B
RITISH ultra runner Kristian
Morgan began his quest
this week to set a record
for covering the 2189-mile
Appalachian Trail on foot.
The Dulwich Park athlete is
attacking the best-known mark of
41 days, 7 hours and 39 minutes,
which was set last year by Belgian
dentist Karel Sabbe.
Previously the record has been
held by ultra legends like Scott
Jurek and Karl Meltzer and it will
require Morgan to cover about 55
miles per day.
The route is popular with hikers,
many of whom take six months to
complete a trail includes ascents
that are the equivalent of climbing
Everest 16 times.
“I decided long ago that I wanted
to live a life rich in experiences over
possessions, and I can think of nobetter experience than running the
AT. It’s going to be the adventure of a
lifetime,” says Morgan, 42, who haslived out of a camper van in London
for the past eight years working as
an ultra-marathon coach.“I supported Karel when he set
the record last year, spending 15
days on the trail with him. I also
spent another five days on the trail
earlier this year.
“I feel all this experience, coupled
with the help I’ve had in planning
from AT veterans, stands me in
good stead to have a go at the
world record.”
The inov-8-sponsored runner
adds: “Life on the AT will be very
different to life in London, but I
can’t wait to get going.
“I’ll start running at 4am each
day in the dark and push on until
reaching the overnight camp. I’m
really looking forward to the peace
and tranquility, but less so the
prospect of encountering bears
and snakes.
“Meeting a bear in the dark is my
biggest fear!”DIP FINISH CRAZINESS AND CONTROVERSY IN ATHLETICS
Brit tackles iconic trail record
LONDONER EMBARKS ON MAMMOTH APPALACHIAN TRAIL CHALLENGE IN AMERICA
INOV-8NO LIMITS PHOTOGRAPHY | SKYLINE SCOTLANDMARK SHEARMANLAMINE DIACK, the shamed former
president of the IAAF, is poised to emerge
from a four-year house arrest to stand
trial in France on charges of corruption
and money laundering.
The 86-year-old’s son Papa Massata
Diack, plus Valentin Balakhnichev, Alexei
Melnikov, Habib Cissé and Gabriel Dollé,
are also to stand trial but Diack Jnr is
currently in Senegal and Balakhnichevand Melnikov are in Russia and the trio
cannot be extradited to France.
After standing down from his position
on the global governing body in 2015,
Diack has been accused of obstructing
sanctions against Russia for doping in
return for payments and there are also
accusations of him accepting cash to
help influence the decisions to award
major events to particular bidding cities.Kristian Morgan: hopes to follow in the footsteps of Scott Jurek and Karl Meltzer
A NEW event in Scotland is
billing itself as possibly
Britain’s toughest 5km.
The Grey Mare’s Trail Race
is part of a family of running
events at the Salomon
Skyline Scotland weekend
on September 21-22 in
Kinlochleven – with runnersable to take on 10km or 18km
races if they don’t think the 5km
will be challenging enough for
them.
“With super-steep ascents
and zig-zagging rocky trails,
could the Grey Mare’s Trail Race
be Britain’s toughest 5km?”
say the organisers.Britain’s toughest 5km?
Diack due to take to the dockGrey Mare’s Trail Race near Ben Nevis
Corruption charges:
former IAAF president
Lamine Diack