Woody to Springer and back FKT

The information in the .GPX file on the FKT website is outdated and contains a couple of sections that were rerouted years ago. The first section that was rerouted is around Gooch Gap, which is a small reroute that occurred a couple of years ago. The second reroute is around Justus Mountain, which occurred years ago. The old path is nearly impossible to traverse without a significant bushwhack, so I ran on the current trail instead.

Although I had not originally intended to run this route, my plans were thwarted by the Dockery Lake closure. Determined to forge ahead, I set out at 8am with a goal of reaching Springer Mountain in less than 4 hours. Despite the clear yet windy weather, which brought a bone-chilling cold, I managed to summit Springer just before noon, amidst a crowd of thru hikers and the USFS who were busy cutting trees at the summit.

Anticipating that the return trip would take longer, I made provisions for additional water stops to combat the rising heat of the day, extending my planned time by 30 minutes, and eventually reaching Woody Gap around 4:30 pm.

Unfortunately, just after mile 29, I fell rather ill and had to take a brief detour off the trail to tend to some urgent needs. Thankfully, with the help of a pepto pill and a ginger chew, I managed to push on.

To stay hydrated, I relied on my 16oz soft flask with a filter, constantly replenishing my supply from the available water sources, and consuming a total of around 6 liters of water. 

In terms of sustenance, I fueled up with 8 snack-sized payday bars, a nutrient-rich Ensure drink, some dried mango, 4 oatmeal cookies, and a handful of assorted nuts.

In the end, i finished in a time of 8 hours, 24 minutes, and 45 seconds.