Congratulations to Seth Wolpin on his hard slog around Annapurna. 218km and some +/-10,000m completed in around 72 hours. Plenty of people have gone around the Annapurna Circuit from Besi Sahar to Naya Pul but few with the aim of reducing the hike to as few days as possible. A quick google will find a seven-day trip here, and Lizzy Hawker walking around in five-days (though not quite from Naya Pul).
Seth was able to do this because he was already acclimatised having gone around the Annapurna Circuit Trek as a fastpack event the week before. This is another of the many multi-day trail running events in Nepal. [See photos from round Annapurna here.]
Seth gives his reasons for running:
I don’t know how this is going to work out but I have some time on my hands before flying back to the states. (China airlines wouldn’t let me change my ticket so if this goes south it is their fault.) It doesn’t look like anyone has ever been stupid enough to try a continuous push around the annapurna circuit. I’m acclimated, well versed on the circuit, bored, haven’t done something stupid in a long time, and itching to run. A dangerous combo surely. I’ll start in besisahar either tomorrow or thurs morning (wed eve and Seattle) and go counter-clockwise following all of the new annapurna trekking trails (NATT) I can find instead of jeep track. If all goes well, I will finish in the village I love to hate…Naya Pull. I have no idea when…we will see how it goes! Wish me luck. More to follow.
Despite some rain and tough conditions, Seth completed and wrote the following on his Facebook page:
Sitting here next to the lake in Pokhara with a cold beer and if I weren’t shuffling like I was 87, I would think it never happened. I’m showered, fed, sorta rested, and wearing freshly purchased beach clothes and flip flops. I have a small bag of laundry I want to burn. It was tough tough tough…72 hours of beauty and madness, that is all I will say for now. A write up and pics forthcoming. Big thanks to Lizzy Hawker for inspiring me to go for a big run in the himalaya (look up her Everest mail run!), Team Adventure Trail for exploring/fastpacking the trail with me for next year’s race (which will be great) – I hardly had to look at my maps this time around, all the nice locals and trekkers I met, Richard Bull for beta and babysitting; and Mom, Robin, and Julie for keeping my spirits up when I had moments of lucidity and cell service. In the end, I think it is a fastest known time but probably because no one has been stupid enough to try. Happy to be first (?) in line and to help others (Sudeep?). One step at a time.
Seth Wolpin who just completed the Annapurna Circuit Trek route in 3 days.
Follow Seth at https://twitter.com/sethwolpin
Other notable efforts:
- Shiri Levental – 3 days Besi Sahar to Kagbeni
- Lizzy Hawker – 5 days hike Besi Sahar to Nayapul (TBC)
Another blog from a Mr Hopkins: http://runningannapurna.blogspot.com/?m=1
Steve Keeling says:
14 October 2014: Quite a surprise to meet Seth at Thorung Phedi last week. He looked in a pretty bad way and when I heard about his plan to continue walking over the Thorung La through the evening and night I began to wonder about his sanity. I was considering rugby tackling him and putting him in a straitjacket to stop him heading off to his doom! Glad you made it Seth Manche!
Seth Wolpin says:
Thanks Richard for sharing this and for organizing amazing races in Nepal. I’m excited to organize a stage race around Annapurna in September of 2015: http://www.annapurnatrailrace.org
Steve – it was great to run into you on the circuit! Thanks for bolstering my spirits (not to mention feeding me).
Here is my blog post about both the fastpack and the run:
http://www.sethwolpin.com/2014/10/the-annapurna-circuit-going-round-and.html
Cheers, Seth