LU Professor Shatters Record By K i m Davis
while on the trail. His diet consisted of five or six Skor Dr. David Horton is living a dream.. "For years, I had dreamed of running the Appalachian candy bars and an occasional Power Bar throughout the Trail (AT)," Horton said. "The summer of 1991 allowed day, a good breakfast (if available), a turkey and cheese sandwich around 12:30-1 p.m., and pasta and dessert for m e the opportunity to fulfill that dream." dinner, usually at a food bar or O n M a y 9, at 6:54 a.m., he buffet. started on a journey that would H e also drank 80 gallons of take him beyond the imaginable - conquering the longest continuConquest energy replacement ously marked footpath in the drink, wore out four pairs of world in a record-breaking 52 shoes, and only lost six pounds days. while doing it. "I tried to consume as many Horton's goal was to make this calories as I could," Horton said. trip on the A T in 56 days, four "During the last few days I could days faster than the previous 0£k M hardly eat. I was so tired, and it record, but 24-year-old Scott © J| took so much of m y energy." "Maineak" Grierson of Bass Harbor, Maine, had the same Horton's typical day began a goal. "Maineak" was an experilittle after 6 a.m. during the early enced hiker and started his quest stages of his run. H e averaged two days before Horton. seven hours of sleep and 10 hours "This gave m e a tremendous and 54 minutes on the trail duramount of incentive," Horton ing the first 43 days. said. "I a m not competitive -1 The first few days were rainy a m highly competitive. If I finand foggy. Horton's feet reished a day behind him, I still mained wet, and they soon dewould have broken the record, veloped blisters. H e also develbut I didn't want to just beat his oped tendinitis in his right ankle. record, I wanted to beat him to But this wasn't the end of the top of Mt. Katahdin." Horton's injuries. The A T officially opened in H e planned to walk the up1937 and extends 2,144 miles hill climbs and run the downhill from Springer Mountain, Georand level stretches, unlike gia, to Mount Katahdin, Maine. "Maineak" w h o put in more Eight hundred people begin hikhours and walked the entire way. ing it each year, but only about 100 actually finish it. During Horton's last day out of the Smokey Mountains, Horton, chairman of the physical education, recreation however, he ran the downhills too fast and developed and sports management department, had thought about shin splints in his right leg. They progressively worsened running the A T for years, but he did not decide to do it and began in his left leg a few days later. until July 1990. H e is from Marshall, Arkansas, and has "One of the big problems was getting adjusted," Horton been at L U for 13 years. said. "Adaptability is very important. Both shins were Although he has run off and on all his life, Horton did swollen, red and very painful to the touch, which pronot begin running consistently until March 1977. Since duced excruciating pains while running and walking then, Horton has gone on to win 29 out of 67 downhills." ultramarathons and has averaged seven-minute miles Horton's chances of finishing the trail seemed slim. "I for 50 miles. didn't know if m y body would physically allow me to H e runs an average of 70 - 75 miles per week regularly continue," he said. "To me, it would be humiliating if I and 90-100 miles per week during hard training. This didn't do what I said I would do." schedule did not change much when Horton began preThe 41-year-old Horton would not give up. paring for the AT. H e began taking anti-inflammatory medication. He "I practiced carrying a back pack, but I only had to also started icing his shins for two or three hours every carry it for one day," Horton said. "I was able to enlist night. This lessened the pain and allowed Horton to various people w h o graciously gave of their time and continue on the trail. resources to crew m e through the AT. This allowed m e H e stayed on schedule, averaging 38.3 miles per day. to do the A T as I would a typical ultra. Because of this, After recovering from his injuries, Horton increased his all I had to carry was a fanny pack and a water bottle." mileage. From days 26 - 43 he averaged 44.4 miles per Horton consumed an average of 6000 calories daily day.
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