803.5 miles Arizona Trail Fastest Known Time Attempt
On Thursday October 17th I will be beginning my attempt to set the Supported Fastest Known Time (FKT) on completing the 803.5 miles of the Arizona Trail from the Southern Border of Utah to the Northern Border of Mexico, with over 110,000 feet of vertical gain and 110,000 feet of loss. The current FKT (which was Unsupported) was set by Jeff “Legend” Garmire and stands at 15 days, 13 hours and 10 minutes.
As most of you know, I only started running 4 years ago after leaving the Corporate World of 22 years. 2 years ago I embarked on my first trail run at Rob Krar’s Ultra & Trail running camp in Flagstaff, Arizona and a few weeks ago I completed my first 100 mile race. So, attempting this FKT will be a challenge for sure!
I decided I wanted to run the Arizona Trail about 18 months ago when I was contemplating my future running goals. I wanted a challenge that was somehow linked to the community I had discovered here in Flagstaff. While at the running camp, I experienced for the first time what it felt like to be part of something, a community, somewhere I belonged. I had found my people. This feeling was so profound, that this was one of the main reasons why I decided to move to Flagstaff, only a month after the camp.
If you or you know of any businesses who would like to sponsor me in this endeavour, any support you can provide in helping me to achieve this goal and help inspire others would be greatly appreciated. As you can imagine a lot of gear and logistical planning will be required to successfully complete this trail! Here is the link to my Go Fund Me page which also details the gear I will require to embark on this challenge:
Please sponsor me here
I will be raising money for the Arizona Trail Association (ATA), specifically contributing to Passage 35 Babbitt Ranches where we will be converting double track dirt road to sweet single track, so that in some small way I get to give back to this community and celebrate the great work the ATA does in protecting our open spaces that we enjoy.
An 800-mile, non-motorized path from Mexico to Utah, the Arizona Trail (AZT) is one of only eleven National Scenic Trails whose challenging mountains and canyons are met with word class views. Over the last 25 years, the Arizona Trail Association has brought together tens of thousands of volunteers to build and maintain the AZT and serves as a voice for the outdoor recreation community. To continue the legacy of the AZT, they maintain meaningful outdoor youth education programs to inspire the next generation of stewards, empower young women with skills in the outdoors, hire youth crews and conservation corps, partner with groups to promote “volunteer vacations”, and host trail skills workshops for youth and adults.
If you would like to donate, please do so here:
The Flagstaff and running community has embraced me from the beginning and I have been blown away by the sheer kindness and generosity I have been shown and the love and support given to me while I have been building my life here, following my passion.
By embarking on this challenge I hope to encourage others to embrace their communities and reap the rewards. I am constantly amazed by the positivity that flows through our little town and it lifts my spirits when in today’s world we are surrounded by so many bad news stories. It makes me want to be a better person in the hope that I can impact others lives as this community has mine.
I will be sharing more information over the coming months and you will be able to track me live when I start my adventure. In the meantime, I have set up a Facebook Group if you want to follow, support, crew or run with me:
Thank you so much for your support and generosity
