Video: Scenes From the Tromsø Sky Race

The 2015 edition of the Tromsø Sky Race went down last week, with top trail runners from around the world descending on Norway to take on an epic mountain running challenge. The video below gives you an idea of what this race is about, sharing two-minutes of footage of the runners as they make their way along a trail that looks both challenging and beautiful. This is not a race for beginning trail runners to say the least, but it is a rewarding experience for those who take part.

Tromsø SkyRace 2015 from TromsoSkyrace on Vimeo.

The 2015 Badwater Ultramarathon is Underway

The 2015 edition of the Badwater Ultramarathon got underway yesterday with 90 runners setting out from the tiny town of Badwater in Death Valley. The classic race takes endurance athletes across 135 miles (217 km) of some of the harshest environments imaginable as they run to the Mt. Whitney Portals in temperatures in excess of 100ºF/37ºC.

As with most ultramarathons, the distance is a big part of the challenge. But with the Badwater, it is also about the vertical gain. The race starts 280 feet (85 meters) below sea level, and rises to 8300 feet (2530 meters) above sea level at the finish line. Along the way, runners must negotiate their way across demanding desert landscapes, through difficult valleys, and up mountain passes. Those that complete the grueling run will end up with a cumulative vertical gain of more than 14,600 feet (4450 meters), with the fastest runners completing the run in less than 24 hours.

The runners departed last night in three different waves, with the first setting out around 8:00 PM local time. The second set of athletes took to the course at 9:30 PM, with the final wave hitting the road at 11:00 PM. Traveling at night helps to lessen their exposure to the heat, but today temperatures are expected to hit 113ºF/45ºC out on the course.

If you have followed the Badwater over the past couple of years, you probably remember that in 2014 the race was forced to take an alternate route because the National Park Service had implemented a bad on endurance events taking place within national parks while it evaluated safety requirements. This year, the Park Service allowed the runners back in, but mandated the overnight start to help mitigate the danger.

Some critics have said that this could put the athletes under more stress however, as now they'll be heading into the hottest part of the day already fatigued. In the past, runners would start fresh, but take on the heat early, with the cooler temperatures arriving just at the most opportune time to refresh the runners. That won't be the case this year however, as they'll now be 50 miles (80 km) into the race when things really start to get hot. How this impacts the results remains to be seen.

If things go according to form, the first runners should reach the finish line as early as this 7:00 or 8:00 PM this evening. Others will stagger in over the next day or two. As always, it'll be interesting to see how things play out in an event that has been called "the toughest footrace on Earth."

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 Sets New Solo Speed Mark On South Africa's Drakensberg Grand Traverse

Endurance athlete Andrew Porter has set an impressive new solo speed record on South Africa's tough Drakensberg Grand Traverse, a 220 km (136 mile) route through some of the most difficult and demanding terrain that the country has to offer. The trail runs up and down numerous peaks, through deep valleys, and across rugged territory that typically takes trekkers upwards of 10 days to hike. Despite those challenges however, Porter managed to do it in just 45 hours and 8 minutes.

You may recall that two South African ultrarunners took on the Traverse last year, which is when Ryan Sandes and Ryno Griesel managed to complete the trek in 41 hours and 49 minutes. Their attempt took just about every ounce of energy they had just to reach the finish line, and they were working together to accomplish their speed run.

In Porter's case, he not only went alone and unsupported, he also ran the route south to north, the opposite direction of Sandes and Griesel. This allowed him to be more aware of potential dog encounters along the trail, but also added 900 meters (2952 feet) of extra climbing to his run as well. Despite those challenges however, he still managed to wrap up the attempt in an incredible time.

Just how impressive was Andrew's performance? Consider this. Back in 2009 he set the first solo record on the Grand Traverse by completing it in 61 hours, 24 minutes, and 11 seconds. This time out he managed to shave more than 16 hours off that previous record. That is a serious improvement to say the least.

To get a better understanding of what this challenge is all about, check out the film that was made about Ryan and Ryno's run from last year. You'll come away with an even greater appreciation of what Andrew has accomplished. Well done and congratulations to him.

And thanks to my friend Lisa de Speville for sharing this info!

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.

Video: Mile for Mile - Trail Running to Support Conservation in Patagonia

We all know that Patagonia is one of the most spectacular landscapes on the planet. It is also one that is becoming increasingly threatened. That's why the team at Conservacion Patagonica have been working hard to create a national park in southern Chile to protect this wild and rugged place. The video below is entitled Mile for Mile, and follows three trail runners – Krissy Moehl, Jeff Browning, and Luke Nelson – as they embark on a 106 mile (170.5 km) run across what will eventually be that national park. Along the way they get to experience Patagonia in all of its glory, and it viewers get the opportunity to understand what makes the place so special.

As the park nears completion, there are still about 50 miles (80 km) of trail that needs to be built. To help with that effort, the gear company Patagonia is matching all funds donated to the cause through the end of the year. They also sponsored the creation of this short film, which considering the ties that the company has with the region is completely understandable. Find out more about the film, and the effort to create the trails in the park, at the official Mile for Mile campaign website.

Video: The Barkely Marathons - The Toughest Race in the World?

I've written a bit about the Barkely Marathons before, but not nearly enough. It is an incredibly tough ultramarathon that takes place in my backyard here in Tennessee each year. At 100 miles (160 km) in length, it doesn't seem any more challenging than other races of this length, but the course is a difficult one. Racers are required to complete 5 laps around a 20 mile (32 km) course that is as rough and rugged as any. Over the entire length of the ultra runners face 60,000 feet (18,288 meters) of vertical gain, in a grueling test of endurance that has only seen 10 people ever finish.

The video below serves as a bit of an introduction to the race. It is a trailer for a film called The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Easts Its Young. The documentary made the rounds at last year's film festivals and received some acclaim for its depiction of this epic event.

By the way, the 2015 edition of the Barkley Marathons took place a few weeks back, and not a single entrant was able to finish. The tradition continues at what could be the hardest race on the planet.

Video: Trail Fighter - From Mixed Martial Arts to Ultrarunning

The subject of this video is a man named Kyle Dietz, who was once a professional mixed martial arts fighter, but has now transitioned into becoming an ultrarunner instead. The clip gives us insights into what drives Kyle as he trains for the RUT50k, an ultramarathon held in Big Sky, Montana. As he prepares you get a sense that the same traits that helped him succeed in the ring – dedication, determination, and focus – will also prove valuable in his new endeavor as well. Beautifully shot, and compelling to watch, this is a fantastic short film for anyone looking for inspiration.

Thanks to the Gear Junkie for sharing.

Trail Fighter Official Video from Fitsok on Vimeo.

Video: Promo for the Tromso Sky Race in Norway

This video was shot as a promo for the Tromso Skyrace, a series of trail runs that will be held in the Tromso, Norway region this summer. The evens will be run through some of the most spectacular scenery in Europe, at a time of year when the midnight sun will provide light for nearly an entire day. The setting looks spectacular and the trail looks suitably challenging, which should make this an incredible experience for all who enter. It seems like Tromso is an amazing place to go trail running, and the organizers of this event are putting together something special.

Tromso SkyRace 2015 from TromsoSkyrace on Vimeo.