Interview with Karl Meltzer after the Human Express

Not too long ago we told you about Suunto user Karl Meltzer’s attempt to run the historic Pony Express route. In a recent interview, Nick Davidson of Outside Magazine talked to Meltzer about the epic run. Below is an excerpt from the interview:

Ultra-marathoner Karl Meltzer can outrun a horse. To prove it, Meltzer recently completed the first-ever run of the full 2,064-mile Pony Express route in 40 days, finishing on October 25. The run commemorated the 150th anniversary of the old delivery route. Horses employed on the historical Pony Express ran no more than ten to 15 miles before a fresh horse took over duties, meaning riders used scores of them for a single delivery. Meltzer, at the pace of roughly two marathons per day—with a 100-miler to wrap it up—tested the limits of human endurance, dubbing his Red Bull-sponsored run from Sacramento, California to St. Joseph, Missouri the "Human Express." I

You were burning more than 5,000 calories a day. What did you eat to compensate for that level of exertion?
I ate as much as I could, any time. Calories, you know? Primarily it was a fat and protein breakfast—eggs, French toast, yogurt and granola. We mixed it up so I didn't get sick of the same food. For dinner, it was anything from steak strips to a can full of peaches. Chicken tenders. Ribs. Left over pasta from the night before. A lot of ice cream at night, just to throw some calories in me, and maybe a couple of cold beers before bed—always good after a 50-mile run.

How did a typical day unfold?
We'd wake up before daylight. I'd prick my finger and take some blood, then give a urine sample. My crew would have breakfast ready, and I'd grab some coffee. Then I'd get my gear together and be out the door by sunrise. I'd run 50 miles in just under ten hours, power shower, ice my shins, and start eating till I couldn't eat any more. Meanwhile, the crew were shopping, gassing up, dumping the RV and all that kind of thing, which gets nuts. The runner has the easiest job.

Where did you sleep at night?
We had a 28-foot RV. I got the master bedroom.

The Pony Express was all about delivering messages. Is there a message you hope to deliver via the Human Express?
Just that if you put your mind to it, you can do anything. People are blown away, but they don't really understand what you're doing sometimes. Doing something like this is just a mind game. If you keep moving forward, you'll get there.

So it was a satisfying experience for you.
It's like living in a dream world. I'm a professional athlete. I get to go run for 40 days across the country. People called me the modern-day Forrest Gump. That's fine. I'd say I was a little faster than Forrest.

Great job Karl on completing such an amazing feat!

For more on Karl visit his website here.

Karl Meltzer Ponies up for the Red Bull Human Express

On September 15^th, endurance athlete and Suunto user Karl Meltzer embarked on an approximately 2000 mile journey attempting to retrace the steps of the famous Pony Express Trail by foot. Official sponsor Red Bull is calling it the Red Bull Human Express. He will be crossing the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains from Sacramento, California to St. Joseph, Missouri.

Meltzer and his support team (including Suunto friend Matt Hart) are all wearing a Suunto td6 watches to track his progress. You can also follow him along the trail on online on the offical sponsor’s (Red Bull) event website www.redbullusa.com/humanexpress. Matt has also been posting plenty of pictures of Karl’s trek on his Twitter page so you can keep updated.

From the Red Bull Human Express Website:

The Pony Express served as the premier mail service from east to west for 18 months in the 1860s and became the West’s best form of communication prior to the telegraph. While historically, the prairies, plains, deserts and mountains were crossed on horseback, Meltzer will attempt to navigate the more than 2,000 miles on foot through challenging terrain and unpredictable weather. He will rely solely on his wits, athleticism and endurance to push the boundaries of human potential.

Karl writes from his website before he began the journey:

Let the games begin! I’ll be headed out to run approximately 2000ish miles retracing the steps of the Pony Express Trail. This run commemorates the 150^th anniversary of those crazy mailmen on horses, running mail and messages from Sacramento, California to St. Joseph, Missouri. It’ll be a long trek, a true adventure, and a mindboggling expedition. It’s about mental power, dealing with adversity, and simply running all day long. This is a huge challenge for me… and I’m accepting it with open arms. So bring it on!

This is going to be quite the feat! Good luck Karl, we'll be following you!