View Full Version : How to Log Fastest Known Time?
First, let me say that I am not trying to break any speed records. Second, I know speed attempts are not everyone's cup of tea. However, recently I started reading some journals of speed runners and I quickly thought of a question. How does one record a speed attempt such that the results are legit? For instance, is a person's stop watch, journal and trust-worthiness sufficient? Does there need to be second or more persons to vouch for the events? If more people are needed can it be family members or friends? Is a GPS required? The list goes on and on.
Any help to curb my curiosity will be greatly appreciated!
atmilkman
11-01-2013, 08:56
You have to get a physical from your doctor and submit it to the ATC for approval and then a permit will be issued. Once the permit is received you have to post it here on WhiteBlaze and a 75% member majority vote in favor of the attempt must be reached before you begin. There are a lot of other requirements that I'm sure other members will post. Good luck on your attempt and don't forget to stop and smell the roses.
wannahike
11-01-2013, 09:11
All of the above, and then start here
http://fastestknowntime.proboards.com/
Pedaling Fool
11-01-2013, 09:30
It doesn't really matter, just fun to watch.
MkBibble
11-01-2013, 09:38
You have to get a physical from your doctor and submit it to the ATC for approval and then a permit will be issued. Once the permit is received you have to post it here on WhiteBlaze and a 75% member majority vote in favor of the attempt must be reached before you begin. There are a lot of other requirements that I'm sure other members will post. Good luck on your attempt and don't forget to stop and smell the roses. 67% (two-thirds)
atmilkman
11-01-2013, 09:46
67% (two-thirds)
I knew it was something like that. Thanks for the clarification.
51% ? So eager not to hear what's coming.
Pedaling Fool
11-01-2013, 09:49
It doesn't really matter, just fun to watch.A little elaboration:
It kind of reminds me of a bunch of other unofficial races that happen, especially ones that involve cyclists participating in things like MS150 charity rides. These rides are not official races, but some treat them as races, they even have teams and such and they participate every year and they can get quite serious with serious rivalries between teams.
It's fun, but if you attempt to claim a team broke a certian record, then it gets stupid and leads to a lot of heated debates. It's stupid, because for one you can not really validate these claims. Although you can say that someone won a particular race, that's about the extent of it. Same with these speed attempts; although I can see a serious debate happening on this issue if someone beats anothers time by a very small margin, then these questions will come into play.
I won't be a part of that debate, because there is just no way to validate the how the course was transversed and that effects time and there doesn't seem to be an official body recording time start/stop. It's just fun stuff, don't take it too seriously. If you want to then you must organize a whole team of observers and not rely on time keeping by the participants.
atmilkman
11-01-2013, 09:54
I think a relay with the passing of batons and all would be pretty cool. Something like within a 1 mile section before the border of each state.
It is generally based on the person's word. This has been going on for centuries. From the first person to summit a certain mountain to the first person to reach the poles or even the first thru hiker of a long trail. Some people have been caught lying but most are honest. Whatever you do, don't try to tell Buzz Aldrin that he didn't walk on the moon.
Hire a gps tracking firm to record and document the attempt.
Valid question Redseal. Certainly not one I know the official answer to. However, it will garner little interest from me until speed hiking records entail gold medals, prize money, or I start noticing such speed hiking record holders faces on Wheaties boxes.
Hill Ape
11-01-2013, 11:12
there is no official answer, there is no real log. the ATC has gone on record saying they simply do not care. there is a website, fastest known times, i'm sure one of the speed hikers can post the link
there are no records on the trail, its not a competition. youngest, fastest, oldest, etc.
The problem with records on an AT hike is that the trail changes from year to year so a person who hikes this year is not hiking the same trail as the guy (or gal) who set the record last year. Its comparing apples to oranges. The ATC does not recognize records.
There are groups than just the ATC though. ;)
Old Hiker
11-01-2013, 15:47
67% (two-thirds)
What if the other half didn't have an opinion? Or abstained from voting? Or flunked math?
There are groups than just the ATC though. ;)
Hey Mags. Good point. I actually should have been more detailed. I was thinking about this question not for the AT, but other trails. Maybe the Long Trail has similar requirements because it is more heavily traversed? But what about other trails such as say something smaller like the Massachusetts Mid-State Trail? Everything I read seems to point to just a group of people vouching for the time, but I thought there might be more substance behind those stories.
All of the above, and then start here
http://fastestknowntime.proboards.com/
Ahh...this is one of the sites that got me thinking about this question. I did not see anything on the site in terms of requirements (or maybe I did not dig deep enough).
You have to get a physical from your doctor and submit it to the ATC for approval and then a permit will be issued. Once the permit is received you have to post it here on WhiteBlaze and a 75% member majority vote in favor of the attempt must be reached before you begin. There are a lot of other requirements that I'm sure other members will post. Good luck on your attempt and don't forget to stop and smell the roses.
Thanks for the info. I am certainly not trying for a speed attempt. It was just merely a question from the inquisitive type :-)
I guess the following link sums it up for at least that site :-)
http://fastestknowntime.proboards.com/thread/19/read-first
Lone Wolf
11-02-2013, 20:13
First, let me say that I am not trying to break any speed records. Second, I know speed attempts are not everyone's cup of tea. However, recently I started reading some journals of speed runners and I quickly thought of a question. How does one record a speed attempt such that the results are legit? For instance, is a person's stop watch, journal and trust-worthiness sufficient? Does there need to be second or more persons to vouch for the events? If more people are needed can it be family members or friends? Is a GPS required? The list goes on and on.
Any help to curb my curiosity will be greatly appreciated!
the ATC keeps track of all such accomplishments
magic_game03
11-02-2013, 20:13
You have to get a physical from your doctor and submit it to the ATC for approval and then a permit will be issued. Once the permit is received you have to post it here on WhiteBlaze and a 75% member majority vote in favor of the attempt must be reached before you begin. There are a lot of other requirements that I'm sure other members will post. Good luck on your attempt and don't forget to stop and smell the roses.
Unfortunately at milkman is quoting last year's requirements. Due to the increase of PED's you are also required to stop at all hostels for urinary testing and you must submit to all random drug testing along the way. As a precaution to some upset speed hikers who ran into a crowd of speed junkies near Gatlinburg this offseason, the new testers will be identified by their full sets of teeth. So if you get near a road crossing and see people smiling at you with a full set of teeth just go ahead and slap that fat arm vein and stick your arm out.
Oh, and the new voter percentage rules are a little more complex. It is actually 51% of 75% that have to approve a vote of confidence which will be submitted to an electoral college that will then have to vote 2/3 majority as to wether your speed hike is legit, or if we should we release the speed junkies on you.
(*special note: there are a few delegates, LW for instance, who WILL filibuster your vote unless they get a kick-back.)