FKT Attempts We're Tracking

"On Sept 11, 2019, I will begin a run across the United States of America from San Francisco to New York. My run is driven by gratitude for the beauty of this country, and the freedom it affords to dream big, work hard, and achieve goals. I will post daily updates [on Facebook], and more substantive reflections at http://www.runjennyrun.com, so please subscribe to both!

[I will be] following largely the same route as the current FKT holder Pete Kostelnick (https://share.garmin.com/peterkostelnick, with a few minor variations). I'm attempting a supported FKT, like Pete. I've been in touch with Pete about this directly, and also with Sandra Villines who holds the female supported SF-to-NY FKT of 54 days & change."

Jenny is a 3 time National Champion at the 24 Hour run, with a best of 142.07 miles, and a professor of physics at Harvard University.

Day 1 (9/11):  Started SF City Hall about 5:00am , stopped at Mountain House (just north of I-580 exit 65), 74 miles

Day 2 (9/12):  to Crimea House (Hwy 59, just past Keystone), 66 miles

Day 3 (9/13):  to Siesta Lake on Tioga Pass Rd (Yosemite), 63.3 miles

Day 4 (9/14):  to Hwy 120, SE of Mono Lake, 60 miles ?

Day 5 (9/15):  ended at US Hwy 6 about 10 miles east of Basalt, NV (61 miles for the day)

Day 6 (9/16):  ended a bit past Tonopah, NV (about 60.3 miles)

Day 7 (9/17):  "... and on the seventh day, she rested.  I walked 20 miles today, and made a tough decision to take the rest of the afternoon to ice a sore shin after a lot of descending over the last few days. I am optimistic that an afternoon off will give me time to recover, make some more efficient routines & plans for the rest of the trip, and start early with full energy & enthusiasm tomorrow!  Nevada desert is beautiful, sort of moon-like, but lots of little yellow flowers and lizards. No trees today, though.  Thanks again to everybody for encouraging messages!"

Day 8 (9/18):  Looks like Jenny made a quick recovery and covered about 63.8 miles!

Day 9 (9/19): Shin splints are back.  Jenny did just 3.4 miles and called it after an hour or so. "Shinsplints strike, but just on my left side... I wasn't prepared for all of the steps on & off the narrow shoulders. But I am determined to get through this!"

Day 10 (9/20): Still on US Hwy 6 in NV, 58.0 miles.

Day 11 (9/21): Another 60.5 miles on US Hwy 6 through Ely to Sacramento Pass, NV.  Jenny should enter UT tomorrow. 590.3 miles so far, by our calculation.

Day 12 (9/22): 63.1 miles (653.4 total)

Day 13 (9/23): 64.2 miles (717.6 total) to Leamington, UT (Hwy 132)

Day 14 (9/24): 58.2 miles (775.8 total) to just N of Mt Pleasant, UT (US Hwy 89)

Day 15 (9/25): 60.4 miles (836.2 total) to US Hwy 191 in central UT

Day 16 (9/26): 63.5 miles (899.7 total) to Roosevelt UT, along Hwy 40.  Colo tomorrow!

Day 17 (9/27): 61.4 miles (961.1 total ) to Dinosaur, CO. [note corrected totals]

Day 18 (9/28): 61.0 miles (1022.1 total)

Day 19 (9/29): 68.0 miles to Steamboat Springs (1090.1 total)

Day 20 (9/30): 62.0 miles to Jackson Couty 25 & 27 (north of Rand, CO) (1152.1 total)

Day 21 (10/1): 70.3 miles to the lower Poudre Canyon (1222.4 total) - averaging 58 mpd for the first 3 weeks

Day 22 (10/2): 58.5 miles to near Briggsdale, CO (1280.9 total)

Day 23 (10/3): 66.2 miles to east of Sterling, CO (1347.1 total)

Day 24 (10/4): 61.3 miles - Jenny crossed into Nebraska (1408.4 total)

Day 25 (10/5):

Day 26 (10/6): 129 miles yesterday + today, over halfway done!  Still in NB (1537.4 total)

Day 27 (10/7):  67.6 miles to Hastings, NB (1605.0 miles total)

Day 28 (10/8):  66.2 miles to Dorchester, NB (1671.2 total) 60mpd for the first 4 weeks!

Day 29 (10/9):  64.8 miles, just a few miles from Iowa.  Jenny is on the road about 14 hours per day, probably bored, go run with her! (1736.0 total)

Day 30 (10/10):  59.7 miles to Clarinda, Iowa (1795.7 total)

Day 31 (10/11):  61.8 miles to Decatur City, IA (1857.5 total)

Day 32 (10/12):  46.7 miles to a bit west of Centerville, IA (1904.2 total)

Day 33 (10/13): 60.9 miles to Mt Zion, IA (1965.1 total)

Day 34 (10/14): 63.7 miles to Media, IL (2028.8 total)

Day 35 (10/15):  66.8 miles to Peoria, IL (2095.6 total) Nice update from the last few days.  Still averaging 60mpd.

Day 36 (10/16):  66.5 miles to Fairbury, IL (2162.1 total)

Day 37 (10/17):  65.5 miles to Goodland, IN (2227.6 total)

Day 38 (10/18):  61.8 miles to Peru, IN (2289.4 total)

Day 39 (10/19):  67.3 miles to Monroeville, IN (2356.7 total)

Day 40 (10/20):  64.5 miles to Findlay, OH (2421.2 total) - roughly 568 miles to go!

Day 41 (10/21):  68.9 miles to New London, OH (2490.1 total)

Day 42 (10/22):  56.5 miles to just east of Akron (2546.6 total) -Jenny ran a few miles with Pete Kostelnick today! (photo)

Day 43 (10/23):  Looks like Jenny might be dealing with an injury.  She mentioned knee pain end of yesterday, and her tracker shows only 1.7 miles first thing in the morning.  Hopefully she's OK!

Day 44 (10/24):  Posted on Facebook:

Well folks, it's been an amazing journey, but all things must come to an end, and sometimes that end happens sooner and more abruptly that we hope for. Near the end of day 42, just east of Akron Ohio, my right knee gave out suddenly and painfully. I was hopeful that ice, massage, and a night of sound sleep could pull one more good week out of this 41-year-old body, but it was not to be. I started day 43 hobbling straight-legged, and within 2 miles I had to call it in, because I felt unsafe on the no-shoulder road without the lateral stability or mobility necessary to step onto the grass and dodge the high traffic.

Local friends helped pull strings to get me quick doctor appointments and an MRI later in the day, and the results are in: high-grade root meniscus tear with extrusion (that means the tear is right at the bone, so it won't heal on its own), and partially torn popliteus muscle (that's the center back of the calf). Three different doctors, all elite marathoners and ultra-marathoners in their own right, looked at the images and radiologist report, and gave independent opinions that my run is over, and I should seek surgery within a week to avoid a permanent end to my running life.

I shed some tears to be sure, but I mostly want to reflect on my gratitude for this opportunity and everything I have learned and gained over the last 6 weeks. I'm proud that I ran 2,560 miles in 42 days, averaging 61 miles per day, which was harder and caused me to dig deeper than I had ever imagined possible. I'm grateful that I saw so much of America, and have an incredible new appreciation for our beautiful, diverse country. Cities, deserts, mountains, forests, mines, cornfields, cattle ranches, small towns, highways, county roads, mom & pop general stores, and familiar chains that evolve from west to east. I have had many, many hours for solo reflection, and I've to come to peace with some of life's past challenges. I've also received hundreds of supportive messages from so many friends, old and new, and I will move forward in life with a renewed appreciation for people and relationships. Most of all, I am filled with gratitude for my beloved family who has supported me through this crazy adventure, despite their reservations. I cannot wait to be home and hug them again, and plan future adventures *together*.

Thanks to my all-star crew Phil McCarthy, Dean Hart, and Dwight Dammers. Phil coached me from the start, and provided kind reassurance whenever I needed it, based on his own trans-con run experience. Dean was organized and efficient, and made sure I had access to every opportunity to move another mile down the road. Dwight has been present and patient for the whole journey, and through his expert massage managed to squeeze 2560 miles out of me, even when I thought I was falling apart every single night. Thanks to my amazing husband Daniel Larson for providing a straight, efficient, meticulously-documented, varied, and beautiful route across this country. Thanks again to Dirty Girl Gaiters and Nathan Sports, who kept my feet happy and my body well-lit during the early morning running, and well-hydrated during the hot days. #dirtygirlgaiters #nathansports #werunwithyou

"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well-preserved body, but to slide in sideways, totally worn out, shouting 'holy s!#$, what a ride!'" -- Hunter S. Thompson

My name is a Guillaume Arthus. I am 29 yo ultra runner from France.  Starting September 14th, 2019, I will attempt to run [self supported] the Via Alpina Red.  I am aiming to set the FKT record of 43 days. Previous known record (more a rumor than a documented trace) is told to be 60 days on French forums.

Day 1 (9/14): "VIA ALPINA - DAY 1  It is on! I started at 5:50. 8K done, only 2642km to go. Weather forecast is sunny for the 1st week.  There is some minor issues with the tracking web page: it shows only the last location and not the track. It is getting looked at 😉 (The safety team has access to the full data, so nothing to worry about)"

Day 2 (9/15): "76K topped the 63 of yesterday. It was a good day despite a lot of road sections. Likely the last ones of those until Monaco area. Fine by me 😊"

Day 3 (9/16): "Only 52K done but with 4000m of elevation and one of the feared section, for its exposure and difficulty, is done. Perfectly on the expected target!"

Day 4 (9/17): "Done with Slovenia!  Followed the plan today and cruised through Triglav. I am heading to the town stop for the "night" and getting ready for Day 5 monster. The real test is tomorrow."

Day 5 (9/18): "The feared 1st long day with its 69K 4500m is slaid. 321K 16900m done in total 😊 that's only 12% 🤣"

Day 6 (9/19): "Rain, fog for 8h turned to a clear sky for an epic 15K on ridges. 58K 4300m today😊"

Day 7 (9/20): "Dolomites ❤❤❤ Today was a transition day after the hard work of DAY 5 & 6. I finally got to this the heart of the Dolimites and it was amazing."

Day 8 (9/21): "Complicated to say to the least. Started by vomiting at 2:30am, felt like crap for 8 hours, managed to get some food down. I stopped earlier than planned to save the body and get some needed rest. I will be tomorrow 4h behind schedule. Not so bad for 8 days. Will see what comes next. Somehow I still clocked 60K. No idea how."

Day 9 (9/22): "Sunrise above #Anterselva and a 7K D+1600m to kickstart the day. Still in recovery of sickness. I am getting better but had to make the day somehow shorter to secure the stomach get fixed."

Day 10 (9/23): "It started so well in Italy. Glaciers, amazing speed and a monstruous sandwich gracefully made by the hut the night before. Didn't ask for it, they just did to help the Via Alpina. Then I crossed the border to Austria. Rain. 80kph wind, 0 visibility... for 8h. Drying out as much as possible before going to bed. This is going to be the clear challenge of the next few day in Austria. The entire weekend is forcasted with rain. Don't care. Bring it on. I'm ready."

Day 11 (9/24): "The clear day before the rain. It is quite a perfect day with a sweet mix of everything the Alps have to offer. Sunrise, sea of clouds, fresh air, bliss,... heaven. But tomorrow will be hell. 12 hours of heavy rain expected. So I am making sure DAY 11 is a big one because the following 48h will be damnation. Bring hell Austria. I got you covered."

Day 12 (9/25): "A crazy good day! 1/4 of Via Alpina done. Less than 2000K to go. Reached the 4th country: Germany. Logged 60K+ Only 1h of rain instead of 12 in the forecast. The best part? I caught back all my delays from being sick. I nailed it. EPIC."

Day 13 (9/26): "Like that tree, it was a mess. Rain, hostile terrain, fog,... I fell several times because of mud on downhill and manage to damage my jacket. It will need some duck tape. But like that tree, it is still standing. Reached where I wanted for the day. Clearly the hardest day so far. A true mental battle. Can I see sun now?"

Day 14 (9/27): "A hidden gem. The valley was supposed to be random without anything special. I was wrong. It kept on giving."

Day 15 (9/28): "1st third of the Via Alpina being done, it is quite nice to see the pace still hold. Tomorrow is a monster day. 69K D+4500m. Let's see how it goes."

Day 16 (9/29): "Incredible Liechtenstein! By far the most scenic day of the Via Alpina. This is not even close. The exigent path delivered blow after blow of epicness. I am speechless by the diversity of the trails of the day. A day to remember as one of the best one ever."

Day 17 (9/30): "Broke 1000K! Technical day to say the least. I reached the expected target but the trails were of the most commited ones so far. They also removed the bridge across a violent glacier torrent that forced me to make quite the detour just to find a way to go across with acceptable levels of risks. SO COLD."

Day 18 (10/01): "GOT IT BACK! After forgetting my pack of electronics and passeport at last night non garded hut, I had to find a way to fetch it. Receiving worldclass help from a hotel front desk, I arranged a 6h round trip with a taxi to get there. It was in the hut still, hidden under a blanket. Obviously the Via Alpina schedule took a hit, but it is still alive. Let's go back to the grind."

Day 19 (10/02): "With a late start as I was getting the electronics back, I still made good progress and reach the Stelvio pass under rough conditions: hail and snow. I found an abandonned building with more holes that a roof for the night. It will drop sub 0 for sure within couple hours."
 

Day 20 (10/03): "After sleeping in sub 0C temperature, the start was filed with wind and snow while going down the #Stelvio. The day was quite efficient with its 70K, allowing me to catch a part of the lost time. Still many hours to get back. Still many days to go. Less than 1500K to go."

Day 21 (10/04): "Another sub 0C night, but this time with a 00h30 start. There are 161 official stages of the Via Alpina. I do 3.7 on average. They usually range around 15K each. But not in that section. They all are 20K+, making it quite hard to see true progress is being made... besides loging 65K+ days."

Day 22 (10/05): "Snow day! ❄❄❄ 15K today was on crispy fresh snow. The 5cm layer was just enough to turn the mountain white and make lovely sound and feeling of opening a fresh trail. Accumulated delay from the bag event was up to 3 Rs (1R = 1 of the 161 official leg of the Via Alpina). After 3 days of grinding, it is down to 2! 9h late out of 22 days, not bad. "

Day 23 (10/06): "Half way and half frustrated. Despite starting the 2nd half of the Via Alpina, today was not fun. I couldn't make any speed. The fault? Maybe a little down in my constant grind attitude as I scored the big 1/2 landmark, but it is rather due to the horrible terrain. A 7K D-1400m followed by a 8K D+1600m. It wasn't easy under the foot either. To "top" the day, the right shoulder of my waterproof jacket is heavily damage and no longer waterproof. Left shoulder could follow at any time. Oh, and it will be raining all night until 7am. I think it is the Via Alpina way to tell me: "you got 50%. The last 50% is going to take you double the effort". I am ready. (But tonight, a bit pissed)"

Day 24 (10/07): "Injury, jacket and out of focus. Right of the bat, 2h in, I hit my knee on a slipery rock. Not damaged seems to have been done to any tendons but the pain is lasting. Hopefully the night will fix it. I found a replacement jacket. I had to wait an hour for the shop to open but it was worth it."

Day 25 (10/08): Switzerland.  "A crazy down:D-1400m in 4.5K. The steeplest piece of trail I have experienced of my life. The knee held like it was nothing. Hit only is confirmed, no consequences. This night, snow ❄ is expected from 4 to 7 am. The problem, I am supposed to be on a 2800m pass followed by 5K of blocks with kern navigation. I don't really want to risk that as it is a legit safety concern. I specifically flagged that section as such in my plan. What are the options? Option 1.Kill the day now, have a late start and pass around 12 when snow will have somehow melted. Or... there is option 2. Going for it now before the snow starts. That means no sleep tonight."

Day 26 (10/09):  Switzerland. "Taking my responsibility against the elements. Option 2 was taken. 1st pass was indeed giant blocks. It was the good call. Falling asleep mid descent, I found a chapelle and get 2h of sleep. I head to the 2nd pass. -4C, 40kph wind and light snow fog. Crossed the Rhone... and it them proceeded to rain hard for 7h... I am liquid. Via Alpina just delivered its worse weather day and, despite some heavy grunting/shouting/screaming, I got through. Also, I am now down 2Rs vs 3Rs since the bag incident. 9h diff vs schedule after 26 days. Time for rest and to do it all over tomorrow. But today feels like a hard battle. I won this one."

Day 27 (10/10)  57.6km: "Glorious. Le Valais delivered stunning landscapes all day with somehow easy trails under the foot and much more. It feels fantastic to have a "recovery" day and yet deliver K & D+. It is giving me a great opportunity to ease the body before the last 3 days of #switzerland that will require full commitment. I passed the 1500K mark. I am N°1 on strava worldwide for D+, N°2 for K in Oct. What a glorious day." 

Day 28 (10/11)  58.1km:  "Snow scare with slick shoes. The day eventless until the final pass and its unexpected snow on the ground in 30° slopes. My shoes totally gave up on traction. They have been surviving 1550K at that point and had less scupture left than roads. Only giving up after all of that? Damn those were good. Legendary. I chased down the clock to #Adelboden before 6, which I did with 15min to spare.That would be my timeframe to find a pair of trails in 48FR/12US. I somehow found that. The other pair is now gone. Trashed? Of course not, they are on their way to Paris."

Day 29 (10/12)  59.5km:  "A bit of paradise. Good mileage, good elevation, crazy landscapes. The sunrise was a bliss, the passes were committed yet still fun, the weather was charmingly warm yet not to hot. Perfect."

Day 30 (10/13) 54.4km:   "Despite ice on the trail at sunrise, I managed to take a safer official variant and got through.  But I was still concern by the next pass which was at similar altitude. This video is that very moment of discovery. A great news. Less than 1000K to go! Quite exciting to move from 4 to 3 digits. One momth has now passed and I am quite please to see my mind and body holding still strong. The 43 days target seems to be gone as I am closer each day to get a full day behind schedule. 1 day loss for 30 days. That's only a 3% loss. Not bad at all. I would I signed for that. Sub 45 is still plenty in reach and I am super fine with that. That would still put a 15 days lead on the previous record."

Day 31 (10/14) 59.0km:  "FRANCE + D+100K done. That's nice 😊 Fully restocked and prepared for tomorrow 12h rain above #chamonix."

Day 32 (10/15)  61.8km:  "Barely 2 meters away. Unbelievable. this big horn allowed me to keep my temper under all this wetness. Rest of the day was rain and fog for 10h..."

Day 33 (10/16)  68.3km:  "Goodbye Swiss 🇨🇭, Hello Aosta! [Italy] Switzerland is now completed. Feels amazing to finally close another country. This morning border crossing was fun in the fresh snow. The lac at the top was a nice touch too."

Day 34 (10/17)  65.5km: "Snow, Tarentaise, Snow. ❄🗻❄ Leaving Italy for a while, compacted snow and ice was the departure gift. After crossing all day a balcony trail to head to #Tignes, the winter refuge will be above 2800m tonight. Needless to say that snow will be there. The only question is how much. Either way it will be a late finish and a short night: rain is expected tomorrow. Hopefully I'll back moving before it even starts so that I can get down to #Maurienne safer."

Day 35 (10/18)  72.3km:  "It was supposed to be rain all day. Only got few drops. The opportunity was too good not to be taken. I pushed and got an extra 10K in. Also, I broke 2000K today. This is awesome. "

Day 36 (10/19)  59.9km:  "No rainbows without rain. Straight from the start, the rain kicked in for 10h straight. I focused ln on the good vibes received since the start by everyone and posted a little something about it. Believe it or not, it made the rain stop. Powerfull vibes. Today's objective was to have a short 47K day and find a warm place to dry everything for the night. Original stage length day was 57, of which I did 10 in yesterday's surge. With no refuge open at the target finish, I need to add 4K.
57-10+4 = 51, right? Well for the Via Alpina it actually means 58. After my body, my mind take ghe cold shower. Rain is outside and inside. I put my head down and went to work. While on top of the 3rd pass of the day, I recognized the trail. I've been here before. I was there during my very first trail race, the "Trail des Ecrins". My mind went full rainbow."

Day 37 (10/20)  54.6km:  "Via Alpina is getting ready for a punch. Today was fine. As people start to see the dot moving closer to Monaco, some think it is a done deal. This is wrong. There is still a Tor des Géants and a UTMB to go: 500K. The Via Alpina knows it an is sending a reminder. Day 38 & 39 are marked as the hardest of the trip. The 2 worse D+ / K ratio, 60K+ distances to cover and hard terrain. This is the make or break moment. The Via Alpina decided to not go easy on me and tossed everything for those 2 days to come. Rain for 36h, potential snow on passes, 0 refuges open, and no food supply since 78K ago, making this a 212K without supply. I will run lo on food, sleep, batteries, warmth and Ks. But I will keep calm under this blow. I will stand my ground. Bring it Via Alpina. I was born ready."

Day 38 (10/21)  59.9km:  "Resilence and trail angels.  Last night, as I came across 2 trail runners heading up while going down to Ceillac.  I asked if anything was open for a night and a meal as I am doing the Via Alpina. They instantly invited me to their home. What a lovely treat only topped by the kindness of the entire family, the 500g of pasta they let me devour and a full day worth of food they gave me. Trail angels. Today was just rain and I was ready to cave the last of the 4 sections of the day even before going to bed. My legs though otherwise and let me glide at good pace despite 11h of rain. I made the 4 sections and it feels amazing to clock this one. Tomorrow will likely see a loss of section, a quest for unfoundable food supply and much more. The hardest day of the Via Alpina is tomorrow. Brace for impact. I am heading straight in it. Love it."

Day 39 (10/22)  51.7km:  "Massacre confirmed. Via Alpina is putting all in. Terrain is horrible, fog and rain at night, and... closed all the shops. I had 2 options to restock today and they are both closed... making the original 200K stretch without resupplying a 360K one. The next shop is in 3 days and I have 1.5 of food on me. All houses are empty, refuges are closed and without winter spaces. I might even run out of electricity because of the GPS shenanigans. All I have is water, before it is raining all the time. But I will prevail. I will find a way. I will crack this."

Day 40 (10/23)  57.4km:  "Hunger and food. The night was aweful. My stomach was screaming for food. By 5am, I had eaten the 2 bars I had planned for the day, which should have hold me until 8am. I start the 1st sandwich, knowing that has this rate, my supply will run out in 1.4days instead of 2.6 required. I am still starving and pissed I myself. I cannot control the hunger. It is eating me alive. In the middle of the 3rd section of the day, there is a little dot on the map. A few houses I think, as always. Nothing will be open, as always. There is actually a hotel there. There is actually light there despite looking closed. It is closed. But the hosts live there all year. He opens the door. He has more food for sell than an actual shop. This is paradise. I restock and when back at it. The following days just got an all lot easier thank to luck. I think the Via Alpina realized thzt 360K without resupply was to harsh and went with only 280K. GPS is dead. We move to spreadsheet."

Day 41 (10/24)  38.4km (passed into Italy):  "Ice Ice Baby. The worse combo with ice is a steeple pass with big blocks and kern navigation. Guess what happened this morning? Yep. Took 1h30 extra to get throuh safe. 100% worth it. I saw a piece of blue sky this morning. First time in 6 days. Paths are torrents, river crossings are knee deep and I just want a day of dry sun. GPS update: KO for the rest of the trip. Manual tracking is in place with Safety Team but require that I have phone signal."

Day 42 (10/25)  70.0km (to Ormea, Italy):  "Tears were shed. How many days did it took me to have a mental breakdown on the trails? The answer was 42. After 10 days of rain, no warm food in 5 days, no food left in the bag, I was starting to lose it. The tipping point was when I realized I needed to log 70K +3000m to make it to a warm place with sleep and food instead of 54. I broke down bad Then, I picked myself up and grinded for 9 hours straight to reach Ormea. It was bloody hard, but I won that battle. Let's finish that bad boy."

Day 43 (10/26)  48.3km  "Feet are dead, couldn't care less. The pain is real as the damage of 10 days of rain is real. Each step is felt. I do 96000 steps per day. Ouch. Tonight, I will have 110K to go. Highlight of the day: I saw the sea. That flat blue thing I left 1000h ago (yes, that's the actual number) Just need a bit more grinding and patience for Monaco now. Keep calm and Via Alpina."

Day 44 (10/27)  "Final push. With Monaco getting so close, it is hard to keep pushing without getting bored of how much there is still to go. But I move. 55K to go. So close. I just want to see the end now. Pyrénées' tactic is triggered."

Day 45 (10/28) Done!  https://www.strava.com/activities/2823662598  "I finished the Via Alpina in 44d09h58m11s. Words are failing me to describe how I feel. I will start by thanking you. Your comments, your messages, your encouragements. It made it all possible, especially during those 10 hellish days between Nevache and Mercantour. Thank you."

Day 1 (10/12) pics on Instagram (along the Volga River).

Day 2(10/13). "Left Hvalyn Still running."

Day 3 (10/14). "From Popova Shishka to Volsk."

Day 4 (10/15) "Zmeevy Gory (Snake hills)"

Day 5 (10/16)  Dmitry swam across the Tereshka River (cold!)

Day 6 (10/17)  "Wild forests, ice in the morning,beaver places, mill in the Log village."

Day 7 (10/18)  "Long run day." (63.6km)

"Today morning  I   have completed the whole distance of Sary Tau Trail. Last days I was not able to post photos due to a rather unstable internet connection, now added some in Instagram. Briefly, 604 km, 8144 m D+  was traveled in 238 hours 58 min. ( 9 days, 22 hours, 58 min.) The detailed trip report, as well as photos and videos from friends, are in preparation."

Looks like Amy finished about 18:43 on 10/19, which should be an overall FKT by a large margin.  We look forward to her report!

Day 1 (10/17, start 4:01am) on the AZT started out with an unbelievable sunrise and some coyotes singing in the dark. Today’s total is 64 miles and I didn’t get lost 💪🏻 I’ll be posting up for the night at the Grand Canyon National Park Boundary. Thanks for following along on this journey and I cannot wait to see how the rest unfolds. .

Day 2 update: 46.6 miles done, bringing my total mileage to 110.6. I traversed the Grand Canyon’s South Rim, Inner Gorge, and North Rim. It was a good, long, hard day. I had some IT band and hip flexor flare-up’s, but I am I. good spirits and ready to crush tomorrow. Major thanks to her phenomenal crew chief, @osam0, @robkrar, and @bckblnknship with @paragonathletics for the company ❤️ onward .

Four days, 216 miles, countless high-fives, hugs, foot rubs, and a lot of wraps down, about 600 miles to go 🙌🏻 It’s been quite the adventure so far, with some knee issues, very long days, emotional ups and downs, picturesque forests, lonely nights, breathtaking sunrise, and a lot of love and support from fans and friends. My spirits are still high and I am steadily making my way to Mexico and the #fastestknowntime on the #azt. Until the next sunrise 💛

Day 6 of my #AZT adventure. I am currently making my way toward Happy Jack, still smiling, moving strong and steady, and enjoying every aspect of this journey. After today I’ll have logged 307 miles

Note after 6 days:  Helen is going in the opposite direction of overall FKT holder Jeff Garmire (who was self-supported), so it is difficult to make direct comparisons.  But, Jeff was at about 301 miles after 6 days, vs. 307 for Helen.

Day 9 (10/25) to Pigeon Spring, 436.2 (at the end of Day 9 Garmire was at 444 miles)

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4DZ5ocJJtU/ "I can’t believe I am more than halfway through! I am about to hit some really difficult sections, but I am loving this adventure. Some of the terrain has made for some long days and slow miles, but it’s stunning and I can’t stop talking about how beautiful and dramatic the views and trails have been. I am so thankful for all the love and support (near and far) from people who have bandaged my feet, cooked me hot meals, enabled me to brush my teeth, high-fived and hugged me along the way, endured some very cold, dark hours, and continue to send me messages and post about my progress. I’ve had continued knee and IT-band issues, but they haven’t stopped me. By the end of today, I’ll have hopefully logged nearly 440 miles and I am currently averaging 49 miles a day and still smiling"

Day 11 (10/27) end at Picketpost TH, 503 miles (about 300 to go)

Day 12 (10/28)  20:35 at Kelvin, about 540 miles.

Posted 10/29:  "Hello! It’s been a minute. My #AZT journey has taken so many unexpected twists and turns, but that’s why we do these amazing, crazy hard things, right? I am sad to say that my #FKT goal is no longer possible due to several factors and logistical issues, but I am still going. This is what life is about: rolling with the punches, being grateful for what you have done and can do and for the people who love and believe in you, and staying positive and in the moment. I know I am putting my body through something most people would never think to attempt, and that’s beautiful and scary. For the rest of my journey, I will focus on putting one foot forward, however long it takes, and I am committed to doing the best I can. I can’t tell you how much all the support means. I don’t know what day it is and I don’t care, all I am focusing on is #onward"

10/30 at 5:50 at American Flag Ranch, 605 miles after 13 days, 2 hours.

10/31 at 4:00 at Gordon Hirabayashi CG, 639 miles

11/1 at 6:00 (15 days) at X9 Ranch Rd, about 680 miles - 120+ to go.  Helen is about 2 days ahead of Heather Anderson's (self supported) FKT pace.

11/2 at 7:10 (16+ days) at Gardner Canyon, 730 miles.

"Here I am, the unicorn, waving goodbye to the 15-day, 13-hour, and 10-minute #FKT I had been chasing here on the #AZT and not giving a F about it. Does that mean I am going to let my foot off the gas? HELL NO, I am going to push harder on that pedal. I want to see what I am capable of, what records I can break for and within myself, and maybe set the women’s supported fastest-known-time while I am at it. I am running through the night again tonight and hopefully will reach Mexico tomorrow."

"I am. Almost. There. I have a solid 4-hour night of sleep (most I’ve gotten in more than a week) under my belt, incredible pacers (@robkrar and @annemcguffey), and more crew and support as I tick off the final hours and miles of this unbelievable journey. Stay tuned."

11/2 at 15:00 - Patagonia, about 51 miles to go!

11/3 took a break at Parker Canyon Lake, 21 miles to go, 17days.  Reached the boarder at 3:08pm.

New FKT of about 17d11h8m !!!

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3xOJTIh7gS/?igshid=19cvzpownofa6 Day1 Start at 9:00 from bus station in Bar. Climbed up to mt.Rumija and mt.Biela skala. A lot of water sources on the trail.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B30FzJ9hvvt/?igshid=1hn6pnogcnap9 Day 2 Trail of stones, often technical, many overgrown areas, little water sources (tanks/wells).

https://www.instagram.com/p/B32r6oGhc7K/  Day 3: Kosmach fortress - Maistori - Babin mountain Head - Lovcen national park - Ivanova Koryta - Jeserski vrh (1657) - eco village of St. George To Maistori is full of road, then the ancient Austrian road to Lovcen, where it is unusually crowded. Climbed up to Jezierski vrh and in the dark descent along the gorge

https://www.instagram.com/p/B385ey7hbLl/?igshid=10zlmwcang1sd
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3875O5BK3G/?igshid=169rrh6s1f2rb
It was big day! PPT, The long fourth day, part one: Veliki Zalazi - Mali Asked - Vranovo Nest (743) - Fort Under - Cerviceac - Orien (1894) - Subra (1679) - Nikolina Yama (-188) Gateway - Herceg Novi
Beautiful and technical traverse of the ridge and breathtaking views of the Bay of Kotor. At night, I continued to move, walked through the Cercvice and went to the saddle of Mount Orien. Dawn met at the top, then there was an unforgettable climb to Mount Subra, including rock climbing and sections of Via Ferrrata. On the descent was a beautiful karst site. Finish at Herceg Novi at 8:00 PM. I am happy! It was amazing adventure!

Total time about 83 hours.

Alex made an attempt in May, but had to stop after spraining an ankle.  Trying again!

10/21:  Started at 6:00am (southbound) "Every step of day 1 felt hard. So much rain."

10/22:  Passed by Grand Marais around 8:30am (approx. 53 miles), Oberg around 10pm (92 miles, 40 hours)

10/24:  14:00 at Beaver Bay, ~170 miles in about 80 hours.

10/25 (Day 5):  At noon (4d6h) Alex was at CR 301 (near Two Harbors), approx 206 miles done / 103 to go.

10/26 21:46 Alex posted "Just over 260 miles done. Made it to Martin Rd. Got news yesterday that the Duluth section of the SHT is closed due to poor conditions so will be doing a re-route that stays as close to the trail as possible without going on the closed sections. While it felt devastating to find out that we wouldn’t be able to complete the trail as planned, and I have no clue whether it will count as “official”, we came out to have an adventure and what an adventure it has been."

10/27:  Alex should have reached the MN/WI border around 19:00-19:30, for a total time of around 6d13.5h.  New FKT, but with the issue of having had to bypass some of the trail due to flooding.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4KfKpyH_Ce/ "And 6 days, 13 hours later, our southbound thru-hike adventure is complete, ending over 300 miles south of where it began. Second time’s a charm. Strong storms on the first day set us up for wet, washed out trails. Our feet were never dry and we were crawling in, over, and around huge hemlocks that had blown down in the storm every mile or so for pretty much the entirety of the trail. Then we found out that the SHT sections that pass through the city of Duluth were closed. We weren’t ready to give up on this adventure, so we created a re-route that avoided closed sections and finished the hike. We controlled what we could and let go of things we couldn’t. As usual, many of the things that kept me awake at night leading up to the hike never happened. A lot of other things did though and I’m glad I didn’t think of them in advance. I got to do this surrounded and supported by the most amazing people. We got to be here, to do this, together. Such a beautiful piece of time and space that I am so grateful to have experienced. So much mental unpacking to do and lots of really gross clothing to burn."

On Sunday, November 10th, 2019, myself [Scott Loughney] and fellow ultrarunner Ryan Wagner, will be attempting to Set the Only Know Time (OKT) for a round trip adventure on the Mt. Everest Mailrun Challenge which is an epic cross-country route linking Everest Base Camp in Nepal to the capital of Kathmandu - a distance of 640km (approx. 400 miles).

The overall Mailrun route is known for being extremely mentally and physically demanding due to its combination of high altitude and considerable variations in terrain.

Our route will travel from Kathmandu at 1,400 meters (4,593 ft) to Everest Base Camp which sits at an altitude of 5,360 meters (17,585 ft) where the thin air contains only about 50% of the oxygen levels present at sea level and then back to Kathmandu. This route will contain approximately 25,000 meters (82,020 ft) of brutal climbing and 25,000 meters (82,020ft ) of descending over the whole journey.

Few people have attempted a one-way journey in a single effort and as far as we can tell, no one has ever attempted a round trip journey to establish a record. The fastest known time for the traditional one-way route was set by British ultra-runner Lizzy Hawker in 2013 on her 3rd running of the route in 63 hours and 8 minutes for the FKT.
 

11/11:  Started at 1:30am.  Took a >14hr break along road F32 ?

11/12:  13:00 at Tamakoshi

Day 1 (11/11):  Started at 7:00. 69km to Hukatere Rd  "Things I learnt on my first day: 1. It can be quite emotional when you start a trip you’ve been thinking about for 2 years and planning for 1. Cue 3 x teary moments in the first 4km 😢 2. Always take extra food and then some more. Tommy couldn’t make it to our first check point so I had to run an extra 10kms, meaning I meet him at the 50km mark. Lucky I had some extra @clifbar in my pack but I’ll be taking more from now on 🌯🧀🥐 3. Running on beach sucks, especially when you have a headwind for the final 20kms 🤯 4. Spikey ball is king. My glutes and hips were killing but 30mins rolling about on Mr Spike and they loosened right up🤴 5. Talcum powder is queen. My feet were manky as after being wet all day but Ms Talc dried them right up👸 "

Day 2 (11/12):  End at 126.9km, Ruaroa Rd "Number of blisters I got in training:0  Number of blisters I got yesterday:3  I’m not gonna lie, the last two days have been hard yakka. 101kms on a beach and then 28kms on the verge of a main road. This literally did my head in - I tried to distract myself with music and podcasts, but all I could focus on was the thud of my feet 🥴 Plus the blisters SUCK! I think I’ll be investing in some toe socks. Despite all this, my body seems to be recovering well overnight (I’m still getting 9hrs sleep!) and today I’m in the mountains, which makes me ALOT happier."
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