The latest news from WheresKarl.com is that ultrarunner Karl Meltzer is back on the trail and continuing his his Appalachian Assault, despite recent set backs that put him in the hospital, where he was diagnosed with trench foot and tendinitis.
Since that time, Karl’s been dealing with quite a lot of pain, while he rested, stayed off the trail, and eventually resumed with slower, and shorter days. He remains determined to complete the Appalachian Trail although his speed record attempt seems to be over. The website indicates that he is frustrated with these nagging injuries, and slow healing time, but is still focused on reaching Georgia and the end of his journey.
When Karl set out back on August 5th, he was hoping to finish the entire length of the AT in just 47 days, covering all of it’s 2174 mile length. To do so, he would need to average more than 46 miles a day, and early on he was hitting his target distances as he had hoped. But the moisture on the trail caused his feet to get wet, which brought on the trench foot, causing him to alter his running stride, which exasperated the tendinitis. Since the, it’s been a painful and slow recovery period.
You have to admire a guy like Karl. We all know what an amazing endurance athlete he is, and he really wanted to set this record. It’s particularly disheartening for a world-class athlete to be slowed by an injury, but he is refusing to give up, and he wants to finish what he started. I’m pulling for him to reach the end of the trail, and even if he doesn’t get there in 47 days, my guess is that it’ll still be an incredibly impressive time. Good luck the rest of the way Karl!
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Good for him. He has already faced a lot. I wish him luck.
Yeah, it has to be agonizing to be out on the trail with nagging injuries, but he’s use to pain being an ultrarunner. I have no doubt he’ll make it all the way through the AT, just a matter of how long it’s going to take at this point.
Spirit and endurance…
What a great and challenging adventure he is having…
I wish him the best!
DSD
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