The record has been broken.....
Reading the story (I first read it in the Charlotte Observer) brings a couple of questions to mind. First, if the ATC does not keep speed records, then how does she break any records? Second, she said since she was "only" travelling 3 mph, she could see "everything". Really? Sorry, don't mean to sound critical. I've always been an advocate of "hike your own hike" and to each his/her own. But I still question whether or not one can really enjoy the whole experience without stopping to smell the roses.
This was her third thru hike. In 2005, the "regular" way with a heavy packpack, and again in 2008 with support, this was not a hike to "stop and smell the roses", she hiking with a different purpose, to push herself in a different way. Maybe she had already as you say "really enjoyed the whole experience " and this time she wanted to experience in a different way!
Get over it guys! A woman holds the "record" or whatever! If a man was attempting this, would there be such negativity?!! Gramps, why are you being so critical?
I applaud her effort but let's call it what it is. Running.
HYOH is nice in theory, and generally a good policy.
I do, however, hate to see hiking turning into a competitive sport. The non-competitive aspect has been one of the major attractions of long-distance hiking for me over the years. Unfortunately, this will encourage more people to look at distance hiking as something to be conquered instead of enjoyed and shared.
For me, it's sad and not something to be encouraged.
Well done!
Call it what you will, but it is still an amazing test of human will. The fact that she had zero rest days in between those 47 mile average days is impressive to start. She also did it on very little sleep and from what I read , not the most nutrisious food intake. Anyone (female or male) that could do what she did deserves the accolades. I say a job well done!
Ummm just because the ATC doesn't "keep" any speed records it doesn't mean they're not aware, as others are of the times and when they were set.Originally Posted by Gramps
You don't have to be stopped or moving at a snails pace to smell the roses. As I said in another post. Many, if not most, thru-hikers can easily hike at 2mph and still smell the roses so to speak. She only traveled 1 mph faster, but she hiked 15 hours a day. That's a lot of roses. If you've never tried it, get up and started before dawn, and hike past dusk and you'll notice a lot more wildlife than you would during the day.
Well, it is not sad. But I agree that competitive hiking violates the reason why most of us walk the woods and hills. That said, it was an amazing physical achievement. It will be sad only if the primary use of the trail evolves into a race between fast and the faster. She did see more wildlife than I did. There's nothing like walking through dawn and dusk to see wild creatures.
That's the only time I ever saw any wildlife it seemed...late in the day when I was trying to make a shelter or something.
Yes there would. It's no matter that she was a man or woman. There are some people that will always be nay-sayers. HYOH. If people spent more time worrying about themselves and not what other people are doing, the world would be a better place.
Shoot, I have a hard enough time worrying about myself, much less what other people are doing!
I really don't view Jennifer as competing with those of us who hike to enjoy the wilderness. She's simply competing with herself and a few others would had the goal of completing the trail as quickly as possible. To each his or her own. I doubt her record will cause the trail to become jammed with individuals racing each other to Spring or Kathadin each year.
Dude, if you followed at all, you'd know she hardly ran. She walked a consistent 3 mph for 15 hours a day. .
I read once that the secret to making big miles is NOT hiking fast (well, 3mph is fast for me, but that's besides the point!), but just waking up very early, walking ALL day, and stopping very late.
Please, she was out there doing her own thing. In the past 10 years there's been how many attempts to set a record? 3?
You'l actually see more "competition" among thru-hikers. Check out the journals, they're loaded with, "I did 30 miles today, lala-la-lala."
Last edited by Sly; 08-03-2011 at 09:03.
Not nearly as easy as it sounds. This reminds me of someone that I use to work with who saw me ride my bike to work everyday. He wanted to start riding and ask me the typical questions...one of which is, "what's the furthest you've ridden in one day" after telling him, he thought and said, hmmm I could do that, all I need to do is ride 10mph for 10 hours.
He soon gave up the idea of riding a bike to work, much less doing a long haul... Math has a way of making things seem easy
I didn't mean for it to sound easy...the longest day I ever did was 27 miles and had to take the next day off to recover!Not nearly as easy as it sounds. This reminds me of someone that I use to work with who saw me ride my bike to work everyday. He wanted to start riding and ask me the typical questions...one of which is, "what's the furthest you've ridden in one day" after telling him, he thought and said, hmmm I could do that, all I need to do is ride 10mph for 10 hours.
He soon gave up the idea of riding a bike to work, much less doing a long haul... Math has a way of making things seem easy
You are more right about the math thing than you know! In the real world, I crunch numbers...I guess that's just habit for me!
Not nearly as easy as it sounds. This reminds me of someone that I use to work with who saw me ride my bike to work everyday. He wanted to start riding and ask me the typical questions...one of which is, "what's the furthest you've ridden in one day" after telling him, he thought and said, hmmm I could do that, all I need to do is ride 10mph for 10 hours.
He soon gave up the idea of riding a bike to work, much less doing a long haul... Math has a way of making things seem easy
You're right, it's not as easy as it sounds. But for a conditioned athlete that's normally a long distance runner, it would be a lot easier. The new mantra for such record setting could be "slow but steady"
funny about folks who think these people don't see much.
They are up before dawn, catching every available bit of light ON THE TRAIL.
Not in their sleeping bag when the light is best.
I remember hiking the JMT one year on a fast hike with a friend who really knew about speed hiking.
One night, we saw the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen, and a little while later, came upon a group campsite (maybe 6 or 7 tents) with light coming from within and sillouettes of people reading, riding, or organizing gear.
Not one of them were outside and missed that fabulous lightshow that night.
It is one of those things I'll never forget and I felt sorry for those people.
Probably no a whole lot different than how you are assuming that Jennifer saw on a little of the wonders of the trail.
What she didn't see this time around: The hostels, bars, hotels, laundries, the Steinbeck book you all find so important, etc.
No, she didn't see any of that this time, she was busy hiking.
Don't let your fears stand in the way of your dreams
Get out of camp at 9am, take a long lunch, stop at 5pm, take plenty of zeroes in towns?
Paul "Mags" Magnanti
http://pmags.com
Twitter: @pmagsco
Facebook: pmagsblog
The true harvest of my life is intangible...a little stardust caught,a portion of the rainbow I have clutched -Thoreau
Unless you are talking about Calculus, 3 pages to do one problem.
He soon gave up the idea of riding a bike to work, much less doing a long haul... Math has a way of making things seem easy
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
