7:30 a.m. on June 22, 2011 (EDT)
8:44 a.m. on June 22, 2011 (EDT)
Great article heather! Everyone has been waiting with anticipation for her to start. I unfortunently woont have the oppertunity to meet her. I will be following her coattails in a few days. I'v heard nothing but positive admiration for her. 2 non supported male hikers this season have come up short on the record. Would be great for her to do it. Everyone believe's she can and has the talent. Here's her website to followhttp://jenniferpharrdavis.tumblr.com/. i am outing it on my phone to keep track..
1:52 p.m. on June 22, 2011 (EDT)
I'm glad you enjoyed the article, Denis.
I liked this quote in it by Davis:
I enjoy the trail the same amount that I do on a traditional backpack, and I just love being outdoors.
The trail is out there for anyone who respects nature, respects others, respects themselves, and is willing to abide by the rules of the trail, and I have every right to travel this trail in whatever method I choose and enjoy.
Denis, good luck on your own AT journey. You will have lots of share with us about your experience. I hope it's a wonderful journey.
7:17 a.m. on July 6, 2011 (EDT)
Here's what I recieved in a Text from my niece who is monitoring it for me as well. From Karl Meltzer " I'm roooting for her to chick me, so I can try and get her back next year. The AT Rocks!" I guess Karl Meltzer is going to try and top his record next year.. From what I gather from my text she is in New Jersey now. 802 miles in 14 day's..Wow! She will beat it!..I hope more girls follow her adventure and realize that could be them..
8:22 a.m. on July 6, 2011 (EDT)
gonzan
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She is amazing!
I am planning my Teton Crest Trail Hike right now, and was thinking I might be pushing it by going for 10 mile days...and she's doing 60 mile days. I now feel like a complete pansy :)
9:00 p.m. on July 28, 2011 (EDT)
For those of you wondering how she's doing, Davis is on track to break the overall record this Sunday, July 31.
Here's the most recent press release. You also can follow her on twitter.
Jennifer Pharr Davis on Track to Set Appalachian Trail Overall Speed Record
07.25.2011– Asheville, NC—Jennifer Pharr Davis, current holder of the Women’s Speed Record for the fastest thru hike of the Appalachian Trail, is in the homestretch toward making history by hiking away with the overall speed record.
In June, Davis began her campaign from Mount Katahdin, Maine to Springer Mountain, Georgia. Her goal is to hike the entire 2,181-mile trail faster than the current overall speed record of 47 days, 13 hours and 31 minutes. She is on track to reach this goal on Sunday, July 31st, 2011. (click for blog)
To break the record, Davis has been hiking an average of 47 miles a day, camping along the trail and sometimes leaving the trail briefly for showers and hotel beds. She has had consistent trail support from legendary ultra-runner and former AT and Pacific Crest Trail speed record holder David Horton, as well as veteran AT expert Warren Doyle and Davis’ husband, Brew Davis. Her record-breaking fastpacking career and influence in the industry is remarkable, given that she picked up the sport just six years ago.
“Whenever I’m not on a trail, I am being pulled back to it. Hiking is not only something I enjoy, it’s my passion, my career and my calling,” says Jennifer Pharr Davis. “It’s so fulfilling that I have people I love supporting this next speed challenge. I hope to elevate awareness of the sport and the outdoors, and to get more people involved in sharing a similar passion.”
9:18 p.m. on July 28, 2011 (EDT)
i was just going to add to this Alicia. I got the Hit from Warren Doyles FB page on mine. LOL This is awesome that she is just knocking it out of the park.
3:45 p.m. on July 30, 2011 (EDT)
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Great article, and this is so weird. I just ordered Becoming Odyssa on Amazon earlier today. I love reading books on the AT, so I'm anxious for the book more than ever now. My wife and I love to backpack and hike, and my wife recently got started in distance running. So I know she'll want to read it also. Good luck to Jennifer. I'll be tracking her progress.
11:49 p.m. on July 30, 2011 (EDT)
She's super close and will likely finish tomorrow:
Update About Tomorrow!
Hi everyone—this is very exciting.
As of 6pm tonight (Saturday), Jen had completed 45 miles and was hoping to put in another 15 before going to bed. If she finishes that tonight, she’ll have only 36.2 miles to go. Right now she’s planning on waking up at 2:45 to start hiking by 3am so if you’re planning on coming out to Springer, you should probably be there by 1pm to be safe. Sorry for the late notice, but better late than never. Thanks!
5:26 p.m. on July 31, 2011 (EDT)
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6:15 a.m. on August 1, 2011 (EDT)
yes She set the womens Record!!! She could only run when she had flat ground. Mostly going a 3 -3.5 Mph hiking pace. Day before getting the record she pulled in 60 miles of hiking. She Rocks!!!! Now Karl Meltzer is going next year for the Mens. But the overal fastest Unsuported thruhike is Still Ward Leonard (Spookey) in the Nineties 60.5 days and he holds the Record for 3 consectutive thruhikes in a Fiscal year(365) days. That would be the biggest record to be broke by far Doing 4 in one year. Jenn Rocks!!!
8:25 a.m. on August 1, 2011 (EDT)
I updated the article at the bottom with this:
Record Update: On Sunday, August 31, at 3:26 p.m. (EST), after 46 days, 11 hours, and 20 minutes on the Appalachian Trail, Jennifer Pharr Davis hiked away with the overall speed record. When she reached the top of Georgia's Springer Mountain she became the fastest person (male or female) ever to thru-hike the 2,181-mile Appalachian Trail. Andrew Thompson set the previous overall record of 47 days, 13 hours, and 31 minutes in 2005.
Davis set out from Maine's Mount Katahdin on June 15 and hiked and ran an average of 45 miles a day every day for more than six weeks. Davis had trail support from legendary ultra-runner and former AT and Pacific Crest Trail speed record holder David Horton, veteran AT expert Warren Doyle, and her husband, Brew Davis.
I wonder if she'd ever try for fastest unsupported?
9:23 a.m. on August 1, 2011 (EDT)
3:29 p.m. on August 6, 2011 (EDT)
I was in Hot Springs, NC when she ran through. She was fast. I was in the back of the outfitter when I heard some clapping and cheering. By the time I got to the front she was gone.
4:13 p.m. on August 6, 2011 (EDT)
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