View Full Version : Current speed record?
earplug94
05-01-2009, 09:46
You guys know who has the speed record for the AT and how long?
earplug
fredmugs
05-01-2009, 09:51
As far as I know there is no official speed record. Last year a guy tried to break the unofficial speed record and failed. His website showed the fastest reported times:
http://www.whereskarl.com/
Lone Wolf
05-01-2009, 10:26
You guys know who has the speed record for the AT and how long?
earplug
47 days is the supported record
slickgoku
08-06-2009, 19:30
I will break this record in the next 10-20 years if nothing else stops me!
Skidsteer
08-06-2009, 20:00
I will break this record in the next 10-20 years if nothing else stops me!
Go for it.
ShoelessWanderer
08-06-2009, 20:31
I'm going to break the record for the slowest AT thru hike in the next 10-20 years if nothing else stops me!
Feral Bill
08-06-2009, 20:36
I'm going to break the record for the slowest AT thru hike in the next 10-20 years if nothing else stops me!
I plan on offering some competition there.;)
ShoelessWanderer
08-06-2009, 20:39
Bring it on!
I'm already 20 years into my section hike and I'm not half done yet (loving every moment, view, and experience). If someone feels the need to race, however, I can't question his choice of the AT over some city course somewhere. :)
jersey joe
08-07-2009, 09:20
As far as I know, these are the fastest known speed hikes of the appalachian trail. All of these hikes were supported thru hikes.
1. Andrew Thompson: 47 days 13 hours 31 minutes (2005)
2. Pete Palmer: 48 days 20 hours 11 minutes (1999)
3. David Horton: 52 days 9 hours (1991)
4. Karl Meltzer: 54 days 21 hours 12 minutes (2008)
5. Scott Grierson: 55 days 20 hours 34 minutes (1991)
6. Jennifer Pharr Davis: 57 days 8 hours 35 minutes (2008) [women's record]
CrumbSnatcher
08-07-2009, 09:48
As far as I know, these are the fastest known speed hikes of the appalachian trail. All of these hikes were supported thru hikes.
1. Andrew Thompson: 47 days 13 hours 31 minutes (2005)
2. Pete Palmer: 48 days 20 hours 11 minutes (1999)
3. David Horton: 52 days 9 hours (1991)
4. Karl Meltzer: 54 days 21 hours 12 minutes (2008)
5. Scott Grierson: 55 days 20 hours 34 minutes (1991)
6. Jennifer Pharr Davis: 57 days 8 hours 35 minutes (2008) [women's record]
these records are cool! but THIS IS THE ONE IM IMPRESSED BY: ward leonard UNSUPPORTED 60.5 DAYS
Ward probably holds the yo-yo record too.:) i think he had almost 4 completions in 1 year?
2100/~45 = 46.6 miles a day
46.6/ 13 (hrs a day) = 3.5 mph
13(hrs a day) - (~1hr) for eating and breaking camp = 12 hr days
46.6/12 (hrs a day) = 3.9 mph
uhm....
The logistics of that don't seem to work out to me.
CrumbSnatcher
08-07-2009, 10:30
[quote=reid;877326]2100/~45 = 46.6 Miles A Day
46.6/ 13 (hrs A Day) = 3.5 Mph
13(hrs A Day) - (~1hr) For Eating And Breaking Camp = 12 Hr Days
46.6/12 (hrs A Day) = 3.9 Mph
Uhm....
The Logistics Of That Don't Seem To Work Out To Me.[/quote
it seems to work for them
2100/~45 = 46.6 miles a day
46.6/ 13 (hrs a day) = 3.5 mph
13(hrs a day) - (~1hr) for eating and breaking camp = 12 hr days
46.6/12 (hrs a day) = 3.9 mph
uhm....
The logistics of that don't seem to work out to me.
Well, they are running and have a support crew (no need to break camp and dinner is waiting).
For most traditional backpackers, the logistics probably would not work out.
FWIW, Tatoo Joe and Scott Williamson do almost the same amount of mileage while carrying a pack. In fact, Scott is attempting to break David Horton's PCT record (66 days) WITHOUT support this year.
CrumbSnatcher
08-07-2009, 10:34
Well, they are running and have a support crew (no need to break camp and dinner is waiting).
For most traditional backpackers, the logistics probably would not work out.
FWIW, Tatoo Joe and Scott Williamson do almost the same amount of mileage while carrying a pack. In fact, Scott is attempting to break David Horton's PCT record (66 days) WITHOUT support this year.
thats what i was going to say, they don't break camp, they don't do much but run! thats if they are supported?
CrumbSnatcher
08-07-2009, 10:37
mags have you met those two guys, i seen the series of videos starting with walk. that tattoo joe seems like a very interesting/cool dude.
FWIW, more info on Scott's record attempt (again, without support)
http://team.inov-8.us/2009/02/scott-williamson.html
Supported attempts are interesting, but my heart is with long hiking days while wearing a a pack. :)
Well, they are running and have a support crew (no need to break camp and dinner is waiting).
For most traditional backpackers, the logistics probably would not work out.
FWIW, Tatoo Joe and Scott Williamson do almost the same amount of mileage while carrying a pack. In fact, Scott is attempting to break David Horton's PCT record (66 days) WITHOUT support this year.
I guess it works out then. Not to take away from there accomplishment and by all mean it is a great one, the whole dinner and camp setup by someone else doesn't befront me much.
CrumbSnatcher
08-07-2009, 10:45
FWIW, more info on Scott's record attempt (again, without support)
http://team.inov-8.us/2009/02/scott-williamson.html
Supported attempts are interesting, but my heart is with long hiking days while wearing a a pack. :)
long days wearing a pack! thats the ticket.
2100/~45 = 46.6 miles a day
13(hrs a day) - (~1hr) for eating and breaking camp = 12 hr days
46.6/12 (hrs a day) = 3.9 mph
uhm....
The logistics of that don't seem to work out to me.
They are indeed incredible athletes. Check out Karl's webpage:
http://karlmeltzer.com/
And even those times pale a bit when you read about Charlie Engle, Ray Zahab, and Kevin Lin literally running across the Sahara (about 4,100 miles) in 110 days. We're talking sand, surface temps of +115, no days off, etc. It's chronicled in a documentary called "Running the Sahara." http://www.runningthesahara.com/
I bought the documentary and it's worth every penny.
the whole dinner and camp setup by someone else doesn't befront me much.
Conversely , the whole crapping in the woods thing does not befront most other people as well. :)
thats what i was going to say, they don't break camp, they don't do much but run! thats if they are supported?
AKAIK. Even the "runners" do some power hiking.
\ I'd be lying if I said I knew them well, but I have talked to and met Tatoo Joe and Scott Williamson (at the ADZPCTKO)
CrumbSnatcher
08-07-2009, 11:28
Conversely , the whole crapping in the woods thing does not befront most other people as well. :)
AKAIK. Even the "runners" do some power hiking.
\ I'd be lying if I said I knew them well, but I have talked to and met Tatoo Joe and Scott Williamson (at the ADZPCTKO)
sorry mags,i should of explained better. i just meant they are usually on the move. sorry
sorry mags,i should of explained better. i just meant they are usually on the move. sorry
Hey NP. No need to be sorry. I've said and done much worse. Ask my ex-girlfriends. ;) (I've fooled the current girlfriend so far, though. :D)
CrumbSnatcher
08-07-2009, 11:39
Hey NP. No need to be sorry. I've said and done much worse. Ask my ex-girlfriends. ;) (I've fooled the current girlfriend so far, though. :D)
COOL!!!:cool:
Lemni Skate
08-07-2009, 11:49
You have to be rude to set one of these records. Everybody I see on the trail wants to talk.
They just have to run by idiots like me who want to say stuff like:
"How's it going?"
"Where'd you start today?"
"It's a great day for hiking."
"How long you out for?"
"Where you from?"
I could easily add 2 hours to any person's time.
You have to be rude to set one of these records. Everybody I see on the trail wants to talk.
They just have to run by idiots like me who want to say stuff like:
"How's it going?"
"Where'd you start today?"
"It's a great day for hiking."
"How long you out for?"
"Where you from?"
I could easily add 2 hours to any person's time.
Ha! I'd be good at wasting their time, too.
But from what I've read other say about Karl when he was doing his run, he was more than happy to stop and chat with people. Everyone said he was one of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet.
Lone Wolf
08-07-2009, 12:23
Well, they are running and have a support crew (no need to break camp and dinner is waiting).
Maineak never ran. he walked the whole 56 days covering less than 3 mph
You have to be rude to set one of these records. Everybody I see on the trail wants to talk.
They just have to run by idiots like me who want to say stuff like:
"How's it going?"
"Where'd you start today?"
"It's a great day for hiking."
"How long you out for?"
"Where you from?"
I could easily add 2 hours to any person's time.
I met Pete Palmer just north of SNP at the trail magic/hiker feed on Memorial Day 1999. He sat, chatted, had a burger. He was there a good half hour. Someone asked if he needed to be moving on, but he explained that in that moderate terrain he could run more and climb less, so it was good for him to stop and smell the roses a bit. Nice guy. Very down to earth.
And even those times pale a bit when you read about Charlie Engle, Ray Zahab, and Kevin Lin literally running across the Sahara (about 4,100 miles) in 110 days. We're talking sand, surface temps of +115, no days off, etc. It's chronicled in a documentary called "Running the Sahara." http://www.runningthesahara.com/
I bought the documentary and it's worth every penny.
Those guys are crazy!!! I couldn't do a 5k in those conditions!
Meltzer did Georgia in like a day and 1/2 going non-stop to finish his hike. To me that is impressive...
Pedaling Fool
08-07-2009, 18:58
I met Pete Palmer just north of SNP at the trail magic/hiker feed on Memorial Day 1999. He sat, chatted, had a burger. He was there a good half hour. Someone asked if he needed to be moving on, but he explained that in that moderate terrain he could run more and climb less, so it was good for him to stop and smell the roses a bit. Nice guy. Very down to earth.
Damn Bearpaw, I also saw Pete Palmer in 1999 (don't know which day); he was too busy to stop -- he was running. However, I did talk to his support guy at one of the road crossings. I was doing a NOBO Rockfish Gap to Harper's Ferry hike.
CrumbSnatcher
08-07-2009, 19:09
I met Pete Palmer just north of SNP at the trail magic/hiker feed on Memorial Day 1999. He sat, chatted, had a burger. He was there a good half hour. Someone asked if he needed to be moving on, but he explained that in that moderate terrain he could run more and climb less, so it was good for him to stop and smell the roses a bit. Nice guy. Very down to earth.
bearpaw when did you finish in 99' i finished the first week of oct.
You have to be rude to set one of these records. Everybody I see on the trail wants to talk.
They just have to run by idiots like me who want to say stuff like:
"How's it going?"
"Where'd you start today?"
"It's a great day for hiking."
"How long you out for?"
"Where you from?"
I could easily add 2 hours to any person's time.
The only speed hiker in the process of setting a record I've met in person (Mike Popov, while he was setting the JMT unsupported record in '07) actually did stop to talk for a moment. I thought it was very cool. There's something about meeting someone traveling so fast and light that gave a fun boost to MY very slow and ordinary hike for a while.
fiddlehead
08-07-2009, 21:41
Interesting (related) story:
I was attempting a speed record of the JMT back in 2000.
I was about 3 days into it (ended up being 5 1/2 days and a full day off the record)
and ran into some hikers that i knew.
One of them actually was at a family picnic we had in PA the year before.
anyway, another of them was carrying a huge bong and i was partaking when my speed hiking partner came around the bend and spotted me. This was the first time he had ever seen me like this.
I ended up beating him to our pre-determined spot that day by almost and hour!
I don't know if i ran faster cause i was scared he was going to come down on me, or because i just felt so great!
Anyway, speed attempts can be very fun. If you are in shape and enjoy those endorphine rushes, and are in good shape.
Good luck to all that attempt one.
bearpaw when did you finish in 99' i finished the first week of oct.
I climbed Katahdin on September 12.
They are incredible athletes I am not taking that away I could not do it
But going that fast is kind of like premature e
you get it done but no pleasure in it
I for one like to take my time
you get it done but no pleasure in it
I for one like to take my time
Hey..coolness you like to go at a slower pace. But, that works for you.
Many people love to hike 20, 25, 30 or even more mile a day (30 miles or more a day is probably a small group).
As I said, my buddy Chris did the PCT in about 90 days and called it a "Beautiful Thing".
Lone Wolf
08-09-2009, 21:03
They are incredible athletes I am not taking that away I could not do it
But going that fast is kind of like premature e
you get it done but no pleasure in it
I for one like to take my time
so you hike 12 miles a day and stay in shelters?
Blissful
08-10-2009, 11:57
I met Jen Pharr in '07 when she was setting the speed record for the Long Trail. She's some hiker.
so you hike 12 miles a day and stay in shelters?
Actually most of the time 12-18 miles
as for shelters don't like them I tend to find a tree and hang
Wish I could run the thing but those years are gone
With age comes the quailty not quanity of it
Actually most of the time 12-18 miles
Some would say 18 MPD is far too much to hike in a day. :)
So..who is right? ;)
I would say that also on some days
Some would say 18 MPD is far too much to hike in a day. :)
So..who is right? ;)
everybody is right... for themselves and should let others decide what's right for them...
well, maybe everybody except wrongway, but i can see where going the wrongway could bee right too :)
warren doyle
08-11-2009, 07:16
these records are cool! but THIS IS THE ONE IM IMPRESSED BY: ward leonard UNSUPPORTED 60.5 DAYS
Ward probably holds the yo-yo record too.:) i think he had almost 4 completions in 1 year?
Ward had three AT completions in a 365-day period.
In my opinion, the last AT challenge is for someone to complete the entire AT four times in one calendar year.
You guys know who has the speed record for the AT and how long?
earplug
the slowest speed record is currently held by Bill and Karolyn Slowsky (the turtles from the Comcast TV commercial) :D
Panzer
neighbor dave
08-11-2009, 13:23
http://home.comcast.net/~pbakwin/FKT.html
Cool link. Thanks for posting.
http://home.comcast.net/~pbakwin/FKT.html
5 Hours 25 Min over the Presidentials from Dolly Cop to Crawford Natch.
Who would have thunk it?
Thanks for the link!
slickgoku
08-11-2009, 22:05
Ward had three AT completions in a 365-day period.
In my opinion, the last AT challenge is for someone to complete the entire AT four times in one calendar year.
Wow, 8,000 some odd miles in 365 days (366 if you cheat)!
Doesn't sound too hard until you realize part of it will be in snow, either have to do some sick planning or hope you don't get screwed by some crazy blizzard!
stranger
01-20-2010, 03:45
Works out to almost 24 miles per day, for 365 days straight, that would be one hell of a hike...
Can we bring Ward out of retirement?
jersey joe
01-20-2010, 12:40
Ward had three AT completions in a 365-day period.
In my opinion, the last AT challenge is for someone to complete the entire AT four times in one calendar year.
I really don't see this happening. It would be very expensive both in time and money to do this supported and the toll on the body would be incredible unsupported. The cold weather would certainly pose a problem up north and the shorter winter days wouldn't help either.
stranger
01-22-2010, 03:05
It can be done both physically and logistically, unsupported, look at Justin Lichter's 10,000 mile hike (through the winter) a few years back. This would be 1500 miles less, in more moderate terrain, with no route finding delays.
You would need to avoid parts of New England in the winter, but one could hike those parts in the summer, there is no reason why someone couldn't hop around and still complete 4 hikes in one year. The Triple Crown was done in one year, that's nearly 8000 miles, this would be 8700
Just like a thru-hike was once impossible, then the yo-yo, then Ward hiked 3 times in a year, anything is possible. I think we'll see 4 hikes in one year, one of these days.
LeeAllure
05-20-2011, 13:21
In the long-distance running world (as opposed to the hiking world)
there's David Horton & Pete Palmer,
David's record, of 52 days, 9 hours, and 41 minutes, for covering the entire length
of the Appalachian Trail was broken on June 28, 1999, with Palmer finishing 2160
miles in 48 days 20 hrs 11 min
http://www.extremeultrarunning.com/attempt.htm
http://www.extremeultrarunning.com/at_at_2001/index.htm
http://www.extremeultrarunning.com/palmer.htm
Of course, these men had good support systems/people and
good weather. Some of the record attempts are enlightening
simply for what the people who didn't finish/break the record
went through.
stranger
05-21-2011, 00:18
In the long-distance running world (as opposed to the hiking world)
there's David Horton & Pete Palmer,
David's record, of 52 days, 9 hours, and 41 minutes, for covering the entire length
of the Appalachian Trail was broken on June 28, 1999, with Palmer finishing 2160
miles in 48 days 20 hrs 11 min
http://www.extremeultrarunning.com/attempt.htm
http://www.extremeultrarunning.com/at_at_2001/index.htm
http://www.extremeultrarunning.com/palmer.htm
Of course, these men had good support systems/people and
good weather. Some of the record attempts are enlightening
simply for what the people who didn't finish/break the record
went through.
Both those records have been broken since, just fyi