Fastest Self-Supported Hike of the Appalachian Trail
The Feat: Jurek wasn’t the only athlete to break a record on the Appalachian Trail this year. Heather ‘Anish’ Anderson speed-hiked southbound from Maine to Georgia in seven weeks, all while carting a backpack that contained her tent, sleeping bag, clothes, food, and supplies. She arrived at Springer Mountain on September 24, 54 days, 7 hours, and 48 minutes after she began, beating the previous record for an unsupported hike-thru of the 2,189-mile trail by an astounding four days. Anderson is no stranger to record-breaking feats of endurance. The Seattle-based personal trainer also holds the self-supported speed record for the Pacific Crest Trail (60 days, 17 hours, 12 minutes).
Previous Record: Matt Kirk set a record of 58 days, 9 hours, and 38 minutes in 2013.
The Near-Miss Moment: Anderson’s biggest obstacle was timing. She’d mailed herself food resupplies by post ahead of time, but struggled to pick up the boxes during regular business hours and still maintain her pace.
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