Karel Sabbe supported attempt

[Slo-go'en]

Karel could have some huge days coming up. He is starting to develop a lead whereby an "extremely" poor stretch of weather or debilitating injury would be the only things that derail a new record.

Those are always the unknown variables in these attempts and very little can be done to control them.

He seems to be cooping with the heat and humidity. But he's about to hit Northern VA and

he has to run up and down

some pretty big hills (and a lot of little ones) in the next few days. But after that, the SNP is like an interstate. And after that, well, the easy part is over with.

[TrailRunnerGuy]

I think he stopped at BRP MP 97.7 last night, if anyone is keeping a spreadsheet. 54-55 mile day. If the tracker is still working well like it is now I'll try to see him as he passes by me tomorrow.

[CalebJ]

Where are you located, TRG? I'd missed that we were in the same area until now.

[Odd Man Out]

I think he stopped at BRP MP 97.7 last night, if anyone is keeping a spreadsheet. 54-55 mile day. If the tracker is still working well like it is now I'll try to see him as he passes by me tomorrow.

	Karel		StringBean
Day	Location	Day Miles	Location	Day Miles	Miles Ahead
0	Springer Mtn/AT Southern Terminus		Springer Mtn/AT Southern Terminus
1	Unicoi Gap/GA Hwy 75	52.3	Low Gap Shelter	42.6	9.7
2	Rock Gap Shelter/USFS Rd 67	53.1	Standing Indian Shelter	43.1	19.7
3	Yellow Creek Gap/NC Rd 1242	52.5	Nantahala, NC/US Hwy 19/74	50.8	21.4
4	Icewater Spring Shelter	52.5	Spence Field Shelter/Eagle Creek Trail	46.8	27.1
5	Lemon Gap/TN Hwy 107	49.7	Cosby Knob Shelter	47.4	29.4
6	Devil Fork Gap/NC Hwy 212/TN Hwy 352	50.7	Hot Springs, NC/NC Hwy 209	43.6	36.5
7	Iron Mountain Gap/NC Hwy 226/TN Hwy 107	53.2	Bald Mtn Shelter	52.7	37.0
8	Dennis Cove Rd/USFS Rd 50	55.5	Roan High Knob Shelter	51.5	41.0
9	Damascus, VA/US Hwy 58	52.0	Watauga Lake Shelter	51.5	41.5
10	Slab Town Rd/VA Rd 672	53.4	Saunders Shelter	49.6	45.3
11	Laurel Creek/VA Rd 615	59.4	Partnership Shelter/VA Hwy 16	53.9	50.8
12	Pearisburg, VA/VA Hwy 100	52.2	Jenkins Shelter/Hunting Camp Creek	46.4	56.6
13	Craig Creek/VA Rd 621	51.8	Pearisburg, VA/VA Hwy 100	56.6	51.8
14	Blackhorse Gap/USFS Rd 186/BRP 97.7	54.5	Craig Creek/VA Rd 621	51.8	54.5

[TrailRunnerGuy]

Where are you located, TRG? I'd missed that we were in the same area until now.

I'm at Wintergreen. I just replied to your post on Tim's FB page where you asked if he was going to try to catch up with him. Tim & I both followed along with Harvey for awhile.

[CalebJ]

Gotcha - I definitely hadn't put together that you were the same person.

[TrailRunnerGuy]

Either stopped at punchbowl shelter with a good hour of daylight left, or the tracker isn't getting signal there. If he's stopped, that's a 53-54 mile day. Big climbs on Cole Mountain, down the Priest, and up 3 Ridges tomorrow.

[chknfngrs]

Maybe he’ll stop in at Devils Backbone for a beer and free hat

[pbakwin]

I guess he'd stop at the highway, or maybe the FS road just beyond? May have lost cell signal as he was running down the hill.

[TrailRunnerGuy]

I guess he'd stop at the highway, or maybe the FS road just beyond? May have lost cell signal as he was running down the hill.

The pull-off at the parkway is tiny and right on the road, so it's not a good place to sleep. I think I recall losing cell service around there so I think the FS road is a good possibility, if they could find it. I thought they might even keep going toward the reservoir with some daylight. Anyway, he's over route 60 and over that big hill now. Rainy day, with some heavy rain probably this afternoon.

[Just Bill]

Did he win yet?

[Mr Strict]

	Karel		StringBean
Day	Location	Day Miles	Location	Day Miles	Miles Ahead
0	Springer Mtn/AT Southern Terminus		Springer Mtn/AT Southern Terminus
1	Unicoi Gap/GA Hwy 75	52.3	Low Gap Shelter	42.6	9.7
2	Rock Gap Shelter/USFS Rd 67	53.1	Standing Indian Shelter	43.1	19.7
3	Yellow Creek Gap/NC Rd 1242	52.5	Nantahala, NC/US Hwy 19/74	50.8	21.4
4	Icewater Spring Shelter	52.5	Spence Field Shelter/Eagle Creek Trail	46.8	27.1
5	Lemon Gap/TN Hwy 107	49.7	Cosby Knob Shelter	47.4	29.4
6	Devil Fork Gap/NC Hwy 212/TN Hwy 352	50.7	Hot Springs, NC/NC Hwy 209	43.6	36.5
7	Iron Mountain Gap/NC Hwy 226/TN Hwy 107	53.2	Bald Mtn Shelter	52.7	37.0
8	Dennis Cove Rd/USFS Rd 50	55.5	Roan High Knob Shelter	51.5	41.0
9	Damascus, VA/US Hwy 58	52.0	Watauga Lake Shelter	51.5	41.5
10	Slab Town Rd/VA Rd 672	53.4	Saunders Shelter	49.6	45.3
11	Laurel Creek/VA Rd 615	59.4	Partnership Shelter/VA Hwy 16	53.9	50.8
12	Pearisburg, VA/VA Hwy 100	52.2	Jenkins Shelter/Hunting Camp Creek	46.4	56.6
13	Craig Creek/VA Rd 621	51.8	Pearisburg, VA/VA Hwy 100	56.6	51.8
14	Blackhorse Gap/USFS Rd 186/BRP 97.7	54.5	Craig Creek/VA Rd 621	51.8	54.5

thanks for the spreadsheet. 50 miles a day is on record pace but not ahead of it (stringbean had to do some magic in the north, including 112 miles without sleep at the end). fun to watch GL

[TrailRunnerGuy]

Did he win yet?

This morning's forecast was 80% chance of hard rain this afternoon, yet the sun is shining. So yeah, he's winning.

[matthew.d.kirk]

Did he win yet?

Not even half time yet😃

What's on queue for half time show??

[TrailRunnerGuy]

Not half time yet, but Karel is killing it! He stopped at Dripping Rock today, just after 630pm, which is mile 849. 52 or 53 mile day. He prefers early morning to later in the evening, plus it is starting to rain harder, plus they got a room at Wintergreen to relax in. And I suspect he doesn't want to overdo it one day, but instead have rest to do it well again the next day. He ran a lot of that mile, somewhat technical and a little uphill, no sign of a limp, and says he feels fine. I'm going to try to meet him in the morning to run a few miles at the start of the day. Then he will be out of my area and I will stop making so much noise here! And yes, they are getting a burger and maybe a beer from Devils Backbone, but his crew guy is picking it up.

[Mr Strict]

Not half time yet, but Karel is killing it! He stopped at Dripping Rock today, just after 630pm, which is mile 849. 52 or 53 mile day. He prefers early morning to later in the evening, plus it is starting to rain harder, plus they got a room at Wintergreen to relax in. And I suspect he doesn't want to overdo it one day, but instead have rest to do it well again the next day. He ran a lot of that mile, somewhat technical and a little uphill, no sign of a limp, and says he feels fine. I'm going to try to meet him in the morning to run a few miles at the start of the day. Then he will be out of my area and I will stop making so much noise here! And yes, they are getting a burger and maybe a beer from Devils Backbone, but his crew guy is picking it up.

I just realized that advantage, why "he prefers early morning". 4am here would be close to his normal 9am wakeup at home. all the others, even the ones living on the east coast, had to make sleep cycle adjustments. Thanks for the insight.

[Mr Strict]

Not half time yet, but Karel is killing it! He stopped at Dripping Rock today, just after 630pm, which is mile 849. 52 or 53 mile day. He prefers early morning to later in the evening, plus it is starting to rain harder, plus they got a room at Wintergreen to relax in. And I suspect he doesn't want to overdo it one day, but instead have rest to do it well again the next day. He ran a lot of that mile, somewhat technical and a little uphill, no sign of a limp, and says he feels fine. I'm going to try to meet him in the morning to run a few miles at the start of the day. Then he will be out of my area and I will stop making so much noise here! And yes, they are getting a burger and maybe a beer from Devils Backbone, but his crew guy is picking it up.

I just realized that advantage, why "he prefers early morning". 4am here would be close to his normal 9am wakeup at home. all the others, even the ones living on the east coast, had to make sleep cycle adjustments. Thanks for the insight.

[black chucks]

​

Not half time yet, but Karel is killing it! He stopped at Dripping Rock today, just after 630pm, which is mile 849. 52 or 53 mile day.

Killing it is correct. I was with him on that last section and I fell back, only running the easier parts, and I hit dripping rock at 6:53pm, way behind Karel. He never seemed tired and I think he did that last section at a faster pace than he was running most of the day. Also, comparing with Scott and Speedgoat both of whom I ran with in the same area, his morale is lots better in my opinion.
TRG, aren’t you the same person who brought a tank of water to Jurek’s van and sat on the back of my pickup as we waited for Scott? After we had kept him company from Maupin Field to Reids Gap? I did that part today with Karel, also went down Priest with him between about 12:30 and 1:30 today.
Fun, especially when he said he got stoked having someone come out to the trail (me) and it made him go faster. Enjoy running with Karel in the morning!

[TrailRunnerGuy]

​

TRG, aren’t you the same person who brought a tank of water to Jurek’s van and sat on the back of my pickup as we waited for Scott? After we had kept him company from Maupin Field to Reids Gap?

Yes, that's me. I just got back from the morning run, went from Dripping Rock at 4am and turned off at the side trail to Humpback parking. He dropped me on the climbs and after the last one it took me 2 miles to catch him on the downhill. He really looks strong. I know it'll get a lot rockier in New England but he handled this stuff with ease in the dark. He's within a mile of SNP now, about 730am.

[chknfngrs]

Yes, that's me. I just got back from the morning run, went from Dripping Rock at 4am and turned off at the side trail to Humpback parking. He dropped me on the climbs and after the last one it took me 2 miles to catch him on the downhill. He really looks strong. I know it'll get a lot rockier in New England but he handled this stuff with ease in the dark. He's within a mile of SNP now, about 730am.

Too cool! Bet that was a lot of fun!