We're excited to welcome Flora Ambassador, Krissy Moehl, to our blog...travel along with her as she recaps her recent FKT attempt on the Tahoe Rim Trail.
The Tahoe Rim Trail is 170 miles of beautiful, single-track trail around Lake Tahoe in California. The trail is relatively new, only recently completed in the last 5 years. The entire west side of the lake utilizes the Pacific Crest Trail. At the southern point where the TRT starts utilizing the PCT the trail slips into the renowned Desolation Wilderness area. This high alpine area with brilliant blue lakes flanked by granite walls and boulders leaves little room to imagine a more picturesque landscape. All around the lake there are beautiful scenic gems, but the true beauty for the runner lies in the flow of the terrain.
Leading into the planned FKT (Fastest Known Time) run I had to be more diligent than normal about taking probiotics, amino acids, and constantly hydrating. Somewhere on my return from Europe a stomach virus invaded and my immune system lost the battle, but I was able to win the war just in time to have an awesome run.
My clockwise adventure started at 11am on September 28. My parents and twelve friends sent me off from Big Meadow Campground with a little dance party and lots of hugs and cheers. Our weather window was closing and we were thankful for the blue skies, cool breeze, and warm nights. From start to finish I ran with minimal weight. For the first 17 miles I carried only a water bottle with the pocket carrying two packages of Bloks. As a supported effort my pacers carried the extras while my crew worried about the gear. All I had to do was run and eat.
47 hours and 29 minutes later I returned to Big Meadow. At about 46 hours, climbing over the last pass, I caught a final view of Lake Tahoe before moving away into the mountains, further south and out of sight of the lake. This was my last glance before cruising to the finish. In that moment looking back across the lake, seeing all the landmarks along the way, and recalling everything that had taken place in such a short time period was, and still remains, an unbelievable feeling. This indescribable emotion is filled with happy tears, disbelief, gratitude, laughs, and wonder.
If you want more of the story there will be a full write up in the January launch issue of We Move, and in the meantime a crew member/pacer wrote a beautiful perspective of her experience.
Krissy Moehl is launching a training manual this December titled Running Your First Ultra. Get your running shoes, she has provided everything else!
Photo credit:
i: fmarmsaterphoto
f:/fredrikmarmsaterphotography
t: @FredMarmsater
