http://atrun.redbull.com/karl-meltzer-appalachian-trail/p/1

I knew he was starting in August but did not realize he was already 19 days in....

Will be in PA soon...

Here is my thing with this (and I don't care much one way or the other, but...)

I think the FKT on any trail should be in the same direction. So, I think maybe Jurek has the record, which went south to north. But Meltzer is going north to south. Does that count as a separate FKT? Or would it be a new FKT? I don't care how much worse the terrain may be in Maine, NH, and Vermont, it is probably significantly cooler than GA and NC this time of year. Plus, Meltzer has significant experience moving across rough terrain. Furthermore, like Jurek, this FKT is supported. Jurek started in GA and finished in Maine in 46 days, 8 hours, and 8 minutes, which bested Jennifer Pharr Davis' 46 days, 11 hours, and 20 minutes. Pharr Davis started in Maine and finished at Springer Mt., GA, like Meltzer. Both were completed in July, which would put them starting late May/early June. So, these two (Jurek/Meltzer) went in opposite directions.

Heather Anderson, on the other hand, has the unsupported FKT with 54 days, 7 hours, and 40 minutes. She left Maine and finished at Springer Mt., GA also. I am more impressed by Anderson's solo accomplishment than these others. I do, however, respect the accomplishments of all these people.

Anyway you look at it, it is an impressive accomplishment, but I know that the same terrain in a different direction can be significantly more difficult. I just don't know which way is more difficult on this route. I think the cooler temps in the north would be good if you started in mid-September to late August in Maine and went south. If nothing else, the scenery would be spectacular.

 

I think the FKT on any trail should be in the same direction. 

 

 

Anyway you look at it, it is an impressive accomplishment, but I know that the same terrain in a different direction can be significantly more difficult. I just don't know which way is more difficult on this route. I think the cooler temps in the north would be good if you started in mid-September to late August in Maine and went south. If nothing else, the scenery would be spectacular.

Agree, should be separate records, just like North Bound and South Bound thru hikers are recorded separately. Should be listed as NOBO and SOBO FKT's.

Being someone who does out and backs on many different MD and PA sections, there is no question the two directions are different. Over the course of the whole trail it probably gets close to evening out, but section by section, there are big differences.

I talked to Karl last year when I was fortunate to run with SJ.  He was planning on the same route, but I think the mess SJ had with Baxter SP might have played into him rethinking his strategy.

Totally agree. The unsupported record is really amazing when you thing about it. But Meltzer's current average pace is sick!!

I was thinking the same thing.  It's hard to determine where he might be.  Complete opposite from SJ where you could literally see where he was within minutes and sometimes real time - it was updating as the satellite picked up his signal.

Good Luck AT.

AT, perhaps he is trying to avoid throngs of tag along runners, thus no exact tracking. Good luck finding him.

 

Oh, and browsing the page he estimates 121 falls on the trail, spills and crashes. And 690 hours of Grateful Dead with no weed or hallucinogens? 

For sure.  Last year when I got a chance to talk with him he said his attempt would be different, and that was well before SJ had all the mess up North.

I want to talk to him about his 12 hour golf record of playing 230 holes. That's pretty amazing that he ran over 100k and played 230 holes of golf. 

I remember that last year towards the end of Jurek's run his wife had posted on FB that people meeting and running with him was starting to slow him down.  Maybe that's why Karl is going a little more low key.

Yes. I was getting his Instagram updates, which were more up to date than his website. Think it was a good idea not posting his exact location like SJ did. Looks like he ran by himself a lot and had some help at times. SJ ran with him some the last week, and even SJ's posts were more cryptic than usual about location.

There is a NOBO female hiker who should finish in around 54 days unsupported. That would be the fastest by 2 days, but she is not wearing a GPS device and record won't be officially recognized. The interview I saw with her said she didn't care about the record since she knew couldn't afford to have the tracking that she needed so it was never a goal.