About this episode
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. Follow Allison online: https://www.instagram.com/allisonhpowell/ Support the Trevor Project: https://give.thetrevorproject.org/fundraiser/6530749? 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 Subscribe to Substack: http://freeoutside.substack.com Support this content on patreon: HTTP://patreon.com/freeoutside Buy my book "Free Outside" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/39LpoSF Email me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at jeff@freeoutside.com Watch the movie about setting the record on the Colorado Trail: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019916/free-outside Website: www.Freeoutside.com Instagram: thefreeoutside facebook: www.facebook.com/freeoutside