Eight days after setting the Appalachian Trail self-supported FKT, I sit down with my girlfriend, Allison Powell, for the most comprehensive post-mortem yet. We unpack the messy middle: inReach texts that read like hieroglyphics, a resupply box that vanished in Shenandoah, two left shoes (and a toe popping through the right one), a broken pole in New York, rain that no radar would admit, and the late-race sit-and-kick that finally stuck. We talk about the A-T(eam) group thread with John (yes, the Mexico engagement guy), what it’s like supporting a record you’re not allowed to “help” on, the pre-race spreadsheet rabbit hole, asking strangers for walnuts, hallucinating Slenderman, and touching the Springer sign before pizza and sleep. It’s grit, humor, and the playbook for turning “one in a billion” into done. Stay elite, my friends.

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Appalachian Trail Record

02:34 Qualities That Lead to Success

05:14 Challenges Faced on the Trail

08:23 Mental Strategies and Tools for Endurance

11:04 Resupply Challenges and Community Support

13:47 Emotional Highs and Lows During the Journey

16:59 The Role of Support Systems

19:38 Social Media and Public Engagement

22:38 Preparation and Planning for the Record

25:35 The Final Push to the Finish Line

28:31 Reflections on the Experience

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