FKT Podcast

There were 1,308 FKTs set in Europe in 2020.  A panel of experts nominated 23 of the best, then they voted.  Here is the #3 Woman and the #3 Man; next week we hear from the Top two’s. We start with an Introduction to the European FKT with Matt Lefort, a native of France, who’s been living in Andorra for 12 years, and just moved to Norway. He offers good insights that set the stage. Let’s listen to our first two winners, an English woman living in Germany, and an American living in England! Like what you hear?  Help us keep doing it - please Donate now: https://www.patreon.com/fastestknowntime https://fastestknowntime.com/support Music: bensound.com

Listen to the amazing stories, directly from the people who did them! Wrapping up the 2020 Fastest Known Time Of the Year Award for North America in this order. Thanks to presenting sponsor, The North Face! Sabrina Stanley - #2 Female - Nolan's 14 2d 0hr 49m; 100mi; 42,000' Joe McConaughy - #2 Male - Long Trail 4d 23h 54m; 273mi; 65,370' Kelly Halpin - #1 Female - Wind River High Route 2d 11h 37m; 97mi; 30,000' Joey Campanelli - #1 Male - Nolan's 14 1d 17h 33s; 100mi; 42,000'

This is a big podcast! We hear stories from who the voters selected as their most inspirational FKTs. Thanks to presenting sponsor, The North Face! FKT'ers we talk to today in order: Adam Kimble - #5 Male - Tahoe Rim Trail 1d 13h 12m 15s; 170mi, 26,913' Alyssa Godesky - #4 Female (tie) - Adirondack 46 High Peaks 3d 16h 16m; 160mi; 67,412' Kaytlyn Gerbin - #4 Female (tie) - Wonderland Trail 18h 41m 54s; 93mi; 24,000' Mikaela Osler - #4 Female (tie) - Colorado Trail 10d 12h 36m; 485mi; 90,000' David Ayala - #4 Male - Sierra High Route 4d 3h 36m; 195mi; 43,000' Sarah Hansel - #3 Female - Nolan's 14 2d 9h 43m 34s; 100mi; 42,000' Eric Gilbertson - #3 Male - Rocky Mountain Slam 60d 9h 20m; 1,030mi; 432,500'

The 2020 FKT of the Year Awards are presented by The North Face. There were 2,784 FKTs set in North America in 2020 - yikes! How do we sort them out, and find the coolest ones? Hillary and Alex are here to help. "Women set FKTs this year that were the fastest Overall - Hillary" "There were 10 different FKTs on just the Wonderland Trail this year - Alex" "Joey's Unsupported time on Nolan's beat the Supported times of some of the best runners anywhere" "Kelly is not a strong racer, so I don't think people recognize how strong of an athlete she is" Definitely read the Nominations List on the website, and post your own thoughts. The next two podcasts on Jan 1 and Jan 8 will announce the North American winners. Then we launch the FKTOY Award in Europe!

YOU asked, and the experts answered! These are just some of the questions from our listeners... What type of sun protection is best? "I'm a fan of covering up" - Mary "A hooded shirt is the way to go" - Andrew Is "Sunscreen the New Margarine?" - Buzz How much of a difference do trekking poles make and how to know when to use them? "Poles are standard equipment. Like wearing a shirt." - Andrew "They can be difficult in technical terrain" - Mary "The Black Diamond 'Z-folding' running pole was a game-changer" - Andrew   For those long efforts, how best to recharge my GPS watch, phone, etc? "A 10,000 mAh battery pack is the sweet spot" - Andrew "You can get 3 phone charges from an Anker" - Mary "Solar power is great, but has a terrible weight/power ratio for this purpose" - Buzz What tips would you have for someone getting started in packrafting? What socks and gloves do you prefer during winter time? "The RBH Designs mitten is expensive, but it's the best" - Andrew Andy: What’s the single 'must-have but they might not know about it' piece of gear? "I tested a Zoleo this year - this PLB is designed to be paired with your phone, so is lighter than a Garmin or SPOT" Mary: What bit of gear has impressed you the most? "The Gaia GPS app! We just added Snotel sites as a map overlay."

Sean McCoy has been with the Gear Junkie since this excellent website was started 14 years ago - he knows gear!  Need a holiday gift idea?  Wondering what you need for your next FKT? Sean has been there, seen that - what are his recommendations? "I'm an adherent to the 'buy once, cry once' philosophy - if it's a sport you're committed to, get the best now, and then use it until it falls apart." Oldies But Goodies Anything made with DCF (Dyneema Composite Fabric; formerly Cuben Fibre). Sean has a Hyperlite pack made with DCF that he's been using for years. Sean's PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) is a SPOT. It doesn't have the ability to send texts like the popular Garmin Mini but all he needs is the SOS feature. There is a new PLB: the Zoleo - it's designed specifically to connect with your phone, so is smaller, lighter and less expensive, while still having an Check-In and SOS button which operate even without your phone. New For 2020 The Dahlie Winter Run Jacket has Primaloft Aerogel in the chest area only - it's the lightest insulation there is. Black Diamond has 3 new lightweight crampons ("traction devices") suitable for running. The Distance Spike not only has 14 spikes, but a toe cover to keep your feet warmer and prevent pressure points on the straps. The Blitz Spike is extremely lightweight, with small spikes only under the ball of your foot, for those quick but dangerous frozen snow crossings. VJ Shoes is a Finnish company that claims their shoes have the most traction. The iRock 3 has huge 7mm lugs, which is great for winter and other soft surface conditions. Coming Soon The Nike VaporFly changed the world of running shoes, particularly for road marathons, and their Zoom Fly and their subsequent models such as the Next % continued the tidal wave. Other company's rushed to produce a shoe with a similar carbon plate and energy-return system.  The North Face may be the first to create a trail shoe using this technology. It's not available yet - stay tuned!

Four short highlights from Season One you may have missed or need to hear again. The best 10 minutes from each! Episode 1: Tony Krupicka on the Longs Peak Duathlon (our most listened-to podcast ever). Free-soloing is all about "how you feel". "Sometimes being successful means just getting back to the car. Alive.” Episode 2: Karel Sabbe crushes the FKT on the Appalachian Trail. How did he beat the best ultra-runners in the country by FOUR DAYS? "I learned it was far better to start very early and get the miles done, rather than struggle in late and tired." Episode 10: Heather Anderson is the first women to do the Calendar Triple Crown of Hiking. She once held the Overall Self-Supported FKTs for the AT, the PCT, and the Arizona Trail, simultaneously. "I wanted to relinquish control, let go and let it unfold. It was an area of growth for me.” Episode 13: Jim Walmsley and two friends swim across the Colorado River. The R2R2R.alt has become epic for combining adventure and beauty. "It's really aesthetic, because the Bass is the only trail other than the Kaibab that goes completely from one Rim to the other, with the only catch being, there is no bridge across the River..." This Episode is a tight 45 minutes of the best advice from the best FKTers.

Simple question?  Let's hear answers from 3 people who should know: Peter Bakwin - Co-Founder; 26 FKTs (9th overall) Marcy Beard - 32 FKTs (4th overall) Jason Hardrath - 82 FKTs (going for 100!) Peter: • The route resonates with you - personal expression. • Do the homework - practice on it • If it's a new route, convince us why others will want to do it • Consider what might go wrong - then be flexible when something else does "Training is the fun part." Marcy: • Select the route - using the FKT website for distance, vert, difficulty • Is the route cool - is it something that calls to me? • Study and bring maps - get every detail right in advance, including scouting • Lifestyle - move our home to where we want to be, and go for the FKT when the time and weather are optimal "The Garmin Mini is great - it pairs with my phone so I can send texts from anywhere." Jason: • Do the research • Should be a route that is attractive for others; not just something nobody has done yet • Should fit your skill-set and aptitude • Commit to it, and respect what it requires "You want a route that demands respect; not a route that you can just show up, and nothing bad can happen."

Allison Mercer is our Social Media Coordinator. She and Ben Mercer met on the trails, she admired his FKTs, so they got married and now have set some together! In October they did the Georgia segment of the AT together, Unsupported, finishing it in "a Michael Jordan time of 23:23!" Allison also answers all your questions submitted on the Contact Form. So we quizzed her on the spot with actual questions that have been submitted! How did she do? Hello, just wondering if there is an FKT for just the Blue Ridge Parkway 469 mile ride? A couple water skied 62 miles across northern Lake Michigan. Is this an FKT? Route name: London Monopoly Board Run. Will this be added as a route? 贸易有限公司！主营衣服鞋等服装网址1.com If I get water from a gas station, is it still an Unsupported run? Listen to find out her answers. (Hint: she got every one right).

What is an FKT Challenge? (Michael started one, and their Award Party is November 15). "These are the routes we like to run. They are quite technical. You can never be too competitive, because they are very rocky and steep, but that’s what we consider a good FKT route." "We had 100 people trying one route in one month." How do tourist boards help create FKT routes? "People were thinking, 'I’m not the best runner, but I have a really nice hiking trail in my backyard, we all know it but no one else does, so I’ll do it, have a great time, and submit it.'" What are the best FKT routes in the Alps? "The routes that are well known are competitive - unbelievably competitive. On one 100km route this summer, there were two runners on it, coincidentally the same day. They were top ten at UTMB and Tors de Geants. After 17 hours they finished 10-15 minutes apart." Links mentioned in the podcast: FKT Challenge in Austria: https://fastestknowntimeaustria.com/ Facebook Group FKT Austria: https://www.facebook.com/groups/fastestknowntimeaustria Facebook Group FKT Germany: https://www.facebook.com/groups/237872827465945 Thruhiking Europe style: https://fastestknowntime.com/route/traumpfad-munchen-venedig-german-austria-italy Berliner Höhenweg: https://fastestknowntime.com/route/berliner-hohenweg-austria Watzmann Via Ferrata FKT (with Video) https://fastestknowntime.com/route/watzmann-traverse-germany