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@Speedgoatkarl
AT training in full swing 80 mph winds on Mt Washington. I chose Carter Dome 50 days till post time @HOKAONEONE
@Speedgoatkarl
2188 miles is not that far. Just sayin'
WHO IS KARL?
ABOUT THE TRAIL
READ NOTES
FROM THE TRAIL
FROM THE TRAIL
By the NUMBERS
2,190 MIles on the appalachian trail is roughly...
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POV
100 MILES
LESS THAN 100 miles to go!
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RISE AND SHINE
KARL GETS READY TO RUN IN THE MORNING
WATCH VIDEO
A MAN AND HIS VAN
appalachian trail Thru-Hikers experience a lot of ups and downs.
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ELEVATION GAIN/LOSS
Shoe workshop
Breathability is key to keeping karl's feet in top condition. LEarn how KARL AND crew CUSTOMIZE HIS KICKS.
WATCH VIDEO
KARL AND CREW EXPLAIN WHAT IT TAKES TO CONQUER THE TRAIL
PLAY VIDEO
TRAIL WARRIOR
Karl is on a pace to set a new thru-hike speed record.
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HALFWAY THERE
TRAIL FLORA
THE A.T. IS EXTREMELY BIODIVERSE IN BOTH ANIMAL AND PLANT SPECIES.
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AT JOURNEY OVERVIEW
WATCH VIDEO
A MAN AND HIS VAN
CREW CHIEF ERIC BELZ GIVES US A TOUR OF THE VAN THAT KEEPS THEIR TEAM ROLLING DOWN THE A.T.
(SORRY, NO HOUSEGUESTS!)
GEAR
DANGERS OF THE TRAIL
besides the inherent dangers of the a.t.'s terrain, weather, animals, insects and plants can also threaten a hike. so far, Karl's crew has encountered a gnarly swarm of bees.
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BOULDERING AND CLIMBING PUT KARL TO THE TEST ON HIS SECOND DAY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
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THE HARDEST MILE
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KARL is known as the 100 mile king. only 2,090 miles to go.
100 MILES
PLAY VIDEO
KARL Explains the adventure that awaits him on the trail.
KARL's JOURNEY
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RUNNING THE AT
KARL HOPES TO COMPLETE THE 2,190 mile trail in under 50 days.
MOUNT KATAHDIN
Karl will start his journey on the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.
A MAN AND HIS VAN
CREW CHIEF ERIC BELZ GIVES US A TOUR OF THE VAN THAT KEEPS THEIR TEAM ROLLING DOWN THE A.T.
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New York
mountainous
terrain:
4221 ft
elevation:
mile 482
0.0
distance remaining
2190
DISTANCE COVERED
3.28 MPH
average speed
–
BODY MASS LOST
345,122
CALORIES BURNED
4,330,207
STEPS
“If ice cream is available. I would eat that 24-7.
I also like a beer or two each night.”
Dinner On The Trail
After a final recovery shake, Karl ends the day with and a high-calorie meal prepared by his crew – pasta, steak and potatoes, salmon with asparagus – and an ice-cold beer.
Hydration
“All day I sip Red Bull…”
Karl keeps his electrolytes, amino acids and energy in full supply through a combination of water, supplements, recovery drinks, and Red Bull.
Power Foods
“I love Lebanon bologna. (It's not nasty bologna...its' different.)”
During the day, Karl will consume one power food per half hour. He carries these with him on the trail, so simple foods like sandwiches, quesadillas and fruits are ideal.
Breakfast of Champions
“A bunch of bacon is actually quite good because of all the fat."
On the first stop of the day, Karl indulges in a real breakfast like French toast, crepes, pancakes or even doughnuts. He likes to keep things varied.
“Food is energy.”
Morning Fuel
Coffee with real whipping cream and a small dose of calories to get started on the first leg of the day: yogurt and a banana, a bar, or easy breakfast like bacon and eggs.
Michael Wardian
“Speedgoat Karl is the epitome of an endurance athlete. Karl is tough, resilient, passionate, dedicated, honest, wise...cracking and an icon of the sport.”
Krissy Moehl
“Head down and go. Music in, he’s off. It’s a natural progression to see Speedgoat take on a challenge like the Appalachian Trail. … I saw it on the Red Bull Human Express and know from racing with him over the years, this guy has the head down ability to get sh… stuff done.”
Ian Torrence
"Karl succeeds where others don't because he involves a close knit collection of friends and ensures the adventure's priority is achieved at all times: to have fun. Once he's accomplished this everything else, "the gravy" he calls it, falls into place.”
Karl's Dad
“Karl always told me he loved the Appalachian Trail. We have spent many days on the AT. I only hike the trail; he runs over those rocks! … I always thought I just exposed him to the mountains; he stayed and made a life and career there. He has taken me to the mountains, deserts and canyons, all because of this "running thing.”
Along his journey, Karl will run through an estimated:
tap to learn more
18
121
391K
207 oz
138
80K
465K
690
121 Crashes
391,000 Calories
207 oz of Gels
138 Cans of Red Bull
80K White Blazer Trees
690 Hours of Grateful Dead
465,000 Ft. Elevation Gain/Loss
18 Pairs of Shoes
SECONDS
MINUTES
HOURS
DAYS
ABOUT THE TRAIL
WHO IS KARL?
CONGRATULATIONS, KARL!
• Has won more 100-mile races than
• anyone on Earth
• 5-time Hardrock 100 champion
• 6-time Wasatch 100 champion
• Named U.S. Ultrarunner of the Year
• Has run 2,064 miles along Pony Express from • • • California to Missouri and the 2,190-mile
• Appalachian Trail
Karl Meltzer is one of the world’s best in endurance mountain running – ultrarunning – an extreme form of racing that makes a marathon look like a short sprint. The sure-footed, indefatigable athlete known as “Speedgoatkarl” holds the world record for most career wins in 100-mile races and he has set course speed records at the toughest 100s on the planet.
When he’s not competing or coaching, Karl takes on personal challenges like running the old Pony Express route from California to Missouri in a 2010 project called “Red Bull Human Express.” In 2006, Karl won a world-record six 100s in a single season and earned kudos including Road Runners Club of America’s Runner of the Year and the Everest Award (the Academy Awards of adventure sports.) In 2007 and 2009, he won five 100s, setting numerous course records (sometimes by hours).
In 2008, he took his mountain endurance to a new extreme; Karl completed the gnarly 2,190-mile Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia in 54 days, persisting to log the fourth-fastest time in history despite severe tendonitis. He’s now won more 100-mile races than anyone else on the planet. “You have to exercise patience to really excel at these races,” he says. “You have to make your pace even all the way through.”
Karl plans to run the Appalachian Trail again, hoping to set a new speed record, noting that the attempt is “not only man versus clock, but man versus nature … and man versus self.”
The 2,190 mile Appalachian Trail has been the pinnacle of American hiking for over 90 years. The first section of the Trail was opened on October 7, 1923 in Bear Mountain, NY and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) was founded soon after in 1925. Much progress was made throughout the early 1930’s as trails were blazed in West Virginia, Virginia and Connecticut. Stretching from Maine to Georgia, the trail goes through 14 states.
The first through-hiker was Earl Shaffer who completed his hike without the aid of a tent, sleeping mat or stove, which he chose to leave behind due to weight. The attempt was unknown to the entire country at the time, and the Appalachian Trailway News even published an article listing 10 reasons why no one would ever complete the entire trail while Earl's hike was in progress.
Shaffer finished the hike on August 6, 1948 after 124 days in the wilderness, and now, starting around the same time Earl finished, Karl will look to complete the trail in 46 days.