Arizona Trail 800 Mile Showdown Light VS McKnight FKT

[sam_hikes]

Aravaipa Running has been streaming this event which could be good for the AZT and it's for charity. Highlights each day till complete Jamil is saying.

Hype began a few days ago with a coin toss with the winner picking the direction of travel and the loser picked the start time. One started today at Mexico and the other at Utah. (8am today)

They are ok with serious folks from the public joining along for a spell and have their tracking info online so JJ lace up those racing shoes.

https://greatwesternadventures.com/

[ youtube video ]

[sam_hikes]

Just noticed McKnight made it in 24hrs from Utah to GC NK and is doing his R2R now. Does the official AZT FKT follow SK or BA as forecasted high today is only 80F with clouds so SK would be a time saver?

Also noticed their website does not work well with Chrome for me but Edge seems to work and provides 1 minute tracking updates. Wonder what sort of PLB they are using for 1 minute updates and how performance will suffer below the rim.

[xsproutx]

@sam_hikes
AZT follows SK. The GPS they're using isn't your typical PLB or SatComm like an InReach or Zoleo. It's purely GPS and connects to mobile networks and just caches the location when out of cell range, updating the server when it comes back in. Not uncommon for a lot of larger/longer trail running events. I've used these sorts of devices in many canyons and outside of actual slot canyons, they work pretty damn well today for reporting; they may not be completely accurate in the canyon, but once the coordinates are in the software, it tends to do a little correction that makes it pretty accurate.

[sam_hikes]

@xsproutx
Thank you for the info as previous FKTs and a few races seem to use SPOT as the tracking device. That's what Stringbean Joe used for his AZT FKT.

From the website it appears they are using legendstracking using cell service like you stated. Interesting the spots in the GC it's able to connect as it has some pings. I know Verizon has some very spotty GC coverage along SK and NK.

Thanks again.

[sam_hikes]

Mike's bio on the site above states "He is also known for being the first person to run 100 miles without consuming any calories"

How is this possible?

[ShatteredArm]

@sam_hikes
I'd guess a relaxed pace combined with unusually efficient fat metabolism.

[big_load]

@sam_hikes
I'd guess a relaxed pace combined with unusually efficient fat metabolism.

I don't think anyone can metabolize enough fat to cover the expenditure in a day. I expect there's some muscle getting burned up, too. I also would expect a bit of short-term cognitive impairment with the brain getting shortchanged.

[ShatteredArm]

@big_load
A lot of ultrarunners prefer high-fat, low-carb diets specifically so they can optimize fat metabolization, so it doesn't seem like a huge stretch for someone to get to a point where they can metabolize fat at a high enough rate (see: https://ultrarunning.com/featured/success-with-ofm/, although I don't necessarily subscribe to the philosophy personally, I eat what I feel like eating). I've personally done really long days at a pretty relaxed pace while consuming very few calories (like 200 calories total in 6+ hours). He very well could've burned some muscles in the endeavor, but I think it's within the realm of possibility.

[LosDosSloFolks]

Injury ended the race this morning. NB Ben Light withdrew but will encourage SB Mike McKnight while he continues on to Mexico.

[hikeaz]

Mike (SB) took off today from Peeley.
There is also a couple of (S.B.) SELF-SUPPORTED hikers going for the FKT. One is in Pine early on day 7, but obviously has the Mazzies (That brought Mike to his knees) to contend with now. Regardless... impressive!
[ youtube video ]

[hikeaz]

Looks like Mike (SB) assessed his chances of breaking the FKT and calculated that he could not break the record, and so got off the trail @ Lemmon.

Eric Hallsten, (SB) trying for a self-supported FKT was merely 2.5 hours off the self-supported FKT pace as of Sunflower. https://share.garmin.com/4NOB3

[chumley]

@hikeaz
A world-class elite athlete decided to QUIT because he decided he wasn't going to win!? How pathetic!

[toddak]

Aww man, 40 bucks for my official hat from the Showdown that never happened!

[ALMAL]

@chumley
There is another AZT race in progress. Started on Thursday, the leader is approaching Mormon lake heading NB. Leader is a 49 yo riding a single speed MTB, pretty bad pumpkin.
https://bikepacking.com/event/arizona-trail-race-2022/

[hikeaz]

Leader is a 49 yo riding a single speed MTB, pretty bad pumpkin.

Only rider in the 800 that has a higher "moving time" than "stopped time"; that sure helps. He's getting close to the hike-a-bike, aka GC. (I presume that they need to have their bike WITH them the whole race?)

[ALMAL]

@hikeaz
The 49 yo leader riding a single speed is about 28 miles away from loading his bike onto his backpack to hike down the S. Kaibab and then up the north. Piece of cake,

[hikeaz]

@ALMAL
I noticed that all of the leaders are on single-speeds. Guy running 2nd at this point hails from Tempe.

[ALMAL]

@hikeaz
I hadn't noticed that. I had read an article on the leader so that's how I knew. Some people say if you need an easier gear for uphill, then it's just as fast to hike-a-bike it until you can pedal again. I think they do a ton of hike-a-biking... on the AZT.

[SpiderLegs]

I helped to crew a team for this race a few years ago. Bikepackers are a unique lot, but they are fit. When I did my R3 earlier this year, the strongest guys in my group were the bike packers. They all had the ability to put their head down and grind up and down the canyon all day at the same speed.

[ALMAL]

@SpiderLegs
I can't imagine the down and up carrying a bike and gear. Looks like the leader just made it to the north rim.