Fill Out Your Dash and Talking Balancing Running and Music: Liz Derstine's Story

We talk about filling out your dash, living a full life. Then I interview Liz Derstine, an accomplished trail runner and FKT (Fastest Known Time) record holder. We discuss Liz's trail name, her experience on the Appalachian Trail, her connection with Warren Doyle, and her transition to self-supported FKT attempts.

Liz also shares her challenges with blisters, animal encounters, sleep deprivation, and hallucinations during her FKTs. She discusses balancing her running and music careers and expresses her love for long-distance trail FKTs. The episode concludes with Liz's recent FKT attempt on the Colorado Trail and her support for her friend's FKT attempt on the same trail after hers ended.

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Takeaways

• Liz Derstine, also known as Mercury, is an accomplished trail runner and FKT record holder.


• She gained her trail name from a song she listened to while preparing for a practice hike on the Appalachian Trail.


• Liz's first through-hike and FKT attempt was on the Appalachian Trail, with Warren Doyle as her support.


• She was inspired by Jennifer Pharr Davis and Scott Jurek's books and attended a workshop by Warren Doyle to mentally prepare for the AT.


• Liz transitioned to self-supported FKT attempts on trails like the Long Trail and the Penhody Trail.


• She faced challenges such as blisters, animal encounters, sleep deprivation, and hallucinations during her FKT attempts.


• Liz balances her running and music careers, using her run commute as a way to decompress at the end of the day.


• She finds joy in long-distance trail FKT attempts and plans to continue pursuing them in the future.


• Liz also values the supportive nature of the trail running community and the willingness to help each other achieve their goals.

Sound Bites

• "Jerry filled out his dash"


• "Fill out that dash"


• "How did you get your trail name?"

Chapters

00:00 Remembering Jerry West and Filling Out the Dash

03:25 Getting the Trail Name Mercury

05:24 Connecting with Warren Doyle and Starting the Appalachian Trail

09:46 Learning and Preparing for the AT

13:33 Challenges on the Trail: Blisters, Animal Encounters, and Sleep Deprivation

18:54 Dealing with Sleep Deprivation and Pushing Through

22:17 Hallucinations and Mind Games on the Trail

25:08 Transitioning to Self-Supported FKT Attempts

30:27 Running Commute and Balancing Running and Music Careers

32:53 The Joy of Long-Distance Trail FKTs

36:42 Supportive Nature of the Trail Running Community

41:34 Last Person Standing Style and Overcoming Mental Blocks

43:56 Most Enjoyable Experiences: Swiss Via Alpina and Colorado Trail

Keywords: trail running, FKT, Liz Durstein, Appalachian Trail, self-supported, blisters, animal encounters, sleep deprivation, hallucinations, balancing, long-distance trail, Colorado Trail

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