Exhausted.
In continuing with the week of positive thinking, mental preparation and physical conditioning I went back to a story that I was following but had forgotten to check in on in a long while. The question at the top of his website; Where’s Karl?
Well on Monday September 29th at 4:20 AM Ultramarathoner Karl Meltzer and his trekking partner cracked open a couple beers and walked to their finish line at the top of Springer mountain (North Georgia) by the early morning moonlight.
In continuing with the week of positive thinking, mental preparation and physical conditioning I went back to a story that I was following but had forgotten to check in on in a long while. The question at the top of his website; Where’s Karl?
Well on Monday September 29th at 4:20 AM Ultramarathoner Karl Meltzer and his trekking partner cracked open a couple beers and walked to their finish line at the top of Springer mountain (North Georgia) by the early morning moonlight.
Yup Karl Meltzer is the 4th fastest individual to complete the Appalachian Trail, 2,147 miles, with a finish of: 54 days 21 hours 12 minutes. Although he missed his goal of being in first this was still an amazing accomplishment. The amount of dedication, determination, training, organizing and planning required for an undertaking of this volume is enormous.
Karl now sits in fourth and is ranked up with some of the most impressive athletes; as his website states first to sixth now looks like this;
Andrew Thompson: 47 days 13 hours 31 minutes (2005)
Pete Palmer: 48 days 20 hours 11 minutes (1999)
David Horton: 52 days 9 hours (1991)
Karl Meltzer: 54 days 21 hours 12 minutes
Scott Grierson: 55 days 20 hours 34 minutes (1991)
Jennifer Pharr Davis: 57 days 8 hours 35 minutes (2008)
During this arduous 54 day journey Karl logged; 632 hours and 42 minutes, 2,178 miles, gained a total of 329947 ft of elevation, burned 355053 calories meaning he burnt an average of 6575 calories per day! Oh and grew a beard in the process. And even though it was apparent well before he was near the finish that he would not meet the goal of 47 days, he did not give up and pushed on.
Well done Karl…truly inspirational. Karl pictured below with his wife at the finish.
1 comment:
That is an amazing accomplishment. Anyone who has read "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson realizes that walking that trail from start to finish isn't a trek for any average person. To do it in less than 2 months is almost unbelievable.
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