Join a Fastest Known Time attempt on the Annapurna Circuit
The Annapurna circuit is 218 km with approx 10,000m up and down, including crossing the 5,400m Thorung-La pass. In April 2017 a Greek runner named Lefteris Paraskevas set a splendid fastest known time of 68 hours 22 minutes.
It’s an enormous challenge, which few people have undertaken. Do you want to add your name to the list? Then read on!
You can read more about it on the world’s official Fastest Known Time website. To quote from there, Seth Wolpin from Himalayan Adventure Labs writes:
The Annapurna Circuit in Nepal is one of the world’s classic multiday hikes. While the start and stop points and route can be variable, in general trekkers go from Besisahar to Nayapul, roughly 134 miles in total.
The Annapurna Circuit was once billed as one of the most beautiful treks in the world – it was a ‘must’ item on many adventurer’s bucket list. But things have changed over the the last few years. Namely road building. Ugly road building. The apple growers in the village of Marpha had bushels of apples that were rotting because they couldn’t get them to market across the mountainous trails. What to do? Definitely don’t ask other villages or think about the impact on the main source of income (trekkers). Soon bulldozers moved in and turned trail into 4×4 jeep track with locals and trekkers zooming up and down the valleys in a gaggle of Indian-made jeeps, a chorus of honks and an encore of dust. It’s easy to criticize, but it’s also hard to blame villagers for wanting a road to their house, a road that opens up access to food and healthcare and the ability to visit family.
Despite the jeep track building that has happened, the scenery remains incredibly beautiful, and the trekking infrastructure helps a lot with FKT attempts. Food and water is available every few miles from say 6am to 10pm.
In late October 2019, a couple of days after the Annapurna 42/50/100km races (25/26 October) last years Annapurna 100 100 km race winner Simon Castro-Wooldridge plans to have a go at running around the full Annapurna Circuit. There will be a team helping with support and logistics. If there is anyone who wants to join this FKT attempt with him, please send him an email. Obviously 100 mile+ experience is essential, as will be a proper acclimatisation plan prior to the Annapurna races. Tentative dates would be 30 October – 1 November.
Contact details: Simon Castro-Wooldridge, email: sjwooldridge@yahoo.co.uk
Good luck!
Can’t run it, then sit back and watch it!
