Yes, July 29, from 4 – 5 pm MST, this Post hosted a live online chat with Karl Meltzer.
Karl is going for the renowned Appalachian Trail Record, starting Aug 5. For very thorough background on this project, including interviews with David Horton, Flyin’ Brian, and Andrew Thompson, check out this website.
Check out a Karl video here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=U5K3WJ31kV0
How the Chat works: you post a question (click “Comments” at the bottom of this Post). Karl does the same in reply to you. Read Comments below for the very informed questions and his responses.
Karl is now driving the RV across the country, and out of touch until he arrives in Maine in 3 days.
Tags: Appalachian Trail, AT Record, Karl Meltzer
Adventure Running 
July 29, 2008 at 11:32 am |
I really want one of those “Where’s Karl” t-shirts. Please tell me you’re going to sell them from your site … and you’re going to make an XXL for large Illinois boys! Good luck on conquering the AT … I’ll be eagerly watching you with your tracking device on your site.
Jerry
McNaughton Park Trail Run webguy
July 29, 2008 at 4:00 pm |
karl – just catching up … are you going GA to ME or will you tackle the big mountains up in the northeast first?
July 29, 2008 at 4:01 pm |
never mind – I see that you are starting at Katahdin
July 29, 2008 at 4:01 pm |
what is the closest thing like this that you have done? And what was your training regime to get ready for this?
July 29, 2008 at 4:01 pm |
So Karl … you just did your Speedgoat 50, you packed for the AT and drove 8 hours here to Boulder … are you rested and ready for the AT, or exhausted and need to get some sleep??
July 29, 2008 at 4:03 pm |
I plan on running north to south ackle the toughest spots first and to go the same way as andrew did
July 29, 2008 at 4:05 pm |
I haavent run in the last 3 days packing for the AT. not exhausted, just ready to rally the drive first
July 29, 2008 at 4:05 pm |
How much of the course have you scoped out?
July 29, 2008 at 4:06 pm |
the longest run I’ve done at once is simply a hundred miles. training regime is simple, i run alot and have been hiking aroiund the wasatch alot with the speedgoat 50k
July 29, 2008 at 4:07 pm |
ive run almost all of nhmost of vermont and most of pennsylvania
July 29, 2008 at 4:07 pm |
What kind of gas mileage is that RV getting??
July 29, 2008 at 4:08 pm |
shirts are available at bc.com on auguat 1st
July 29, 2008 at 4:08 pm |
about 11 per gallon furst tank 150
July 29, 2008 at 4:08 pm |
How will your support team work? What will you carry with you each day?
July 29, 2008 at 4:09 pm |
On the Fox interview you mentioned training slower and longer. You mentioned a 4mph pace would be more than enough. What kind of pace do you plan of keeping day in and day out? Do you plan to walk all the ups & jog the downs and flats? %walking vs. %jogging?
July 29, 2008 at 4:10 pm |
i have three seperate drivers dad wife and friend, and bc.com will be co ming in and out every week as an extra crew person
July 29, 2008 at 4:10 pm |
will, 4mph of course, no real plan onwhat to run, just go as I feel
July 29, 2008 at 4:11 pm |
will, plan on carrying the lightest load, but it will vary depebdding on how long the sections are
July 29, 2008 at 4:11 pm |
Karl, who is on your crew? How many people will you have with you the whole time? What will be their responsibilities?
July 29, 2008 at 4:12 pm |
Are you planning any rest days, or will you try and hit 45 miles every day?
July 29, 2008 at 4:12 pm |
Are there spots where reaching the RV at night won’t be an option and you’ll be camping out?
July 29, 2008 at 4:13 pm |
jill, dad, wife cheryl, billy simpson, and one person from bc.com all the ti me as well as a few runners to run with me
July 29, 2008 at 4:13 pm |
Do you think the lack of altitude will play a key role in your ability to complete this objective? I am from the east coast and the altitude kills me – any advice you can offer someone in regards to training at altitude vs. sea level?
July 29, 2008 at 4:14 pm |
jill, usually Ill run alone but thru maine matt hart will run all of maine with me.
responsibilities are to just keep me fed and put me to bed
July 29, 2008 at 4:14 pm |
kris, no rest days, jsut go as far as what is within reason. weather will also be a factor. depends how i feel
July 29, 2008 at 4:14 pm |
I heard that if it were possible, you would eat a frozen pizza the size of your body. Is this true?
July 29, 2008 at 4:15 pm |
will, no camping, only luxury sleeping is the key, hte only place imight bivvy is in tennessee intthe smokie mountains, two lo ng sections of 36 miles
July 29, 2008 at 4:17 pm |
How much time do you spend stretching post dual-marathon each day? My legs would cramp up!
July 29, 2008 at 4:17 pm |
trees are green, altitude wont matter after a week. sleeping at altitiude is the best way to accliomate, but ingeneral you just have to live there and train there. i have that luxury
July 29, 2008 at 4:17 pm |
Hey Karl,
Your friends at HURT are anxiously awaiting the start of your great adventure and will be rooting you on all the way to the finish. You are THE MAN ! The AT doesn’t stand a chance against you ! I’m going to make a personalized “I’m on Karl’s Team” t-shirt to wear on the weekends, for good luck. When things get tough, remember that we will be with you every step of the way. You can do it !! Aloha, and all the best from your friends in Hawaii. We love you, man ! Don
July 29, 2008 at 4:18 pm |
little ,i can easily consume large pizzas but only with a pitcher of beer to follow
July 29, 2008 at 4:18 pm |
sam, stretching 0 minutes
July 29, 2008 at 4:19 pm |
don, the most important t hing is to respect the distance, ill have you with me the whole way well see you at hurt
July 29, 2008 at 4:21 pm |
Who gets the bill for keeping the RV on full?
Any type of camera crew following you for a potential documentary?
July 29, 2008 at 4:22 pm |
You always post odds on your excellent personal website … so … what odds are you giving yourself for the AT?
July 29, 2008 at 4:22 pm |
Karl,
What kind of gear are you using?
July 29, 2008 at 4:23 pm |
buzz, I have to get back on tht one, but i feel i can finish, ill know more after about 20 days whether the record is within reach
July 29, 2008 at 4:24 pm |
claire. im usiing the SPOT locator, along with nathan packs,, vio camera, la sportiva shoes and mass quantities of red bull and powerbar gel, along with first endurance product to recover
July 29, 2008 at 4:24 pm |
will T. not me
July 29, 2008 at 4:25 pm |
will, not a true film crew but bc.com will be doing podcasts, and other video, and we will document it and hopefully put together a fine piece of film, with plenty of suffering to be seen
July 29, 2008 at 4:28 pm |
Food: what do you eat during the day? How about at night?
July 29, 2008 at 4:29 pm |
I gotta ask – which Sportiva shoes will you be using? Why did you choose that model? 😉
July 29, 2008 at 4:29 pm |
what is your typical cross-training routine?
July 29, 2008 at 4:30 pm |
What kind of wear and tear do you expect on your feet? and Legs? and what preventative measures do you have to take?
July 29, 2008 at 4:30 pm |
buzz, my plan is to eat a big breakfast, but in reality ill probably start early with a light breakfast then meet crew and eat big afer i’ve gone a few hours. Aferwards, i’ll drink lots of ultragen from First endurance and then eat as much fat and protein as possible. only a few beers along the way to wet the whistle
July 29, 2008 at 4:31 pm |
Kris, plan on running int he Lynx and the fireblade when the trail is smoother ris,
July 29, 2008 at 4:32 pm |
joey, golf on off days to walk a little, otherwise i run primarily all the time, dont; have a real “cross training” program. to run well, you must run
July 29, 2008 at 4:34 pm |
Can’t wait to pull you through the Smoky Mtns. Karl. Think of everything prior to it as a nice warm-up, because we’re going to be doing 7 minutes miles, forget this 4mph crap. ha ha ha. j/k I’m psyched for you buddy.
July 29, 2008 at 4:34 pm |
brent, hard to say what will happen with my feet, i havent really done this before, so i cant really say. just plan on taking care of standard problems when they arise. I’ve purchased a few bandaids and neosporin…..along with an extensive first aid kit i hope not to use much
July 29, 2008 at 4:35 pm |
kris, as far as the shoes, the lynx the majority of the time, but when the trail is smoother, i’ll run in the fireblade. each shoe is different for different occasions
July 29, 2008 at 4:36 pm |
Is there a mountain, or section that you think will be tougher than the rest of the trail?
July 29, 2008 at 4:36 pm |
jared, 7mph should be easy once i’m deleroious, i’ll be deep in the zone…hopefully
July 29, 2008 at 4:36 pm |
What type of Animal problems do you expect (or hope not) to encounter and will you be carrying anything with you to deal with those issues?
July 29, 2008 at 4:36 pm |
Have you talked at all to any of the runners who have gone before you to try and figure out what to expect or is that not done?
July 29, 2008 at 4:37 pm |
kris, maine and nh are really the toughest “mountains” because the terrain is so technical, and the fact it’s been raining alot back east, it will be slippery all the time. I like it slippery
July 29, 2008 at 4:38 pm |
Brent, we (Karl’s crew) will be sure to take pictures of Karl’s feet along the way, and post the pics on the blog. Could make an interesting and disturbing photo essay…
July 29, 2008 at 4:39 pm |
will, i’m sure ill see animals, bears, moose and others. i might carry bear mase, or i’ll put matt in front of me in maine. really i cant worry about that. itl’s really a random thing that we;ll deal with when the time comes
July 29, 2008 at 4:40 pm |
susie, i’ve onle spoken with flyin brian robinson and he warned me of the affects of multi-day, but this is why i am doing it, i want to see what it is really like. the record id i cing on the cake. getting thru it will be a real accomplishment
July 29, 2008 at 4:40 pm |
I think the Mahoosuc section (I think that is how it is spelled), just north of the Presidentials will be the roughest. Footing is pretty tough there and there is some decent vertical.
Did you time it at this point in the year for any specific reason?
July 29, 2008 at 4:41 pm |
Thanks Marit – I’ll tune in just to see what evolves!
July 29, 2008 at 4:43 pm |
the mahoosucs are probably the roughest section. did not time the whole adventure at a specific time of year. i had to p ut on the speedgoat 50k last weekend then i wanted to start as soon as possible after the race and have as much daylight as possible. it would be best to start in early june, but this the only way i could make it happen at all
July 29, 2008 at 4:45 pm |
i wont forget the bear whistle either
July 29, 2008 at 4:47 pm |
Karl, I wish you the best my man–I really think that what you are doing is amazing, and inspirational. You will be in our thoughts and prayers. We will be with you mentally to help you through your journey. Gotta get back to work! God Bless!
July 29, 2008 at 4:47 pm |
What’s the crux? What will be the do or die?
July 29, 2008 at 4:49 pm |
buzz, i think the best thing i can do is to go out slow, if i can survive maine nh and vermont feeling well, i think i will have a great run. even though that is early in the adventure, it’ll tell me alot. when i finally get to clingmans dome, it’s all downhill from there.
July 29, 2008 at 4:50 pm |
little, thanks my man, keep watching thanks for the good words!
July 29, 2008 at 4:50 pm |
How do you think your belly is going to hold up? think you’re going to have issues?
July 29, 2008 at 4:51 pm |
laura, dont think my belly will have real major issues. i am sure there will be times when i have some deals, but i have lots of experience correcting those problems before the arise….hopefully!
July 29, 2008 at 4:53 pm |
If we want to send you words of encouragement while you’re out on the trail, what the best website, blog, email addy to send those “pick me ups” to?
Good Luck!
July 29, 2008 at 4:53 pm |
Karl, have fun out there.
When you start feeling spent and tired, just know that we’re all out here cheering for you. My co-workers and I will check in on you at whereskarl.com, and we’ll send along encouraging notes to help you through. Have your crew read them to you.
You can do it. We know you can.
Good luck!
July 29, 2008 at 4:54 pm |
will, go to whereskarl.com….the bc.com crew will be all over that, and i’m even going to try and post myself if i’m not too delerious
July 29, 2008 at 4:54 pm |
Hey Karl,
From what I read you sound like a “low mileage” kinda guy compared to some ultrarunners out there – do you see yourself at a disadvantage in that respect as you will be averaging 45 miles a day on the AT?
Best of luck!! We’ll all be watching you to Georgia!
July 29, 2008 at 4:55 pm |
jill, psyched to know lots of people are watching. this has been a dream of mine and now it’s gonna start to come true once i get started.
July 29, 2008 at 4:56 pm |
On a scale of 1 to 10 and a 5 being the nervousness just hours before a 100 miler race? How nervous are you?
July 29, 2008 at 4:56 pm |
You all can send your cheers as comments on the whereskarl.com blog. Jill, we’ll definitely read them to Karl while he’s resting or eating.
July 29, 2008 at 4:57 pm |
josh, depends what you call low mileage, i run about 85 a week with 25000′ of climb. I wouldnt really call that low mileage unless you compare that to mr krupicka and skaggs. really, super high mileage is not necessary to run fast, it’s all about race and run management….once a strong fitness level is reached.
July 29, 2008 at 4:58 pm |
You can also all check out Karl’s shoes on facebook. La Sportiva is hosting a contest:
Once a week during Karl’s AT Record Attempt, we will give away a free pair of La Sportiva Mountain Running Shoes on Karl’s Shoes Facebook page.
Become a fan of Karl’s Shoes at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Karls-Shoes/23709781706?ref=share
You send in a photo of your old running shoes (any brand), and the “best” entrant wins a new pair of award-winning La Sportiva Mountain Running® shoes.
Post now- we will pick a winner Friday, August 8th
July 29, 2008 at 4:59 pm |
Karl,
Sounds like you are prepared then! Those are some quality miles.
I am still hung up on Tony’s high mileage (I just watched his DVD a few weeks ago).
Sounds like you’re set… Say hi to Mt. Rodgers Rec. Area in SWern Virginia, arguably one of the prettiest sections of the AT.
All the best,
Josh
July 29, 2008 at 4:59 pm |
will, sarcastically i’m mostly nervous at the gas pump.
actually not really feeling nervous at all, just want to get started. most 100s i run, i sleep well the night before and jsut get to go r un all day suported. I may not sleep well the night before this, but this is bigger than a 100. i tend to not let things bother me. why should this…right?
July 29, 2008 at 5:01 pm |
I’ve personally witnessed Karl put down a serious amount of food/drink within minutes of finishing a rough and hot 50 mile run through Zion National Park. Most people would have lost their appetite/thirst and crashed. This is a good sign that Karl has acquired the “blast furnace” stomach that Buzz has mentioned is a necessity for such an adventure. Your homeboys in Utah will be rooting for you the entire way Karl.
July 29, 2008 at 5:03 pm |
From Karl, thanks for all the great words about this adventure. it’s not necessarily the most popular thing amongst thru hikers. some love it some hate it. but I get to do it my way, and it’s gonna be fun. The beauty of it, is the world gets to watch me suffer and see if i can actually bust it out. All the support from BC.com, la sportiva, SPOT, First Endurance, and Moeben is something only a few people get to enjoy. I’m gonna enjpy every minute of this no matter how much i hurt.
July 29, 2008 at 5:04 pm |
Thanks Karl!! And thanks to everyone; really good stuff. Whereskarl.com is the go-to place starting Aug 5. Stay in touch!
July 29, 2008 at 5:53 pm |
Hi Karl,
I live in Maine and run with a trail group out of Portland. I’d like to meet you on the trail and run 25 or so miles with you. Is that ok with you? I am a good enough trail runner to keep up (top 10 at Massanutten this year) and I’d like to think I’m fun to run with. I know my friend Jamie (also a phenomenal trail runner) would like to join as well.
We’ll only join in if you are cool with it, and we’ll bring lots of snacks.
Let me know!
James
July 29, 2008 at 7:07 pm |
Karl-
Larry and I want to wish you a safe journey!! We will be ‘watching’ and cheering you on, along with all your friends. Best of luck!!
Beth Simpson-Hall
July 30, 2008 at 11:43 am |
Was sorry to miss the online chat! (Don’t you hate it when work gets in the way?) Some very interesting stuff though.
Really liked this comment from Karl…
“susie, i’ve onle spoken with flyin brian robinson and he warned me of the affects of multi-day, but this is why i am doing it, i want to see what it is really like. the record id i cing on the cake. getting thru it will be a real accomplishment”
.. a great attitude. Isn’t that why we all do what we do and challenge ourselves!
Good luck Karl. Looking forward to following your run!
Derrick
July 30, 2008 at 1:17 pm |
Karl….Good luck ’til we meet in PA. my friend. Totally psyched about the adventure. You are going into some sacred ground. The AT. Good stuff.