Ultra Runners and the AT
The other day when we were in NY and
working our way through rock obstacles, I was standing in front of a rock about
4 feet off the ground and trying to figure how to step up on it and begin
working my way along the ledge it began, when I heard someone running full
speed up behind me. So I stepped aside and then like a flash, a young ultra-runner
leaped up on the rock and bounded his way from one rock to another until he
disappeared.
As I watched him perform that feat,
it reminded me of scenes from movies starring Jackie Chan. If you have ever
watched Jackie in action you know what I mean. One minute he is standing on the
ground and the next he is on the third floor after leaping from one almost
imperceptible foothold to another.
Ultra-runners can do the same
sort of thing after they build up the required momentum, thus they like to run
on trails like the AT where there are so many rock formations. But as you
watch them you realize that one wrong move could easily result in a serious
injury.
I was only recently introduced to this sport when friends
sent me word of Karl Meltzer who in 2016 ran the AT in 45 days. He was
sponsored in the venture by Red Bull and a large team assisted him along the
way. They provided him with all the
food, drink and even sleeping quarters in his attempt to set the new record.
Later, I learned that a young lady
named Heather set the record for an unassisted thru hike of the AT, and it took
her only 9 days longer. This means she carried everything she used on the AT,
and even did her own cooking.
http://www.runnersworld.com/ultrarunning/ultrarunner-karl-meltzer-breaks-appalachian-trail-thru-hike-record |
So that tells us that even ultra-runners
who are heavily supported cannot do a whole lot better. That speaks to the fact
that many sections of the AT simply require one to walk, climb or at times even
crawl.
Our goal is to finish in a little
over 5 months. Sheez, compared to those record setters we are like turtles. And
we are tired at the end of every day! The human body is an amazing thing,
and points to the awesomeness of our Creator God.
Uncle
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