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  1. #1
    Registered User Different Socks's Avatar
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    Default A sincere question about all the speed records, trail records, most times, etc.

    Why do people push themselves so hard to go out and do things? Will there ever be a limit?

    Has there been anyone that simpy does it to do it and doesn't require publicity, or writes a book about it, no newspaper stories, no TV appearances.....they just do it because they want to?

    One other question: Will it ever stop?

    I am out there to enjoy myself, not to set a new record or standard for future hikers.

  2. #2

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    no. it will never stop.
    still waiting for someone to jump the english channel.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qvk2wNWmB20

  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by Different Socks:1518750
    Why do people push themselves so hard to go out and do things? Will there ever be a limit?

    Has there been anyone that simpy does it to do it and doesn't require publicity, or writes a book about it, no newspaper stories, no TV appearances.....they just do it because they want to?

    One other question: Will it ever stop?

    I am out there to enjoy myself, not to set a new record or standard for future hikers.
    Driver personalities tend to do stuff like this. Amiable personalities tend to wonder why they are going so fast.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Different Socks View Post
    Why do people push themselves so hard to go out and do things? Will there ever be a limit?

    Has there been anyone that simpy does it to do it and doesn't require publicity, or writes a book about it, no newspaper stories, no TV appearances.....they just do it because they want to?

    One other question: Will it ever stop?

    I am out there to enjoy myself, not to set a new record or standard for future hikers.
    Why? Because people like to push themselves to and beyond their perceived limits.

    Will it stop? No.

    do people do it without publicity? Yes, but you don't hear about it so it didn't exist, so nothing to talk about.

  5. #5

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    I think this may fall in the Hike Your Own Hike category. Some people enjoy pushing themselves. Some prefer a more mellow approach. I don't see either as right or wrong.

  6. #6

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    Of this recent batch of records being broken I haven't seen any of the hikers other than possibly Josh on the PCT raising money for a cause he strongly believes in that sought any kind of publicity - they all were hiking for themselves for their personal enjoyment without trying to score a book deal or TV appearances. What makes you think that because someone is hiking faster than you - or faster than anyone else ever has - that they are not enjoying themselves? Have you ever set a personal goal that took a lot of work and then achieved it? Take one look at the smiles and tears on their faces when they finish and tell me that they are crying over all the fame they are about to receive. Please... No one hikes for fame or publicity or to write a book or any of that crap. If they do, they are a complete idiot because there is very little fame to be had. Hike your own hike and let others hike theirs.

    Why do people run marathons? Why do people long distance bike ride? Why do we backpack? Why hike the AT? The answer to all these questions are the same as the answer to your questions about speed hiking. If you have to ask the question you will never understand the answer.

  7. #7
    Registered User Different Socks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by perrymk View Post
    I think this may fall in the Hike Your Own Hike category. Some people enjoy pushing themselves. Some prefer a more mellow approach. I don't see either as right or wrong.
    Not saying it's right/wrong, just wondering how hard will people push themselves before anything bad happens that was caused by pushing themselves so hard.

  8. #8
    Getting out as much as I can..which is never enough. :) Mags's Avatar
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    Why do people do thru-hike? Isn't it better to do only a few miles per day, perhaps make basecamp, and really explore an area? Wouldn't say 5 mos in Yellowstone be more rewarding than racing through the mountains and only knowing a small, 3 foot wide section of a trail for a few months?

    Another view from people who can't comprehend thru-hiking. One actually heard expressed in one form or another over the years. Is their view any different than how people may view faster hikes?

    (Keeping this thread in the general forum as the speed hiking forum really is not for debating the merits of speed hikes)
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  9. #9
    Registered User Different Socks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DandT40 View Post
    Of this recent batch of records being broken I haven't seen any of the hikers other than possibly Josh on the PCT raising money for a cause he strongly believes in that sought any kind of publicity - they all were hiking for themselves for their personal enjoyment without trying to score a book deal or TV appearances. What makes you think that because someone is hiking faster than you - or faster than anyone else ever has - that they are not enjoying themselves? Have you ever set a personal goal that took a lot of work and then achieved it? Take one look at the smiles and tears on their faces when they finish and tell me that they are crying over all the fame they are about to receive. Please... No one hikes for fame or publicity or to write a book or any of that crap. If they do, they are a complete idiot because there is very little fame to be had. Hike your own hike and let others hike theirs.

    Why do people run marathons? Why do people long distance bike ride? Why do we backpack? Why hike the AT? The answer to all these questions are the same as the answer to your questions about speed hiking. If you have to ask the question you will never understand the answer.
    So okay, maybe it's just me noticing all the recent attempts at going faster, least days, most miles in a day, least food, unsupported/supported.
    I myself will be doing a walk from Florida to Maine and back to GA, then ME then GA again in about 3 years. But I am only doing all those miles to enjoy myself and see if my 50+ year old body can do it. I won't go telling anybody about it unless I am asked or I am asking for assistance to do it. What that means is that I'll require someone willing to be a base of operations.
    After that long adventure, I'll go do another really long one. But again I won't be telling people about it unless asked.

  10. #10
    Registered User John B's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Different Socks View Post
    So okay, maybe it's just me noticing all the recent attempts at going faster, least days, most miles in a day, least food, unsupported/supported.
    I myself will be doing a walk from Florida to Maine and back to GA, then ME then GA again in about 3 years. But I am only doing all those miles to enjoy myself and see if my 50+ year old body can do it. I won't go telling anybody about it unless I am asked or I am asking for assistance to do it. What that means is that I'll require someone willing to be a base of operations.
    After that long adventure, I'll go do another really long one. But again I won't be telling people about it unless asked.
    Did someone ask you about these hikes to cause you to tell everyone on this site about them?

    Personally I love to run until I puke. I like the challenge of trail runs, half marathons, and marathons. I'd be beyond happy to run an ultra if I didn't break down all the time.

    Kudos to Garrett, Davis, Wilkinson, et al. I totally admire their accomplishments and wish that others who are attempting such things would publicize their efforts more thoroughly so that I could follow along. I really enjoy reading about them..

  11. #11
    Registered User Different Socks's Avatar
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    BTW, I'd would like to say that there is nothing wrong with what they are doing. Yes, it is a HOH and I do admire them for doing what they do.
    Perhaps it would be nice to know whom these others are that have done such as the "records" hikers so I can read about them just doing it, not because they have to beat the other person or best them.

  12. #12
    Registered User Different Socks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by John B View Post
    Did someone ask you about these hikes to cause you to tell everyone on this site about them?

    Personally I love to run until I puke. I like the challenge of trail runs, half marathons, and marathons. I'd be beyond happy to run an ultra if I didn't break down all the time.

    Kudos to Garrett, Davis, Wilkinson, et al. I totally admire their accomplishments and wish that others who are attempting such things would publicize their efforts more thoroughly so that I could follow along. I really enjoy reading about them..
    I'm not telling everyone about them. I merely stated the planning of them.

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    I chalk it up to human nature and thus it won't change. If you look at a lot of sports, it is pretty easy to imagine how it got started. One guy pulls his car up to a stop light along side another car, revs his engine in neutral to get the attention of the driver next to him, the light turns green, and drag racing was invented. Cave man Og drags a gazelle back to the cave and brags about being able to chase it down and kill it. His friend Thog say "ug, I could do that, ug", and Cross Country Foot Racing was invented. Ever been to a Highland Games competition? The sports are either based on farming (who can throw a bale of hay the highest, or a tree trunk over a stream) or they just started at the pub when Angus says to Calum "Aye, I bet you a pint I can throw that rrrrock farther than you can". Of course eventually we ran out of practical (or even impractical) things to compete in so we had to invent completely arbitrary games like football and baseball. This has come to its zenith with the X-games, which are completely stupid (motorcycle high jump???). Let's face it, speed hiking makes more sense than Cricket (although they both involve tea breaks).

  14. #14
    Registered User Different Socks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Odd Man Out View Post
    I chalk it up to human nature and thus it won't change. If you look at a lot of sports, it is pretty easy to imagine how it got started. One guy pulls his car up to a stop light along side another car, revs his engine in neutral to get the attention of the driver next to him, the light turns green, and drag racing was invented. Cave man Og drags a gazelle back to the cave and brags about being able to chase it down and kill it. His friend Thog say "ug, I could do that, ug", and Cross Country Foot Racing was invented. Ever been to a Highland Games competition? The sports are either based on farming (who can throw a bale of hay the highest, or a tree trunk over a stream) or they just started at the pub when Angus says to Calum "Aye, I bet you a pint I can throw that rrrrock farther than you can". Of course eventually we ran out of practical (or even impractical) things to compete in so we had to invent completely arbitrary games like football and baseball. This has come to its zenith with the X-games, which are completely stupid (motorcycle high jump???). Let's face it, speed hiking makes more sense than Cricket (although they both involve tea breaks).
    Thanks for the reply ODO.

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    Actually whenever I see some kind of record being broken I always think that there should be competitive hiking for those kinds of hikers. People push themselves in all kinds of ways so why not have those who are interested in this kind of thing compete against each other. As for the rest of us who couldn't care less, we can continue to ignore the whole thing.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Different Socks View Post
    BTW, I'd would like to say that there is nothing wrong with what they are doing. Yes, it is a HOH and I do admire them for doing what they do.
    Perhaps it would be nice to know whom these others are that have done such as the "records" hikers so I can read about them just doing it, not because they have to beat the other person or best them.
    Check out Swami's triple crown hike from last year. He made almost no fuss other stating that he intended to do 12 hikes with the last three being the triple crown. He set the CDT record, if there's such a thing and told no one. To this day I don't think he has once written about it on his site or elsewhere because he did it to meet his aggressive schedule not set the record. I suspect there have been others that have set records and not made a big deal as well.

  17. #17

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    I don't think it's always a either or. I like pushing myself at times, seeing how far and how fast I can go. then there are other times I just want to sit and explore the three foot around me, I gotta think the're others that feel this way too, cause we're all more the same than different.

  18. #18

    Default My opinion

    As a former long distance trail record holder (AT 1973-78, 66.3 days, 66% supported/33%unsupported); (LT 1978-2007 unsupported); (Springer to Katahdin w/ground transportation - 30 hours - 2010-present); mentor/sole support for 19 y.o. Sam Swisher-McClure (LT supported record-1997; AT supported attempt 1998 - 24 days Springer to Pine Grove Furnace); mentor/coach Jennifer Pharr's (2007 unsupported record for the LT - since broken); mentor/coach/limited support for Jennifer Pharr Davis (2008 supported women's record for the AT); and, mentor/coach/limited support for Jennifer Phar Davis (2011 overall AT record supported record 46.5 days), I firmly support most of the endurance record attempts on the AT. I find that most AT record-holders are the true Olympians. I admire and respect them more then drugged up professional athletes and heavily subsidized elite Olympic athletes. Life isn't all about enjoyment and fun. There is no growth without struggle. No dream is realized without effort and discipline. My hat's off to Avery, Leonard, Palmer, Swisher-McClure, Horton, Thompson, Palmer, Pharr Davis and Kirk for their singular achievements!
    Warren Doyle PhD
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  19. #19
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    If 80% of thru-hikers fail (I believe in is higher), 99.9 % of attempted record breakers fail.

    The trouble I have with campfires are the folks that carry a bottle in one hand and a Bible in the other.
    You never know which one is talking.

  20. #20
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    I think it's amazing.the human body can adapt to almost anything and I think it's awesome that people test their abilities

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