New Pacific Coast Trail Record

[Aaron Sorensen]

I declare today as Heather Anderson day.

Heather should finish the PCT today with a time of 61 days.
Old record is 64. Although the 3 days off the time is huge and badass, more impressively this means:

Girls 2
Boys 0

These are some words she wrote while on the trail from the link below.
http://halfpastdone.com/2013/07/17/anish-hikes-the-quiet-pursuit-of-an-fkt/

“My day starts at 5 am. I will walk all day at 3 mph, stopping only to get water, dump sand from my shoes or such. Each stop lasts but a few minutes. I walk until the miles pile up, until night falls and my headlamp comes out, until the aching in my feet and legs seems unbearable. The last miles I am stumbling, tripping. Finally, I pitch my tent on whatever surface is available. It may be flat, or not, or rock hard, but it is home for the next few hours. Inside I struggle to choke down a protein shake; my exhaustion overrides my hunger. I peel socks off from blistered swollen feet. I crawl into my sleeping bag and prop my feet on my food bag. Pain, spasms, cramps, sharp cries that shoot along my nerves; my legs and feet make it hard for me to sleep. I clench my teeth against the jolts and wait for exhaustion to overcome me again.”

What a remarkable accomplishment!

[Hobbes 1]

Yeah, but Beethoven's 9th is to be enjoyed, not endured. Same with these guys: http://www.molokai2oahu.com/. Why not take it slow & leisurely so as to do some fishing, or listen to music? {/snark}

Are you still on schedule for your JMT hike? Any reconsideration about shelter?

[Nick Gatel]

I think it is Crest, not Coast.

[Aaron Sorensen]

Yep

[Kattt]

I enjoyed reading about her. She talked a lot about being a chubby girl ( up to 200 lbs) and how she dreamed about achieving something like this.
Good for her! An incredible achievement indeed.

[Paul Wagner]

"Yeah, but Beethoven's 9th is to be enjoyed, not endured. Same with these guys: http://www.molokai2oahu.com/. Why not take it slow & leisurely so as to do some fishing, or listen to music? {/snark}"

Nah…PCT is more like Mahler.

[Nick Larsen]

Uh, why?

"Girls 2
Boys 0"
Because guys are slightly more sane then women? That's like buying a Ferrari and never taking it off of 35mph roads… Doesn't make sense, nor does it seem enjoyable, and it kind of defeats the purpose. To each his own I guess.

[Aaron Sorensen]

Jennifer Pharr Davis has the record on the AT
Girls 2
Boys 0

I wish the original poster of threads had the ability to delete the negativity of what others post.

Although I think I would get deleted a few times as well. Ha ha.

[Ryan Smith]

No negativity here. What Anish and JPD did is truly amazing. I think it only helps prove that on average women are tougher than men, at the very least mentally. Matt Kirk is breaking the AT supported record right now also. One of JMT records falls. Exciting time for speed hikers!

Ryan

[Nico .]

Impressive feats of endurance and determination all around.

[Jerry Adams]

Are you saying women have the best record time for PCT and AT? Better than men?

I wasn't really paying attention, thought maybe her record was for women.

[josh jordan]

“My day starts at 5 am. I will walk all day at 3 mph, stopping only to get water, dump sand from my shoes or such. Each stop lasts but a few minutes. I walk until the miles pile up, until night falls and my headlamp comes out, until the aching in my feet and legs seems unbearable. The last miles I am stumbling, tripping. Finally, I pitch my tent on whatever surface is available. It may be flat, or not, or rock hard, but it is home for the next few hours. Inside I struggle to choke down a protein shake; my exhaustion overrides my hunger. I peel socks off from blistered swollen feet. I crawl into my sleeping bag and prop my feet on my food bag. Pain, spasms, cramps, sharp cries that shoot along my nerves; my legs and feet make it hard for me to sleep. I clench my teeth against the jolts and wait for exhaustion to overcome me again.”

maybe i'm missing something but is that supposed to sounds enjoyable?

[Hiking Malto]

Women will have the AT supported, PCT unsupported and supported (unsupported also counts as supported.). Any minute Matt Kirk is expected to arrive at Springer thus setting a new AT unsupported record. So women -3 men -1. But where is Scott, the Gauntlet has been thrown.

[Hiking Malto]

“My day starts at 5 am. I will walk all day at 3 mph, stopping only to get water, dump sand from my shoes or such. Each stop lasts but a few minutes. I walk until the miles pile up, until night falls and my headlamp comes out, until the aching in my feet and legs seems unbearable. The last miles I am stumbling, tripping. Finally, I pitch my tent on whatever surface is available. It may be flat, or not, or rock hard, but it is home for the next few hours. Inside I struggle to choke down a protein shake; my exhaustion overrides my hunger. I peel socks off from blistered swollen feet. I crawl into my sleeping bag and prop my feet on my food bag. Pain, spasms, cramps, sharp cries that shoot along my nerves; my legs and feet make it hard for me to sleep. I clench my teeth against the jolts and wait for exhaustion to overcome me again.”

maybe i'm missing something but is that supposed to sounds enjoyable?

Yes, for a few pushing yourself to a new limit is enjoyable . I posted this on another thread..

From Anish:

"I imagine people may think I am a natural athlete, the girl who played sports all through school. The exact opposite is true. I was an overweight child, a bookworm who sat with her nose in an adventure book and daydreamed. I never exercised and couldn't make it around the track without walking. When I graduated high school I weighed 200lbs.
I daydreamed of adventure, but the thing I daydreamed the most was that I would someday set a record. Not just any record though, an athletic record. I wanted so desperately to not be what I was. I hated my body and myself. I consoled myself by eating a bowls full of oreos and milk as though they were cereal. But somewhere deep inside I knew I was capable of doing something more.
When I was 20 I met something that would forever change my life. A Trail. Though my first few hikes were miserable as I forced my body to work, I was enthralled. Trails took me on the adventures I craved and to beautiful, wondrous, wild places. I lost my heart and soul…and eventually 70 lbs…to the trails.
Now, I am a few short days away from fulfilling my oldest daydream: setting an athletic record. I cry when I think about all the things I have overcome to get here, both on this hike and off. It makes me ever so grateful to that chubby girl who dared to dream big, audacious dreams. I am even more thankful that she grew up to be a woman courageous enough to make those dreams reality."

Yes, I'm pretty certain that she is finding this very enjoyable.

[Jake D]

"maybe i'm missing something but is that supposed to sounds enjoyable?"

Type II kinda fun man. It is a major life accomplishment. Sitting in class isn't fun but getting a degree is worth it. Being a parent isn't all peaches and rainbows but raising a child is rewarding (from what i gather, not there yet)

perhaps one day you'll put enough effort into something to understand.

People that make this type of comment will never achieve that level because they aren't wired to do it. Elite people become that way because they go beyond what is normal and push harder than the rest.

[josh jordan]

To each their own I guess. I pushed myself from 2nd grade into college wrestling, cutting weight every single week during wrestling season for more years then I care to count and after all of it I look back and wonder wtf was I thinking.

as long as she enjoyed herself, that's all that matters…

I would like to hear her thoughts on if the record was worth it and if she would do it the same again.

[josh jordan]

"People that make this type of comment will never achieve that level because they aren't wired to do it. Elite people become that way because they go beyond what is normal and push harder than the rest."

see my other post…there is something to be said about assuming. especially when it comes to something you don't know.

that would be like me saying…."I wrestled for 13yrs, made weight at every meet and tournament. I never missed once in 13yrs but you never did that so you have no idea about pushing yourself and never will. I'm an alpha".

lighten up bro…

[Jerry Adams]

women 3, men 1 – great!

Interesting that Anish doesn't have an athlete background

I usually like to go slow and take in all the views, no need to hurry and cut the trip short

But I can see pushing yourself and doing something challenging, I do that a little occasionally and that's fun too

[Jake D]

"I would like to hear her thoughts on if the record was worth it and if she would do it the same again."

Read GG's post.. pretty sure she thinks it was worth it.

Your post just reads as disrespectful to me. Why is there always hate towards people who do things differently than you. I hate basketball but millions of people play basketball every day.. why do people play basketball?

[rOg w]

deleted

[josh jordan]

"Your post just reads as disrespectful to me. Why is there always hate towards people who do things differently than you. I hate basketball but millions of people play basketball every day.. why do people play basketball?"

again there is something to be said about assuming. you are reading way to much into it. if had anything hateful to say I would just come out and say it. this is a forum for discussing things. I made a simple state and asked a simple question. nothing more nothing less. If you questioned me about my past wrestling I wouldn't get my panties in a bunch and take offense. I would tell you that at the time it wasn't always pleasant and a lot of the time didn't enjoy it but looking back at it was a great time in my life. If you asked me if I would do it different, I would say hell yeah! see how simple that is…

have a cold beer and lighten up. not everything is about hate. some of us just have questions or like to discuss reasons behind things. this is a forum…

[Nick Gatel]

"maybe i'm missing something but is that supposed to sounds enjoyable?"

The goal is a PCT record. Each day entails a lot of hard work that seems painful, but for some it is feedback from their body and environment. For some it tells them they are alive and well — it is good feedback. How often do us normal backpackers have sore legs at the end of the day or are gimpy for a few days after a trip — most I suspect — it that enjoyable?

Only the athlete can determine if the end result is worth the daily obstacles. World record distance runners do this almost daily for years and years to reach the goal.

Lets celebrate this woman who had a goal, overcame personal challenges, and came up on top. Its the human spirit — and for this lady the Spirit is alive and well.

[Jake D]

" I made a simple state and asked a simple question. nothing more nothing less."

every time someone discusses speed hiking or going for a record the same question comes up. People have the need to question why someone would enjoy something because it isn't enjoyable to them. Instead of celebrating their accomplishment they question their entire trip.

I Thru hiked the Long Trail last summer. Last fall Nikki Kimball ran it (supported) in 1/3 the time I hiked it. I was extremely impressed and could appreciate the work she put into it.

[Kattt]

She hiked it in a sundress :)

[Jason Elsworth]

Fantastic achievement. It is amazing what some people can do.

[Author]

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