Four-State Challenge (PA, MD, WV, VA)

[Chicken]

I plan on running the Four-State Challenge along the Appalachian Trail starting in PA and finishing in VA. This will be a supported run and route is roughly 45 miles with 6,000 to 7,000 feet of elevation change.  I created a route on MapMy Run and the details of the route will be posted on my Four-State Challenge Facebook page.  I plan on taking pictures along the way and posting them to FB for verification when and where signal is available.


Route.tiff (355.97 KB)

www.facebook.com/pages/Four-State-Challenge/1436115673340687

[Sam Wachsman]

Chicken, did you complete the 4 state challenge and establish a FKT?

[Sam Wachsman]

Chicken, did you complete the 4 state challenge and establish a FKT?

[Jackie Palmer]

My friend Matt Wilson and I completed the 4 state Challenge in 8 hours and 58 minutes. Started at the road intersection in PA just north of Penn Mar and ran to the sign of the WV/VA line after the climb out of Harpers Ferry. Stopped the time when we got to the sign, and that's not counting the time it took us to get back into WV Harper's Ferry parking lot to our cars (another 1.5-2 miles more).
My friend Matt is fast and we were moving all day, but I feel like it has certainly been done faster. Does anyone know what the FKT is?

[Sam Wachsman]

Jackie, I guess you own the FKT since no one else is claiming it. Congratulations!
With that being said, I am planning an attempt to set a new FKT on October 24th. My attempt will be solo, self supported.

[britrunner]

So what is the official southern terminus of this challenge? here: 39.299607, -77.743014

Those coord's should point at the S bend the At does about 1.5-2 miles after HF as you descent Loudon Heights.

I'm thinking of having a go this weekend. If it is warm I may use a water re-supply point. I've never stepped foot on any of the route but fancy a long solid effort. But my main issue is where the actual southern end is. the northern end seems more obvious.

[britrunner]

I [Iain Ridgway] ran this yesterday.

I started around 9:25 in PA and finished at the sign Jackie used as the end with the sharpie WV/VA border mark.

I'll post the GPS track later, I took 7:29.

I went further along to see if there was another border sign but couldn't find it.

Today I hiked back up to check it out and a park warden had washed off the sharpie and was installing an official WV/VA state line so that point, immediately after the climb out of Harpers Ferry makes a nice obvious finish point.

It was a solid hard effort, I think on a cooler day knowing the route sub 7 is possible. I had support of my wife at Washington Monument state park and in Harpers Ferry but got lost in harpers ferry after bad directions.. Then was chased by 2 dogs which lost me time whilst I took them back to their owners.

[britrunner]

www.strava.com/activities/297528560

Strava details

My report on my FKT. I think sub 7 is very possible, it'd be good to see more attempt this and others in the region.

iainsrunning.blogspot.com/2015/05/appalachian-trail-four-state-challenge.html

[kawior3]

Has anyone done this out and back?

[Brit runner]

Not that I know of. This FKT doesn't get that much attention as it is.

[kawior3]

Thanks Brit runner. I will report in couple months on my attempt

[HeyBriguy]

I ran the 4 State Challenge on 6/28/16. Not even close to an FKT, in fact it was my first run of this length! Took me a little over 12 hours with my family meeting me ever 10 -13 miles to check in and refuel. It was brutally hot midday, around 90 with high humidity, until a thunderstorm rolled through around 3pm which helped to lift my spirits and get the feet moving a little faster.

Like I said, not an FKT but I though I'd add it to the board just to let people know that its being attempted and that its a worthwhile adventure!

www.strava.com/activities/624153004

[BMore Dusty]

I, Dustin Meeker, am attempting to establish a new FKT for the AT Four State Challenge on Saturday, July 8, 2017. My friend and training partner Conrad Laskowski will join me, making the attempt a supported effort. We will work together to the greatest extent possible, while ensuring that at least one of us remains on pace. In accordance with FKT custom and etiquette, I've written the current record holder, Iain Ridgway, to notify him of our attempt. If conditions are not favorable, we will reschedule the run for the weekend of July 28. Will use GPS data, photographs, and witness's verification to document the attempt, and I will provide an account on this board regardless of the outcome.

[adrianspencer]

Seems I committed a breach of etiquette by not more widely sharing my plan to attempt this FKT (specifically with the former holder, Iain Ridgeway).

Dustin Meeker gratefully brought this to my attention and I thought I'd share the Strava activity showing my successful attempt at establishing a new FKT for the four state challenge. I completed the run in 7:19:24. This was a supported attempt, aided by two other runners along various points on the route (Pogo to Taylor's Gap and Harper's Ferry to the Va/WVa border). I ran approximately 65% of the route solo.

www.strava.com/activities/1065668569/shareable_images/map_based?hl=en-US&v=1499123823

I can't wait to see what Dustin does on Saturday (or later this month)! I'll share a more in-depth report shortly with additional photographs.

[adrianspencer]

Here's the report from my run on 7/3/17. I hope others find it useful. I think this FKT is going to be below 7 hours before the end of the year.

www.everybodyruns.com/race-reports/2017/7/5/at-four-state-challenge-fkt-as-of-7317