{"id":38070,"date":"2018-08-29T16:15:39","date_gmt":"2018-08-29T23:15:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=38070"},"modified":"2018-11-11T22:21:12","modified_gmt":"2018-11-12T06:21:12","slug":"karel-sabbe-sets-new-fastest-known-time-on-the-appalachian-trail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/news\/karel-sabbe-sets-new-fastest-known-time-on-the-appalachian-trail","title":{"rendered":"Karel Sabbe Sets New Fastest Known Time on the Appalachian Trail"},"content":{"rendered":"

With Mount Katahdin enveloped in a midday cloud on Aug. 28, Belgian ultrarunner Karel Sabbe summited Baxter Peak to claim the overall Fastest Known Time, or FKT, on the Appalachian Trail<\/a>. He ticked off all 2,190 miles of the AT in 41 days, 7 hours and 39 minutes, eclipsing by more than four days the previous northbound FKT set last year. On his final push for the record, Sabbe ran for 32 hours for roughly 100 miles until he reached the trail\u2019s northern terminus. \u201cAll I had was a seven-minute nap because I was falling asleep on the go,\u201d said the 28-year-old dentist.<\/p>\n

Sabbe said he averaged 53 miles a day and set the record for a supported FKT, meaning he had a small crew who followed him throughout the journey and provided him with food and other aid. In contrast, Joe \u201cStringbean\u201d McConaughy<\/a>, who set the self-supported record last year, carried all of his own supplies without any outside help. McConaughy still holds the self-supported record, while Sabbe has clutched both the supported title and the overall FKT.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cKarel’s run should raise a lot of eyebrows,\u201d McConaughy said about the significance of Sabbe\u2019s FKT, adding that Sabbe’s level-headedness is an important quality that enables him to accomplish great things. \u201cHe takes risks, he has big visions, but he knows that consistency wins in such a long feat.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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In the year 60 B.C., Julius Caesar wrote: "Of all Gauls, the Belgians are the bravest." Over 2000 years later there is still some truth in that sentence. We have set a new speed record on the epic Appalachian Trail !! The Fastest Known Time is now 41 days 7 hours 39 minutes, which is over 4 days faster than the previous record, held by an incredibly strong and unsupported @thestring.bean. I want to thank my dear friend @jorenbiebuyck from the bottom of my heart as without his incredible crewing and support I would never have made the PCT as well as the AT speed records. Fun facts: nobody has ever held overall Pacific Crest Trail and Appalachian Trail speed records at the same time. Nobody had averaged more than 50 miles on the Appalachian Trail. More than proud, I feel privileged for having lived these incredible adventures. It was a blast from start to finish ! Thanks @skinssportswear for making this possible, without you there would have been no new FKT. Thank you everybody for the support!\u00a0 #AppalachianTrailSpeedRecordAttempt\u00a0 #teamSKINS\u00a0#BestInCompression\u00a0#HOKAONEONE#TimeToFly\u00a0#TraKKs\u00a0#Suunto\u00a0#Selfpropelled#Ledlenser\u00a0#kleankanteen\u00a0#nordisk\u00a0#trekneat\u00a0#ultramarathon#speedrecord\u00a0#AppalachianTrail #ultrarunning #ultratrail #trailrunner #trailrunning<\/a><\/p>\n

A post shared by Karel Sabbe<\/a> (@karelsabbe) on