Race Report Kungsleden FKT.
Plan was to start 18.00 from Abisko so I had almost 17 Hours to catch the Second boat of the day to saltoluokta. And to do 100 Miles in 24 Hours to have 4 Boats done.
Of I went 18.05 Monday evening, the pack stacked with candy and Energy.
I decided to start with Long Windpants, Long hooded Jacket, Buff, Salomon Sense Ride 3, XA Socks, Long Sleeve under Windjacket, and a cap.
In my Salomon Adv skin 12 I had from the start:
Emergency Bivy
First AID Kit
Space Blanket
Nut Butter for my butt and nuts.
Headlamp + Spare batteri
Kogalla Waist light + 2 Powerbanks
Garmin InReach
Watch Suunto 9
Rain Clothes - Pants, Jacket, and Bonatti Mitten.
2 Bottles With Filter (So I could stop and refill in the rivers and streams) 1 With water / 1 With Sportsdrink
4 Tailwind Energy Sticks 200 cal/Each
4 Spring Energy Gel 90/Cal Each
2 Oatmeal Gels 300/Cal Each
2 Bars
5 GU Roctane Gels 100 / Cal Each
2 Chocolate bars
2 Packs of Gummi bear Candy
Around 7 K in, It started to rain a bit. Not much, so no time to stop and put rain clothes on. I continued towards the night, still very agile on my feet. I meet some hikers during the first couple of hours. But later, I saw a lot of hikers that had put up a tent to camp for the night.
27 K in, it started to get darker. A cloudy sky with some light rain. And I stopped for the first time to refill my Bottles and put my Headlamp and Waist light on. Filling the Bottles with some cold stream water started to make my throat a bit sore. The night became cold, and very foggy. So glad I had a Waist light to get light under the fog.
I reach the highest peak of Kungsleden - Tjäktja, And I thought I Would freeze to Death. This was the second time I Stopped to refill my bottle from the cold snow that was melting on top. This was also the turning point, when I Slipped on a icy rock to fall on my right KneeCap. I did my best to get down from the mountain in the fastest way possible to get myself warm again. The rest of the way to reach the days first boat of the FKT went well. This boat was 94 K in and it was just 1 K to Row.
They Have timetable for the motorboats. But my plan was to be at the first boat much earlier so I Had plenty of time to Row and run the last 16 K in a slowpace to reach the second boat with time to spare.
With this plan to Row the boat. IT had to be 2 boats on my side. If there was only 1 boat, I Had to row the same part 3 times. BUT When I reached Teusajaure when the sun started to show itself after a dark night. and I Was over on the right side at 06.05 in the morning. And I had now plenty of time to reach the first "Checkpoint" of the day after 110 K.
Reached vakkotavare at 08.15. A smooth first run was in, and everything felt decent to this point. I Had over 3 H to rest and regroup before the second boat went of at 11.20 from Kebnats to Salta.
Started my second run at 11.36 Tuesday. This run was beautiful. Stunning. I had talked to Anna Blind who drives the boat from Sitojaure. So the plan was to reach here hut around 14.00 to get over. But this part was insanely beautiful, so I took my time to Anna. I took pictures, and was just cruising Along. Meet a lot of hikers this part, and a lot of people was cheering and had heard "A guy is coming to try and beat the record". So it was inspiring to run this day.
Reach Anna at 14.20 She drove me over, like a motorboat racer. On the otherside of the lake, I started to make my way towards the otherboat. Between this two it´s only 10 K. So I had plenty of time, the boat had a Schedule at 17.00. I reach the Station in Aktse at 15.50, 1 H and 10 Minutes ahead of the Schedule. This is also a boat you can ROW, but it´s a long way. And This day, it was only 1 Boat at my side. So I talked to the "Huthost" if he could drive me over right away, but He didn´t want to. So I Bought a ticket for 17.00 and a cola to sit down for a bit.
I went down to the dock and wait. I Drank my Cola, at some Candy and laid down on the docks to try and sleep at least for 25 Minutes. I Couldn´t sleep, so when the boat driver came I Went in to the boat with 2 hikers. We talked, they went from Salta and should go to Kvikkjokk. But they had som issues with there cooking stuff.
We said bye on the otherside and I went the last 35 K to Kvikkjokk. Some part of this was very easy to run but the last 10 K before Kvikkjokk was terrible. It was like every truck in Sweden Had come and leave a lot of stones on one place. Sun went down and I hiked for the last 10 K. I reached Kvikkjokk a bit later than expected due to the technical trails the last 10 K.
We had rent a cabin in Kvikkjokk, so I could lay down, Eat a SOLID meal, get a massage and try to recover as much as possible.
That night was terrible, I got a pretty high fever as always after running 100 Miles. I waked up in a Swimmingpool in bed.
I had talked to the women who drives the boat from Kvikkjokk, to drive me over at 06.00 But when I waked up at 05. I decided to send a message if it was possible to drive me over at 07.30 instead. I got a Thumbs up.
After sleeping to 06.00 in the morning, My mom did some oatmeal for breakfast and I took my time. To gain as much energy as I could. I had heard, this part can be really wet. I packed my Running bag, took my Warm shoes and went to the boat. I Started my watch at the otherside of Kvikkjokk. But before I did, I realized that I had forgot my money back in the car.... I look at Helena (the women that drove me over). I Forgot my money I said, SHIT, I had to have money. Because my Phone had no Cellphone coverage, Which meant I couldn´t use Swish to pay for the next boat. Helena saved my day, and she lent me 500sek.
After a quick chat with Helena on the otherside, I went away. I had 10 Hours 30 Minute to go 65 K to reach the last motorboat at Vuonatjviken. Plenty of time, as the boat had a timetable at 18.00. Some parts of this stage was easy to run but some part went through the woods and a lot of trees.
Reaching 55K before 15.00 that day, I took the call to walk the last 10 K just to save my legs because I had 3 H to Hike 10K. I passed a German hiker with 5-4 K to go. he asked what time the boat would go. I really wanted to go the otherside today. So He said " I WILL TRY TO MAKE IT".
I came down to Vuonatjviken at 16.30, knocked on the door. And said I wanted to buy a ticket for the boat at 18.00. Then she said they already was done with todays ride over. This was the only place I didn´t get a kind email back when I planned this FKT. I asked in the email if there was a chance the could drive me over before the time schedule. The only answer I got back was " We drive over at 18.00 you should reach that one". BUT now when I was there, they had drove for the last time for the day. I got really pissed, and Said, there is NO way I´m staying here tonight. And wait for a boat Tomorrow. She made some NEW rules during our talk. And said, they don´t take one person over. They only drive if there is 3 person. I turned to the email she sent to me 4 days prior. Be they didn´t care. 5 Minutes later the German Hiker came. And we was two now. After a LONGGG talk we had to pay lot of money to even get into the boat. But we made it over that evening! The german took a break and made camp for the night on the otherside. And I went 18 K to Jäckvik. 5 K prior to Jäckvik it would be the last boat to take (300 m row).
IN Jäckvik my Mom and my sister was ready to give me some energy. Before I left Kvikkjokk in the morning, I had talked to my Sister to run from Jäckvik to Adolfström. So when I reached Jäckvik, she was ready. I was very very tired that point. I said be prepared to just hike this 23 K to Adolfström. This was the hardest part of the FKT by FAR! I can´t say I remember much of this 23 K, We hiked and talked. I got very Sleepy and had to stop plenty of time to just sit down and regroup.
We reached Adolfsström, I had some serious pain in my Knee after my fall in the beginning. I couldn´t run downhill and had some Issues when I was running on the flat sections. At this point I wanted some sleep in the car, before I was heading out again. I got some minutes in the car. But closed my eyes for 3 Hours. But couldn´t get more than a couple of minutes of sleep. In the morning, my Knee was like a football. Of I went at 07.00 in the morning to go to Ammarnäs. It´s around 74 K from Adolfström. This is also the section of the trail I had to be very cautious. Because all the signs said it would be 20 K less than it actually was. So it was crucial to take the right way which is 20 K longer (The have markings the shortest way to Ammarnäs.) But that way is not part of the FKT and not part of Kungsleden.
This 74 K went pretty good, Got to a low part when I realized I had to go the otherway where the signs would show to Ammarnäs.
After this sign there is a LONG uphill, then a Flat Section. But this Flatsection was on Alpine, Without a SINGLE tree. So It was WINDY, Really WINDY and it was like taking 1 step forward and move 2 back.
I reached Ammarnäs before it got dark. Plan was to headout again right away. But when I came to the start of the last Part of Kungsleden. I realized I had to sleep, and get a PROPER meal in before I left. Mom made some Meatballs/Pasta on the outdoor kitchen we had in the car. And I tried to sleep, but nothing. Off I went for the last 80 K of this FKT around 21.50 in the evening. Sleepy, and still hungry I went of, started of with a decent pace in the uphill. But later that evening it started to rain A LOT. This part of the trail is mostly on mountain terrain with a lot of rocks and huge stones. When I came to the top, I couldn´t see a thing because of all the Fog and rain that was pouring from the sky. I felt like I was moving in circles the whole night. Freezing and sleepy at night, is not a very good combination. Especially not in total darkness and in mountain terrain with rain and fog to everything else.
Down from the mountain I realized I was falling asleep when I was Running/Hiking. I kept falling when my eyes started to close every single step. I decided I had to sleep at least 30 minutes. So at 27 K in I saw a hut, I took my Bivy out of the pack. And put a 20 Minutes alarm on my phone. I found a staircase up to a hut I could lay down on in the freezing darkness. I waked up after 20 minutes, And I had to get at least 20 minutes. after the second interval of sleep. I had to get moving, THAT SAVED MY LAST PART OF THIS FKT!
I started to pick up the pace a bit, and the night started to change to daylight. But with a lot of dark clouds overhead. I had some stuff that made me to other thoughts during the last 50 K and made me to the finish. I passed a lot of bridges and felt actually pretty good again. Untill the sky opened up and it was liking run through a sprinkler with a lot of wind. The trail was like a river from this part to the finish. I had heard this last part was the most beautiful on the trail. But I wasn´t able to see that due to the weather. I pushed hard this last section because I was like an icecube in my rainclothes. When I reached the sign that says "Hemavan 20Km" I was so glad it was soon over! I went down from the mountain, and pushed hard the last 20 K even with pain in my right knee. I reached a long downhill to the finishline in Hemavan.