Will Peterson | Inside The Fastest Known Time On Vermont’s Long Trail

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Will Peterson joins the show to talk about the fastest known time he set this past weekend on Vermont’s Long Trail, the oldest continuous footpath in the United States and the setting for many notable performances over the years from top athletes in the ultrarunning scene like Nikki Kimball, Joe McConaughy, Jennifer Pharr Davis, and John Kelly.

We talk about all aspects of Will’s effort including mental and physical preparation, multi-day strategy, highlights from his race report, the skillset to accomplish something of this stature, whether he plans to stay in this type of arena in the future, and some fun topics generated by listeners and viewers (like whether he’d do the full Appalachian Trail).


Timestamps:

• 00:00 Introduction and Initial Feelings
• 06:40 The Long Trail and Other Routes
• 10:38 Background and Skillset
• 15:17 Motivation and Competition
• 19:14 The Evolving FKT Scene
• 24:17 Creating a Competitive Narrative and Mental Strategies
• 27:04 Training and Preparation
• 36:22 Planning and Adaptability in FKT Attempts
• 55:46 The Future of FKTs: Amateurs and Professionals
• 01:01:41 Data-Driven Goals for Optimal Performance
• 01:09:18 Instigating Participation in the Multi-Day Scene
• 01:11:06 Future in Multi-Day FKTs
• 01:17:21 The Debate on Expanded FKT Leaderboards
• 01:19:32 The Appalachian Trail and Future Challenges
• 01:23:38 Reflections on FKT of the Year Snub
• 01:26:06 The Unique Challenges of the 100 Mile Wilderness
• 01:31:24 Regulating External Communication on Unsupported Efforts
• 01:41:11 Gratitude for the Crew

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 Additional Links:

• Follow Will on Instagram, Strava, From The Backcountry Podcast
• Follow Finn on Instagram, Strava, Youtube, and Patreon

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