New unsupported endurance record set

imported
#1

I would like to announce that a new unsupported endurance record has been set on the LT recently.

24 y.o. Jennifer Pharr completed a NOBO end-to-end of the LT in 7 days 15 hours 40 minutes, breaking the former unsupported record of 8 days 13 hours and 25 minutes set by myself back in 1978.

Jennifer started at the VT/MA border on Wed. August 1st at 5am and reached the Canadian border on Wed. August 8th at 8:40pm. Her longest day was 45 miles and her shortest day was 27 miles.

This is a remarkable achievement since , as far as I know, this is the first time that a long distance trail endurance record, either supported or unsupported, has been held by a woman.

Congratulations Jennifer!

More info at www.whiteblaze.net

Warren Doyle

#2

Big deal.

If serious endurance athletes wanted to tackle the Long Trail or any other similar ones we would see these ‘records’ broken all of the time. The LT is about 270 miles long and she would have averaged about 34 miles a day, long day certainly but it is not at the level of serious endurance athletes, not even close.

If it was a personal goal to beat the ‘record’, congratulations then.

I would be more impressed with embracing these long distance trails for their intrinsic value and not treat them as ‘records’ waiting to be broken.

By the way, a guy like Squeaky could probably do the long trail in 5 days easy.

Tom

Tom

#3

Tom- Why don’t you lighten up a bit and let people achieve their goals how they wish without having to demean them? Sure you said congratulations (yes, I did read your whole comment) but the rest of your message is derogatory in tone and negative on the whole. I also find it diffcult to believe that you are not impressed with Jennifer Pharr’s accompishment as you compare it to what Squeaky “could” do. I agree that someone like Squeaky, Dave Horton, Scott Williamson, Tattoo Joe (and countless others) have the potential to break the record if they choose to try, but as you condemn Jennifer’s hike, you praise another person’s abilities to do a similar hike. Quite contradictory. How about just a note of congratulations and keep your smarmy, poor sport comments to yourself next time?

Congratulations Jennifer.

ducky

#4

Tom

You do come across as being a little harsh but I understand your setiments. Trail forums can come across as a bit of a press releas forum about breaking hiking records. If the original author fished around a bit on Trail Journals they might find out that the LT has been hiked unsupported in less that 7 days. That record will certainly be broken by someone else as well. I wouldn’t go to the record books without doing a little due diligence on that.

34 miles a day is one hell of a hike. Personal goal, record or not it is impressive. Well done!

Henri

#5

Wow! Congratulations Jennfier. It’s quite a feat, especially knowing how rugged the northern section of the LT can get. Regardless of how long before someone does it quicker, the truth is not many folks could do what you did. Congrats again.

Jim

#6

Hey guys,
Thanks so much for all your kind words and support. And big thanks to Warren who was great in helping me to prepare for the AT with his ATI and following through with advice and encouragement for the Long trail as well. The Long Trail was amazing and I really enjoyed the “full body hiking” required by the Northern section. It was especially challenging when the rocks and roots were saturated by the constant rain of my last three days. I want to say that all encouragement and congratulations is warmly accepted and very appreciated. I also want to mention that all criticism is respected as well. But I do want to note that I did not set out to hike the long trail to come back as a “record” holder. Long Distance hiking is not associated or rewarded with public recognition and certainly or monetary gains. Instead, I hiked the Long Trail to test my physical, mental and emotional thresholds. In that I succeeded. I was thrilled with my time of less than 8 days, and I can say that, even beyond Division I college athletes, an ironman, and ultra-marathons, testing my endurance on the Long Trail pushed, strengthened me, and broke me in ways I had never experienced before. I will always share wonderful memories and a sense of accomplishment from this experience that is neither heightened by recognition nor discouraged by criticism. I don’t think I would ever go out on a long-distance trail to break someone else’s record, but I certainly love to set my own. Hope to see you guys out on the trail. Best! jp

jenpharr