AT this weekend? I've always had a dream of completing it."

And if Scott does break Jennifer Pharr Davis's record?
Perhaps the implications are too deep to even consider...

Suddenly an aging Redford and bumbling Nolte seem like our best friends in the world by comparison.

What will you do about this impending doom crisis mega problem?

[Lone Wolf]

huh?.......

[Another Kevin]

I don't mind people running the trail, as long as they allow me time to get out of the way!

I see people running up and down spots that I climb up and down. I don't know how they manage it without taking horrible falls, but more power to 'em.

I've been known to cook vegetarian food (usually Indian) on the trail. Dal bhaat tarkari keeps the Sherpas going!

And I'm an old man. If people are going to compare me unfavorably with Redford and Nolte, well, they're right.

Go Scott go!

[rocketsocks]

I like the angel in the story, I would not have been at a loss for words. ;)

[rocketsocks]

Truth is though, and barring any uncool behaviors...I don't care if they run walk or crawl, long as it's respectful.

[MuddyWaters]

David Horton didnt ruin the AT

[swjohnsey]

With the influx of vegans, will the vegetation along the trail disappear?

[BirdBrain]

I have nothing against this guy. However, I am rooting for Jennifer. Sorry guys. Given a choice, I am cheering for the woman.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Got me. :o Had to look to make sure this was in the humor section.:)

[BirdBrain]

I am also hoping this starts a massive vegan movement. Equilibrium pricing should drive the cost of my choice (meat) through the floor as millions choose broccoli over rib-eye.

[BobTheBuilder]

On the upside, at least there's a little breeze when they blow by me. That's always nice.

[Venchka]

The Leadvilile 100 today.
Tomorrow the AT 2178.3.
Where will it end?
"The horror. The horror. The horror."

:cool: :D

Wayne
In between burgers, andouille, filet, chicken, pork tenderloin, etc., I'm a full time vegan. :)

[garlic08]

You had me at "epical."

[LoneStranger]

I came across a 24 hour ultra runner somewhere between Guyot and Zealand last year. He didn't ruin my day one bit. Worrying about him...he seemed to be carrying little water and had a look of dazed madness in his eyes as he muttered something about starting at midnight the night before...took my mind off worrying about me. Those crazy folks make the rest of us look a little more sane by comparison so I am fine sharing the trail with them.

[Odd Man Out]

More good comments:

"will you be running through Farifax?"

"he's running a 1000+ mile trail"

[Lone Wolf]

I have nothing against this guy. However, I am rooting for Jennifer. Sorry guys. Given a choice, I am cheering for the woman.

why? what's she doing now?

[BirdBrain]

why? what's she doing now?

Holding a record.

[1azarus]

That liar sure can write... good one, JB.

[booney_1]

Something I thought was interesting about Jennifer's hike is that she walked the whole thing. She did not run. She walked from 5am to 9:30pm every day. Even as a supported hike, that's pretty impressive.

[Penn-J]

What would John Muir think....

A Parable of Sauntering by Albert W. Palmer Excerpted from The Mountain Trail and Its Message (1911)
There is a fourth lesson of the trail. It is one which John Muir taught me [during an early Sierra Club outing].


There are always some people in the mountains who are known as "hikers." They rush over the trail at high speed and take great delight in being the first to reach camp and in covering the greatest number of miles in the least possible time. they measure the trail in terms of speed and distance.


One day as I was resting in the shade Mr. Muir overtook me on the trail and began to chat in that friendly way in which he delights to talk with everyone he meets. I said to him: "Mr. Muir, someone told me you did not approve of the word 'hike.' Is that so?" His blue eyes flashed, and with his Scotch accent he replied: "I don't like either the word or the thing. People ought to saunter in the mountains - not hike!


"Do you know the origin of that word 'saunter?' It's a beautiful word. Away back in the Middle Ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going, they would reply, "A la sainte terre,' 'To the Holy Land.' And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not 'hike' through them."


John Muir lived up to his doctrine. He was usually the last man to reach camp. He never hurried. He stopped to get acquainted with individual trees along the way. He would hail people passing by and make them get down on hands and knees if necessary to see the beauty of some little bed of almost microscopic flowers. Usually he appeared at camp with some new flowers in his hat and a little piece of fir bough in his buttonhole.


Now, whether the derivation of saunter Muir gave me is scientific or fanciful, is there not in it another parable? There are people who "hike" through life. They measure life in terms of money and amusement; they rush along the trail of life feverishly seeking to make a dollar or gratify an appetite. How much better to "saunter" along this trail of life, to measure it in terms of beauty and love and friendship! How much finer to take time to know and understand the men and women along the way, to stop a while and let the beauty of the sunset possess the soul, to listen to what the trees are saying and the songs of the birds, and to gather the fragrant little flowers that bloom all along the trail of life for those who have eyes to see!


You can't do these things if you rush through life in a big red automobile at high speed; you can't know these things if you "hike" along the trail in a speed competition. These are the peculiar rewards of the man who has learned the secret of the saunterer!

[Bombadil]

(1) Funny post! More seriously, please don't make this a Jurek vs. Jenn thing. It's not. Scott is running the AT. Apparently, he is sensitive enough to the AT culture of HYOH not to treat it like a running race. He is running the AT and he has an itinerary that, yes, would result in the fastest supported AT hike. But all of his posts thus far indicate that he is in this for the experience, same as the rest of us. He wishes to have the experience of running the AT in a way that challenges him. In no way is this about Jennifer Pharr-Davis. Incidentally, if it were about her, one could remember that one of her support crew previously had the record, but cheerfully supported Jenn. The long distance running culture is not usually cutthroat like track. They help and support each other, for the most part. Why can't we support and enjoy the experiences of Scott (great runner, supporter of vegan lifestyle) and Jenn (great hiker, motivational speaker, guide)? In the style of Miss Janet, support EVERYONE as long as they respect the trail!

[TOW]

"Embarking on a big adventure tomorrow, something I've always wanted to do. The time is now!"

With that vague statement and a picture of a white blazed tree on his Facebook page Scott has already created a media firestorm of epical dimensions. http://www.runnersworld.com/elite-runners/scott-jurek-attempting-appalachian-trail-record

Will the appearance of perhaps the most vegan runner of all time on our beloved AT lead to thousands of non-meat eaters descending on the trail? Don't worry about the record itself, that's not as important as all the people who may or may not want to emulate his efforts and the massive attention likely to be garnered by the much fitter running crowd. Typically runners avoid trails that cannot be measured in K's, but new technology is allowing them to convert K's to miles and with a well liked runner leading the way, it appears the end is near.

Will additional runners flocking to the trail make hikers look fat? Hikers will likely then be forced into trail towns to stand by heavier townies to improve their self image as they drown their sorrows in AYCE buffet after buffet.

What about when the vegan crowd begins saladizing the trail in their "anything goes" supported style of travel. Do support crews have to dig cat-holes for their runners? Where will all this fiber heavy, girthy poop go?

Already the presence of runners on trail has caused problems with the hiking community at large as a recent hiker feed host had this to share, "I was all set up to give aid and support to this year's thru-hikers, when this guy jogged up and just took a slice of water melon. In between bites he asked for his split? I wasn't serving ice cream until tomorrow's feed so what ever that means I'm not sure. I stared at him blankly as he picked up a cup of water another hiker was drinking from, slammed it and tossed the empty cup onto the table." She shook her head as her face visibly paled with the horror of the encounter, "I just don't know what to say, I was simply out doing trail magic and then this guy ruined it. I may not do any trail magic next year if this keeps up... If I'm just feeding somebody and giving them a drink while they race by- the magic is gone"

From just that first post, runners are suddenly asking disturbing questions:
"Heather Yamane- Are you running the Appalacian trail? How long do you think it will take?"
"Jerry M Gartner- Not Boulder, but where?"
"Johannes Jackson- For a second I thought Georgia in Europe. You would need to be a good swimmer to achieve that"
"Carrie Rogers- Appalachian Trail? Awesome."

Perhaps most troublesome of all- comments like this that show some runners may not only be aware of, but ALREADY on the AT-
"Scott Hock-So awesome. Is there somewhere we can follow your progress? I run the Appalachian Trail some here in PA and love it. Have fun and stay safe"
"Mark Farley- Awesome! I'll be on the AT this weekend? I've always had a dream of completing it."

And if Scott does break Jennifer Pharr Davis's record?
Perhaps the implications are too deep to even consider...

Suddenly an aging Redford and bumbling Nolte seem like our best friends in the world by comparison.

What will you do about this impending doom crisis mega problem?Dude you just ain't right. But who am I to say? Let them come on we can handle them..........