Scott Jurek Sets New Record on Appalachian Trail

The Adventure Blog remains on hiatus for one more day while I continue to celebrate getting married this past weekend, but I did want to break radio silence to update one of the bigger stories that has broken in the past few days. As expected, ultrarunner Scott Jurek has broken the speed record on the Appalachian Trail, but he didn't smash it as it seemed he would.

Jurek started his quest to become the fastest person to hike the AT end-to-end back May 27 when he set out from Springer Mountain in Georgia. Ahead of him lay 2185 miles of trail, and a four year old record that was currently held by Jennifer Pharr Davis. The time to beat was 46 days, 11 hours, and 20 minutes. In order to set a new speed record, he would need to reach Mt. Katahdin in Maine in less time than that.

At the mid-way point of the attempt it appeared that Jurek would crush the old mark by three or four days. But the second half of the run didn't go quite as expected, and the ultrarunner's cushion began to evaporate. As the days slipped away, it even appeared at some point that he might not break the record at all. Jurek himself even told his support crew at one point that the attempt was over. He himself didn't believe that he had enough time, and could travel fast enough, to catch Pharr Davis' record. But in the end, he managed to finish the hike, and set a new mark in the process.

The speed record for completing the Appalachian Trail now stands at 46 days, 8 hours, 7 minutes. That's an impressive time no matter how you slice it, and Scott should be incredibly happy with his efforts. Congratulations to him on a job well done. His efforts were both inspiring, and a good reminder of just how difficult these types of endeavors can be.

Scott Jurek On Pace to Break Appalachian Trail Record

When I set out for Alaska a couple of weeks ago ultrarunner Scott Jurek was in the midst of an attempt to break the speed record for completing the Appalachian Trail. Now, he approaching the end at last, and he remains on track to complete the long-distance hiking route in an unbelievable time.

Jurek launched his attempt on the AT back on May 27, setting out from the southern end of the trail on Springer Mountain in Georgia. At the time, he hoped to reach the northern end on Mt. Katahdin in Maine – some 2160 miles (3476 km) away – in less than 46 days, 11 hours, and 20 minutes. That's the current record held by Jennifer Pharr Davis, which she set back in 2011.

The ultrarunner passed into Maine a few days back, and is closing in on the finish line now. He's been running about 50 miles (80 km) per day, and should finish up very soon. Today is Day 43 of the run, and he remains on pace to break the record, most likely shaving a couple of days off the mark set by Pharr Davis. It is unclear exactly when he will finish, but it should be within the next day or two.

There have been some hints that Jurek may be considering retiring from competitive ultra-running. If so, he will leave a legacy that will be tough to beat. During his career, he won seven straight Western States 100s and two Badwaters Ultras, two of the toughest races ever. Completing the AT in record time would be a fitting way to end such an impressive resume.

Stay tuned for more updates as Scott nears the end.

Ultrarunner Scott Jurek Attempting Speed Record on Appalachian Trail

Ultrarunner Scott Jurek has been a legend in the endurance running community for years. Not only has he won both the Badwater and the Western States Ultras, he has scored wins in numerous other major races as well. Additionally, back in 2010 he set a record for the 24-hour run, covering 165.7 miles during that time period. To say he has had a stellar career would be an understatement, and although he has started to hint at a possible retirement, he isn't quite ready to hang up his running shoes just yet. In fact, he has just set off on his greatest challenge of all – an attempt to set a new speed record for completing the Appalachian Trail end-to-end.

Last week, Jurek began what he hopes will be a record-breaking run on the AT. He's chasing the record set by Jennifer Pharr Davis back in 2011, when she managed to cover the entire length of the 2160 mile (3476 km) trail in 46 days, 11 hours, and 20 minutes. In doing so, she managed to travel about 47 miles (75 km) per day. Jurek hopes to be closer to 50 in his pursuit of a new speed mark.

The ultrarunner launched his record bid on Spring Mountain in Georgia last week. He'll now head north toward Katahdin, Maine, where the trail officially ends. Along the way, he'll pass through 14 U.S. states, and face enough vertical gain to climb Everest 16 times over. He'll also be attempting to run the equivalent of two marathons per day for a month and a half. If everything goes as planned, he will wrap up the speed attempt on July 6, although he'll need to stay healthy and have the weather cooperate along the way. He is, of course, making this attempt in supported fashion, with a three-person team providing resupplies throughout the journey. Pharr Davis did the same thing on her record-setting trek as well.

You can follow Scott's efforts on his Facebook page and official website.