New JMT Speed Record

Fastest performance of Beethoven's 9th symphony…

"Fastest performance of Beethoven's 9th symphony…"

+1.

yes I get it.
you guys are slow poke snobs :-(
have you ever tried to test yourself at anything or have you spent your entire life simply smelling roses ?

http://www.neverstopexploring.com/blog/2013/08/hal-koerner-and-mike-wolfe-set-a-new-fastest-known-time-record-on-the-john-muir-trail.html

Personally I've been following https://www.facebook.com/AnishHikes

I'm looking forward to the write up of their adventure. These JMT FKT attempts always seem to push people to their absolute limits mentally. I find it very intriguing and inspiring.

I always laugh at these threads though, because there's always someone who takes such offense to people testing their limits. Why hiking long hours is such an offensive act is beyond me.

I have done very competitive semi-pro sports, and I understand challenging yourself.

But why the JMT? Seems like a waste…

Wanna run? Do six marathons. I will admire you. But running the JMT in the dark?

eh.

"But running the JMT in the dark?"

Harder than running on a flat, paved surface nearer to sea level.

More power to them.

the most boring type of running is a setting that is purely about running, crowded in with 20,000 others.
the Sierra trails offer some of the best running in the world.
give it a try … you'll convert.
and if you've never hiked the Sierra at night you need to try it, very sublime.
what's so hypocritical is that the same people who trot out the famous HYOH are the very people who make up a large part of the slow poke snob group and criticize others who like to go fast.

Now that's fast.

Anyone want to guess how long this record will hold? It's pretty fast.

Hal and Mike are among the 10 best 100 mile ultra runners in the U.S.

"Anyone want to guess how long this record will hold? It's pretty fast."

I'm guessing not all that long. Seems like a popular target for a FKT, and its not like they knocked a ton of time off of the old (and still standing unsupported) record.

With enough people attempting it we're bound to see someone get the right set of conditions (weather, sleep, fueling, conditioning, etc.) to take the time down further.

Honestly, some of ghe accounts of failed attempts are more fascinating than the successes. Truly an epic feat of human endurance and will power.

That's fine and all, but this is still about bping. Unfortunately, I'm over the hill too much to make myself happy pushing my limit and that limit has declined too much the last few years. I did go xc on part of my recent vacation to Desolation a week ago, got the scratches on my legs to prove it. I used to run in HS and did some 5K's locally, getting a few medals, but the other side, not much competition.
Duane

Fastest performance of Beethoven's 9th: +2

If, like me, you've been shoved off a narrow trail by more than one runner too impatient to wait until you find a safe place to get off, you would feel the same way.

This site is NOT about back packing.

The title is backpackinglight.
In that title I see an implied secondary purpose of going either fast or far or both.
No you don't have to, you can go slow and smell the roses.
But when people brag about how light weight they can make their "kits" … sometimes even less than 5 lbs for an overnighter, well, is this just about counting grams so we can brag to each other and never get out there to use this gear ? going incredibly light simply for light weight bragging rights is ridiculous in its own right, considering the lack of comfort we impose on ourselves.
Going incredibly light to test ourselves offers a natural progression of the process.

Mary, I'm sorry if some have been rude to you.
As in all cases, please don't condemn an entire group for the trasngressions of a few.

and I guarantee you Hal and Mike did more hiking in their effort than running.

I like how when averaging 2.6 mph, it is implied you cannot see or smell anything.
I don’t see how adding 40 pounds to your pack makes your experience better as now you can take it all in. They had 10 pounds on them, got 3 resupplies and only had company for the last 15 miles.
From their times, they probably did some speed a little over hiking and probably closer to a jog on the downs until they got to Vidette, but they basically hiked 90% of the distance just like anyone else does on the JMT. If they could have really run it all they would have done it in less than 48 hours. I've gone for this and the unsupported record on the JMT and the word "run" is nowhere on the itinerary.
They just didn’t need to give their hernia a break every 30 minutes (stopping to smell the roses).
I even enjoy hiking at night. Sure you miss some views but that is all the more reason to come back and do it the other direction or just be in those locations at times to take it all in.

Hal and Mike broke the supported record of Sue Johnston.
Brett Maune still has the unsupported record 3 days 14 hours 13 minutes.

Sorry to hear about your hernia Aaron.

I'm saying the hernia you would get from lugging around 50 pounds.
That's how you get to "see" the trail.

People find beauty in myriad ways. I think there's a certain beauty in pushing oneself to, and past, limits – both in the agony and anguish of failing to complete such an attempt (but not a failure to begin it….), and in the elation and meaningfulness of completing such an (inward and outward) journey. Spirit, endurance, will – beauty in it all.

It's too bad people think that you can only find/should only look for external beauty, there's lots of beauty inside each of us as well.

And yes, I even think some would find beauty in the fastest performance of Beethoven's 9th if done well – the technical prowess and ability to complete such a thing would be wonderful to some.

We all find beauty in different ways. It always makes me sigh a bit when we seemingly can't resist having to piss on someone else's parade because they see the world differently than we do. Tis a shame we can't simply appreciate the effort, even if we don't completely understand it or wouldn't be interested in doing it ourselves.

–Tis a shame we can't simply appreciate the effort, even if we don't completely understand it or wouldn't be interested in doing it ourselves.–

Well said.

Anyone know the SKT (Slowest Known Time) for the JMT? I'll bet that person knows how to enjoy a view.

Adam

Is it wrong to try and break a Fastest Known Time on a trail, run a mile under 4 minutes or break the world record in the mile, be the first to hike a long route (ala Skukra), climb a new route on a Big mountain, climb a new route on a Big rock, or be the youngest person to complete the Triple Crown of long hikes?

It is this competitive nature in people that often leads to breaking new barriers. It shows what can be done, when most say it cannot.

Speed hikes may not be of interest to the majority of members of BPL (myself included), just as doing the PCT with a SUL kit is probably not of interest to most here, or even doing the entire PCT in 6 months is not going to be done by most here. Should we disparage PCT hikers who take a break once a week and go into a town or even for taking several months out of life to hike it?

These guys hiked the entire JMT (or maybe ran part of it). Did they miss something that someone who hikes it in 3 weeks will experience? I don't know, or even care. Everyone gets what they want out of their own hikes.

Speed hikes are of little interest to me, but it is not my place to pass judgement on those who want to do them. But it is backpacking — they carried a pack with all their food and gear, slept in the wilderness, and got home safely. I do each of these 3 things on all my trips. They just covered more miles per hour than I do.

Did they bring pencils?

Adam R. –
“Anyone know the SKT (Slowest Known Time) for the JMT? I’ll bet that person knows how to enjoy a view.”

Maybe not the record, but she probably does know how to enjoy the view.

In the start photo, both are wearing short socks. In the finish photo, one is wearing long socks. Are those support socks? Anti-scratch socks?