Update: I DNF’d with rhabdo. Here’s a summary of why.

On the morning of April 2nd 2021 I’ll begin my attempt at setting the first Unsupported Fastest Known Time (FKT) of the 343 mile Sheltowee Trace though Tennessee and Kentucky. I’ll be setting out from the Burnt Mill Bridge trailhead in Tennessee and hiking north through the Daniel Boone National Forest, until I finish at the Trace’s northern Terminus, hopefully before the morning of the 12th, my 38th birthday. I’ll probably be sleep deprived and hallucinating at the finish, so that should be interesting.

I’ll be carrying a lightweight backpacking kit and 10 days of food. I plan to finish before my food runs out, because I don’t like being hangry. I’ll be taking some pictures and video of the hike and I’ll make a blog post (or several) about the experience after I return.

I’m taking a Garmin inReach Mini, which is a satellite communication device, in case of emergency on the trail or to arrange transportation if I need to bail. It’s also a GPS device, and will allow me to create a GPS track to be submitted for FKT verification. Because it’s capable of satellite communication, I’ll be uploading my current location automatically every hour or two to my online “live” tracking page as I hike. You can follow along there if you’re curious. It’s just dots on a map, though, so don’t expect to be entertained.

If you’d like to compare my progress in the context of the whole trail, here’s an online map of the Trace.

For comparison, the current FKT’s are listed on the Sheltowee Trace FKT page. You’ll notice that there’s currently no FKT in the Unsupported Category, which is the one I’ll be trying to set. Thankfully, this means the only thing I have to beat is the trail itself.

What does Unsupported mean? Unsupported is the strictest sub-type of FKT.
From the FKT Guidelines:
Unsupported means you truly have no external support of any kind. This means you carry everything you need from start to finish except water from natural sources (public taps along the trail are fine, but no water from any commercial source even if free). This naturally limits the length of an Unsupported trip. Spectating in person by friends, family, or photographers is supportive, and thus not in the spirit of this style, and will be classified as Supported starting February 4, 2021 (all FKT classifications previous to this date will remain unchanged). Phone and digital communication is not considered support.

Basically, In order to follow the rules and set the record, I have to carry everything I need from the start, and I can’t accept help or pacing from anyone. I can’t even throw away any trash until I arrive at the end of the trail. It’s the strictest classification of FKT, and it’s why those who have attempted to set the Unsupported FKT for the Trace in the past have failed. If I can set it, others will be inspired to beat my time.

A note on trail length: the Sheltowee Trace is under regular construction by the Sheltowee Trace Association. In the above trip reports, the trail was considerably shorter than it is today. Only two months after I finish, the Association is planning to lengthen the trail by 11 more miles. It’s good to know that the trail is constantly being improved and lengthened by a group of dedicated volunteers.

For comparison, the longest hike I’ve ever done up to this point has been 91 miles, so 343 will be quite a stretch. I’ve been training and preparing for this for the last 18 months or so, and I think I’m ready. Thanks so much for your prayers everybody.

For those inquisitive people with more questions, there’s this, I guess:

FAQ’s

Q: Why are you doing this?
A: It’s hard to say exactly. Physical fitness and mental toughness are two things I want to improve, and this seems to be a good way. The training has helped me get through COVID sane, so that’s a benefit. I would never be able to thru-hike this entire trail without doing it fast, just because of the distance involved. If I’m hiking fast, why not try to set a record? And maybe most importantly, I’ve spent a good percentage of my backpacking time on various sections of this trail. I’ve always wondered where its twisty miles go, and I’d like to follow my curiosity through to the end. I think there’s something for me there.

Q: You’re weird. What about bears?
A: There are black bears in Kentucky and Tennessee. Black bears are like big raccoons and won’t bother me. Because I’m weird.

Q: Are you sure they won’t bother you?
A: I’m not sure of anything, but black bears statistically aren’t a problem, and I prefer to be driven by reason rather than by fear. If I was a fearful person, then I wouldn’t be doing this. Sorry, I’m just never going to see the world from that perspective. Traffic is a thousand times more deadly than bears, and neither of us is using our valuable brains to worry about that, right?

Q: OK, I guess. But bears can still kill you.
A: Thanks so much for your concern, let’s move on.

Q: Hmmm…What will you eat and drink?
A: I’m going stoveless, and I’ve got backpacking food like cookies, pretzels, chips, and chocolate. About 25 pounds’ worth. 5,600 calories a day. I’ll pick up water from streams along the way, and I’ve got a filter bottle that I’ll drink out of for water treatment. No restaurants or food drops allowed in the Unsupported FKT category.

Q: So, 343 miles in 10 days…that’s like 34 miles a day, right?
A: Yep. My plan is to start out slowly, like 30 miles the first day, and then gradually speed up as I eat through my food and my pack gets lighter. Hopefully my last day will be closer to 45 or 50 miles. But I really don’t know at this point.

Q: So you might finish sooner?
A: Yeah, but I really can’t predict how much sooner, if any.

Q: How heavy is your pack?
A: It’ll start out at about 35 lbs and get lighter every day.

Q: Doesn’t that trail go through the Red River Gorge and the Big South Fork?
A: Yep! So you may have been on it at some point too.

Q: Is it the same as the Appalachian Trail?
A: No. Different trail, different place. 

Well that’s all for now folks. Gotta go finish up my preparations.