View Full Version : Kristian Morgan FKT ATtempt - NOBO Supported
greatexpectations
07-03-2019, 09:38
hadn't seen anything posted here yet about this attempt. kristian is a british ultra runner who paced karel sabbe occasionally last year and apparently has a goal of <40 days for his attempt.
website - https://www.kristianultra.com/appalachian-trail
strava - https://www.strava.com/athletes/8815157
chknfngrs
07-03-2019, 10:17
Woot! This is better than cable!
SteelCut
07-03-2019, 10:47
Sigh ... as if I don't have enough distractions in my life :-)
Good luck, Kristian.
Crushed Grapes
07-03-2019, 16:51
Heck yes. Hopefully I'm not in a privy when this guy passes me :D
TimDeVriendt
07-04-2019, 07:50
hadn't seen anything posted here yet about this attempt. kristian is a british ultra runner who paced karel sabbe occasionally last year and apparently has a goal of <40 days for his attempt.
website - https://www.kristianultra.com/appalachian-trail
strava - https://www.strava.com/athletes/8815157
You can follow Kristian live here: http://kristianmorganat.legendstracking.com
Kristian is using a Garmin inReach, and the data is visualised on the same platform as the one that Karel was using last year (although the tracker is different). On the visualisation, there is a virtual race setup that takes Karel's data points from last year into account.
chknfngrs
07-04-2019, 14:43
So hot and humid today, hoping Kristian keeps on truckin’ (Safely). anyone know his trail name?
I just messaged with his crew. He's at Ice Water Shelter right now, and will leave at 4AM. Their crew is looking for some pacers if anyone nearby wants to jump in for some miles (I can pass along contact information if you want to PM me about it). I'm looking to pace from and through SNP to Harper's Ferry. :)
chknfngrs
07-05-2019, 06:40
What is he averaging? Cool opportunity
James GAME2009
07-05-2019, 11:51
Awesome. It has been a very quiet year for AT record attempts. Usually there are half a dozen or so who make noise leading up to the AT record "season." This year, crickets. I thought that perhaps since Karel put down such a really, really solid time with seemingly perfect logistics that it had turned off would-be suitors. Good to see someone going for it who has the background to have a chance. I'll be following along.
chknfngrs
07-05-2019, 12:13
Not surprisingly his tracker seems off
Awesome. It has been a very quiet year for AT record attempts. Usually there are half a dozen or so who make noise leading up to the AT record "season." This year, crickets .
If the AT is too quite for your liking this year, keep an eye on the PCT in the coming weeks.
TrailRunnerGuy
07-05-2019, 15:13
Not surprisingly his tracker seems off
Yeah, it looks like at the end or beginning of every day it bounces wildly, which makes it hard to tell where he begins and ends a day. Maybe they are staking out and he is being driven to a different sleeping spot, then driven back. Or it's just real glitchy.
In any case, as of about 4.5 days in, he's ~65km behind Sabbe's pace, or about 7 miles/day off. Probably running about low 40s/day right now.
matthew.d.kirk
07-06-2019, 12:19
In any case, as of about 4.5 days in, he's ~65km behind Sabbe's pace, or about 7 miles/day off. Probably running about low 40s/day right now.
Kristian seemed to have been following pretty closely behind Karel for the first 4 days. Checking the tracker again and I think you're right: a major speed bump in the eastern GSMNP on day 5, hopefully no injury. I tried downloading the GPX file to better visualize his progress over multiple days against Joe's and Karel's data via animated mapping, but the link is empty on his legendstracking page. Good luck to Kristian, sub 40 is a daunting challenge... more so now than at the start!
He's uninjured and just had a gear issues which lead to additional downtime. They've since addressed it so that shouldn't happen again.
They're still looking for fairly fast pacers or even a crew member if anyone wants to log some mileage or assist with support duties. They've also recalc'd the schedule and he'll make back the time in a smart manner.
chknfngrs
07-07-2019, 07:00
Ballsy and robust. Keep it movin
chknfngrs
07-07-2019, 13:35
Update: record attempt over
https://www.instagram.com/kristianultra/?hl=en
Southeast
07-07-2019, 16:36
From the Instagram post:
“Update about Appalachian trail speed attempt. My crew have had problems. Today One member will be leaving and returning to their home. The world record is now out of my reach. I’m obviously disappointed but now seeing this as just an adventure.”
James GAME2009
07-07-2019, 17:01
That flamed out way too quickly. Any word on other potential suitors this year?
TrailRunnerGuy
07-07-2019, 18:13
Shows what a logistical challenge it is, as well as physical. Hope he has a good adventure the rest of the way.
Slo-go'en
07-07-2019, 19:54
I saw this coming with post #14 last night. Figured it was all but over with all the crew problems, pacer problems, gear problems, heat problems inferred from the post. Making up lost time is really hard when that lost time starts adding up. The current record is outstanding. It will be hard to beat, but no doubt people will keep trying. A lot of things need to go perfect and a lot of those things you have little or no control over.
How far did he get?
trailmercury
07-08-2019, 15:53
They're still looking for fairly fast pacers
This absolutely cracks me up!!! How can somebody off the street keep pace with a world record? Is this Forrest Gump?
chknfngrs
07-08-2019, 16:10
Clearly depends on what your definition of “fairly fast” is....
This absolutely cracks me up!!! How can somebody off the street keep pace with a world record? Is this Forrest Gump?
This absolutely cracks me up!!! How can somebody off the street keep pace with a world record? Is this Forrest Gump?
We're talking middle to front of the pack 50mi ultra runners typically. An FKT of this distance isn't crazy fast speed wise, but about keeping a solid pace, routine, and not getting injured.
This absolutely cracks me up!!! How can somebody off the street keep pace with a world record? Is this Forrest Gump?
There are many people that could do a 50 mile pacing day. I personally know about a dozen including myself.
trailmercury
07-09-2019, 09:08
There are many people that could do a 50 mile pacing day. I personally know about a dozen including myself.
well, he couldn't find enough folks to do so, and it doesn't surprise me
centerfieldr162
07-09-2019, 13:13
I was hiking the opposite way on the 4th and stopped at Spence Field to eat lunch. Two guys got there about ten minutes after me and had passed Kristian. I literally came on here today to see what his name was because I couldn't remember and now he's done with his attempt.. Ha
chknfngrs
07-09-2019, 14:13
I think he’s still going, attempting a thru hike now, if I am not mistaken
chknfngrs
07-09-2019, 21:46
Well I read his post again and he just said “the record attempt is over but the adventure continues” whatever that means. Guess maybe he is off Trail now and not pressing on?
trailmercury
07-10-2019, 11:32
do most here agree that Stringbean's "unsupported" mark is unlikely to be broken anytime soon? The "supported" record seems to get broken every other year lately.
I suspect that both marks will stand for a while. Karel Sabbe's supported time is mind bending.
LazyLightning
07-10-2019, 18:15
it's amazing to me that the unsupported from Stringbean is so close (about a week or less right?) to the supported, having all the help you can get and Stringbean is right behind with nothing for help. Not to down talk the amazing supported record, that just shows how hard it will be to beat that unsupported time.
So with the unsupported, are you allowed to eat at pizza/burger joints that you can walk to and what exactly qualifies? …. I'm picturing no use of anything motorized and no help from people other then trail magic? …. but what about resupply? are you allowed to have packages sent to places close to the trail that you can walk to? … I imagine no slack packing and carrying all your gear the whole way.
are there even any set rules like that anywhere?
it's amazing to me that the unsupported from Stringbean is so close (about a week or less right?) to the supported, having all the help you can get and Stringbean is right behind with nothing for help. Not to down talk the amazing supported record, that just shows how hard it will be to beat that unsupported time.
So with the unsupported, are you allowed to eat at pizza/burger joints that you can walk to and what exactly qualifies? …. I'm picturing no use of anything motorized and no help from people other then trail magic? …. but what about resupply? are you allowed to have packages sent to places close to the trail that you can walk to? … I imagine no slack packing and carrying all your gear the whole way.
are there even any set rules like that anywhere?
Generally people follow the Williamson set of rules, no vehicles but can use any normal hiking services such as mail drops.
Traveler
07-12-2019, 06:57
do most here agree that Stringbean's "unsupported" mark is unlikely to be broken anytime soon? The "supported" record seems to get broken every other year lately.
I agree that "unsupported" is the top rung of the challenge ladder when looking at FKT feats, Stringbean's accomplishment will likely stand for a while. In my view the challenge and level of athleticism of unsupported is at a higher level given the differences in pack weight, added miles one has to walk for resupply, get water, set up/break down camp, prepare meals, etc, as opposed to supported challengers who are not slowed down by these things and have a crew to provide food, water, and set up bivouacs and camps along the way. Thinking about this issue there is a bit more purity to me in the unsupported attempts given the nature of that challenge and many if not most of these challengers are hikers/backpackers which I tend relate to a little better.
This doesn't mean supported attempts aren't athletic, I am dumbfounded by the tenacity, speed, and miles per day that are logged. However, for me unsupported adds more to the challenge and gets my attention faster and keeps it longer than other rungs of the challenge ladder.
chknfngrs
07-12-2019, 06:59
Cleaner way to go, like climbing without bolts
Jesus christ you guys are killing me. :D
Self-supported, not unsupported!
My interest with Kristian's attempt from the beginning was pretty low just because Karel's time is so absurd.
Stringbean's time is, too.
Someone has to be very convincing to make me think they actually stand a chance. That's probably a big reason why there's so few attempts now: Everyone's just like "uhhh...you can have it."
Re: Pacers
I'd actually argue there aren't a ton of people who can casually throw out a 50 mile day on a Tuesday. Someone has to have a life that allows them to do that, who is willing to throw off their training with an impromptu 50 miler, and who can logistically get to and (more importantly) from the trailheads. Lots of people can run 50 miles. Not a lot can do what's required to pace an AT attempt.
The logistics of a supported attempt play such a big part in all of this. I'm quite surprised it was crew and nutrition that seemed to bubble up so quickly. Kristian should have actually been one of the most prepared guys for this considering his experience.