FKT Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Allie McLaughlin: She flies (literally). She's faster than you are. Did you know that? - #168 Dec 16, 2021

Show notes

Allie "Mac" McLaughlin flies down the trails (USATF Trail Marathon Champion 2 years in a row) and in the air (300 skydiving jumps). And did we mention riding dirt bikes? "It was super technical. So I revved the engine, closed my eyes, and took off." "I've gotten hurt way more times from running than from sky diving." At the Moab Trail Marathon in November, her BASE-jumping friends were on the cliffs high above the course as she went by the halfway point. "When I came out of Hunter Canyon, they could see me down below, and let out a 'ca-caw'. I heard that and yelled a 'ca-caw' back. It was echoing up and down the canyon. Then they jumped." "It was definitely a 'high on life' moment." Allie formerly lifted weights, which might have helped her on the Manitou Incline FKT. "I weighed 85 lbs and squatted 175." She also has some tips for downhill running: "You gotta remember to run. You just gotta send it." Photo: Peter Maksimow

John Newman - John Newman: Adventuring from the land Down Under (Australia)- #167 Dec 10, 2021

Show notes

John lives in Australia, where the whole country is sports-mad, the runners are fast, the routes long ... and it's now summer. "Normally it's starting to get hot, 40 degrees, but it's a La Nina year so it's raining now and the conditions are still good." He's been exploring the tricky canyons of the Blue Mountains, which are very different. His recent FKT is "Passes of Narrow Neck", which took 16hrs 40min. He and his partner did 14 passes in one day. What does that mean? "A pass is an unlikely, in-obvious, or difficult passage through a rock cliff." This route is a mixture of scrambling, hiking, running, and canyoning. At one point he and his partner climb a tree to surmont a pass. As the Route Page says, "This route is only for experienced scramblers who understand the risks, and who have rehearsed every metre in advance. Only two of these passes are maintained by National Parks - any other ropes, spikes, chains or ladders you encounter could snap." As John's partner Keith wrote: "The Passes Of Narrow Neck is a significant undertaking that definitely needs thorough preparation and familiarity with the route and terrain, as well as a good head for heights & strong scrambling ability. By the end expect to be covered in charcoal, battered and scratched by the scrub and to have had an unparalleled adventure in the wilderness of the Blue Mountains."

Lazarus Lake: Who is he and how did he change the sport of ultrarunning forever? - #166 Dec 03, 2021

Show notes

Gary Cantrell, aka Lazarus Lake, (or is it the other way around?) could be the most creative person in the entire sport. That is a low bar, but possibly by accident he has single-handily changed ultrarunning forever. The Barkley Marathons is an iconic, world-renowned event, and the subject of two films, even though only 40 people enter, there is no website, and the time and even the date of the race is secret. "It's good clean fun. But not always clean, and not always fun." "A 'Barker' isn't someone who says, "This isn't fair!" and goes home. They are someone who goes home and works to get better." "It's a 1% race. It's designed so only 1% of entrants should be able to finish. Since 40 people are in each year, two finishers every five years is about right." In 2006 a runner got lost on Loop 1. He didn't find his way back until 32 hours later. "If you run off the map, the map doesn't help much anymore. He went about two miles. That's 16 hour miles." Backyard Ultras are another Laz invention ("Just One More Loop") and will possibly be his most enduring legacy. The original Bigs Backyard Ultra is still is held on his farm in Tennessee, where 35 people competed on October 16, but this year 25-30,000 runners will enter an official Backyard Ultra in 65 countries. Who'd have imagined such a wild success? Not Laz: "This is like a fantasy, because I'm just an old hillbilly who lives in the woods. I wonder if I'm going to wake up and it's not real." "I wonder if we stumbled on a whole new sport." "People don't stop when they can't keep going; they stop when they think they can't win." You need to listen to this. Laz is one of the most unique and insightful people we've ever had on the podcast. Or that you have ever heard. "The job of a race director is to help people find greatness in themselves."

Jack Kuenzle: A Regional Editor(and multiple FKT holder) dishes on what's real - #165 Nov 26, 2021

Show notes

Jack is a Regional Editor for fastestknowntime.com - he volunteers his time to process your FKT submissions. And he is young, fast, knowledgable, and passionate. Don't miss this view of our sport from behind the curtain! "I think the FKT scene is where the elite runners should be. Races are fine, but the courses are not - we can't get permits to hold races on our best terrain. But with an FKT, you can race up the best mountains and the best routes in the country." "You don't have to go to Europe to run up mountains. With FKTs, you choose the best course, on the optimal day, with good weather ... and it's all free!" Jack has outstanding advice for FKT hopefuls: Be very efficient at aid stations Research the course conditions Scout the course many times in advance Choose the right footwear (cushion vs grip?) Nutrition ("sold on Maurtens") What Style is the competition? (instead of looking for the slowest style, do what the top people have also done) He thinks the White Mountain 100 is under-appreciated: its 34,000' of vert is the same as UTMB and Hardrock (which is almost twice that of WS100). And it will never be a race - it's an FKT Route. This is a outstanding 10min video of the Hut Traverse that precisely illustrates what Jack describes.

Nancy East - a mother of 3 and SAR volunteer who set a 900 mile FKT - #164 Nov 19, 2021

Show notes

"I'm a mom to three teenagers and on the verge of turning 50. The fastest I normally travel is in my mini-van shuttling kids around town. Achieving an FKT as an amateur middle-aged athlete with minimal time to train was a huge stretch of my comfort zone. So adding my name to this roster was one of my proudest and most rewarding moments." Boom! Isn't Nancy the type of person you want to meet on the trail (or listen to on a podcast)? She is a SAR volunteer who raised $30,000 with this FKT, and was inspired to undertake this project by the tragic death of another mother of three who died of hypothermia one mile from the trailhead. She has excellent safety advice for all of us: "Don't forget to pack what's between your ears." "STOP. Which means: Stop - Think - Observe - Plan. When lost, wandering or leaving the trail is never a good idea." Is this more inspirational than listening to a professional runner who can run really fast? "We care. With all the anger and divisiveness in the world, I want to say there are millions of people like us out there, who really care." Nancy also found the time to write a book, which we recommend: "Chasing the Smokies Moon; An audacious 948 mile hike, fueled by love, loss, laughter, and lunacy." Purchase signed copies at www.nancyeast.com.

Let's hear this again: Speed v. Safety - #163 Nov 12, 2021

Show notes

This is a re-airing of our November 15, 2019 episode exploring the relationship between speed and safety. What is the boundary and how do you know when you're hitting it? Ultrarunners have the fitness to get really far into the backcountry, but do they have the skill and experience to get back safely? "People are drawn to these routes, because they're super aesthetic, iconic lines. But are they over their head?" "You can download a .gpx file and just follow your watch on a trail, but on technical terrain, that doesn't work." You need to practice. To take time. It's more rewarding to spend years, learning the craft. "Kyle did the First Flatiron over 320 times before setting the FKT." "Kilian has zero chance of breaking Kyle's record on the LA Freeway" What can we all do to be safer? What are the best tips? "By far what makes you safest is your mind." "Don't be in a hurry to go fast." Episode photo: Joe Kennedy

Drew Frehs: Everything you need to know to run R2R2R X2 across the Grand Canyon - #162 Nov 05, 2021

Show notes

On October 18, Drew ran back and forth across the Grand Canyon 4 times (R2R2R2R2R). It was his third try, so he learned some things! Which he shares with you ... "They start turning off the water when the weather gets cold. So there's a narrow window when most people try this. I did the first R2R2R at night, so the warm sun made starting the second lap easier." This route was 83 miles, with 22,000' of vert. And unlike running in the mountains, to finish it off, you have to run almost 5,000' back UP! "Your quads must be preserved. The "box" is good running, so you'll lose big chunks of time if you're already beat up by then." Drew loves the Grand Canyon, and it shows. Even though it's not always easy, as he describes one trail in the western section: "You can hardly see the trail. My lower legs were shredded. If I were to do that route again, I'd put KT Tape all over my shins in advance." This Episode Sponsored by Rabbit: The free-spirited California brand dedicated to all things running. Drew used their cool-weather kit for his night-time start, and their super-light gear for the rest of his FKT - check it out here. Subscribe to their email list (bottom of page) to stay in the know for new gear drops and sales, and get 10% off your first order. And follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runinrabbit

Joe Gray: The best mountain runner ever, and you've never heard of him? - #161 Oct 29, 2021

Show notes

We finish our 3-2-1 countdown interviews from the Men's podium of the US Mountain Running Championships with the winner, Joe Gray. Joe is one of the best mountain/trail runners in history. He is very articulate and insightful, and is extremely well respected by other runners, while some casual runners may not have heard of him. How can that be? Let's correct it! Joe has won a ridiculous 20 National Championship races, as well as 2 World Championships, in addition to wins at countless (literally) other races - see his Bio below. "I value the work. Someone can post a post a picture on Instagram, and it's gone 2 days later. I win a championship, and it's there forever." How has he been so successful for 15 years? "The biggest thing is being smart. Take pride out of the process. Coming to the line healthy is better than showing up really fit but hurt." There is a preponderance of people of African descent on the podium of road and track races, while on the trail and mountains, the ratio suddenly reverses. Has he ever felt isolated? "Early in my career, you look around, and no one looks like you. So I wondered. And occasionally someone makes a racist comment. "But as I've gotten older, I realize, I'm not there for those people. They have an agenda, and it's not mine. If I act out, if I lose my focus, then I can't do my best, I can't inspire the next generation." Joe told me something in person 6 years ago and I never forgot it - indeed, I've quoted him on three previous Podcasts! Let's finally hear it in his own words: "There are two ways to build a running career. One is on social media; by talking about yourself. The other by winning races." Boom!! Don't miss Joe's wonderful insights. And please support Fastest Known Time! You are burdened with almost no advertising on this website and podcast - we rely on YOU. Please show your support here! (The Internet is not free; your contribution keeps this real).Please Review and Rate the Fastest Known Podcast (this helps people find the show).

Max King: Does he have the widest range of any runner ever? - #160 Oct 22, 2021

Show notes

We are counting down the podium from the US Mountain Running Championships! Last week: Joe Demoor, #3. This week: Max King, #2. (Stay tuned for next week!) Max runs everything ... does he have the widest range of any runner ever? He was the World Mountain Running Champion, which is a steep hammerfest of only 12km, then 3 years later became the World 100km Champion, running on a flat paved circuit. He's done a 1:03 Half Marathon, the Western States 100, won the Warrior Dash Championships (an obstacle course), and next year wants to run the 3000 meter Steeplechase on the track. "I'm uncoachable. I train for tempo, strength, endurance and speed, year round." Max is now 41 years old, and can still compete in the open class. Does he have some expert advice for the rest of us? Yes! "I'm always stretching and rolling. I lift weights in the winter, olympic style. It's important to keep everything in balance." Max's run camps are a level above just running with a group of people: "Our over-arching goal is to create capable trail runners and stewards with a lifelong love of nature." Listen and learn!

Joe DeMoor: Born in the mountains, works in the mountains, runs up the mountains - #1159 Oct 15, 2021

Show notes

When asked if he wanted to be a guest on the podcast, Joe wrote back, "I realize this will be a bit about talking about myself, which I have to admit is one of my least favorite activities." Right on! Joe is the kind of person we especially like talking with. Called the "quiet crusher" by some friends, Joe is a classic mountain person: he works hard, runs hard, and doesn't need to talk about it. He has no shoe sponsor, and says with a laugh, "The company's basically tell me I either need more Followers on social media, or to win UTMB." Is living in a Colorado mountain town a dream come true, or just a dream? "In order to make this lifestyle work, you have to be really committed; really want it." "There's still a lot of heart in these ski towns; people out grinding every day, doing it for the right reasons." Mentioned in this podcast: Our podcast with Seth DeMoor here Protect Our Winters organization ("Your passion for the outdoors can help save it")

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