100 Mile Unsupported Fastest Known Time Attempt on the North Country Trail

How fast can I run 100 miles through the Allegheny National Forest on the North Country Trail? Will I make it to the end? What will I eat and drink during this 100 miles? Can it really be that hard? These questions and more will be answered in this Fastest Known Time attempt video. Stayed tuned in all the way to the end to see what my next HUGE challenge is coming this October!
00:00-04:57 The start at the NY/PA state line
04:57-8:40 Food, clothing and running vest
8:40-15:14 The first 33 miles
15:14-23:43 Mile 33-50 - the struggle bus and caffeine highs
23:43-25:03 Mile 50-76 - shelter break and 24 hr update
25:03-27:01 The outcome
27:01-28:13 Closing comments and HUGE FKT announcement!

[@jacobpoucher]

Dang so close! Awesome vide man. !

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks Jacob, after the second try, I’ve come to realize that 100 miles in one shot is more difficult than 350 miles over a 6 day period so I’m really looking forward to seeing what I can do on the sheltowee next month! At least I got to enjoy some cousin basils afterwards!

[@jacobpoucher]

@@jasonwish- well it took me 2 seasons to hike the entire anf section. Ive done it several times since. Great hidden gem of a section. I go up into NY also. And cook forest I have been going there for a decade atleast

[@willieoakley2336]

Great video God bless you and you are a winner in my book Jason

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks Willie, appreciate that!

[@stevebednarchik9390]

Nice effort Jason! Great video

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks Steve! I'm just about ready for the big one....a few more weeks!

[@Maxspeed1998]

Amazing effort Jason! You inspire those around you to push hard and achieve their goals. Keep pushing!

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks! It’s funny how goals change through out different seasons of your life…I’m still really driven to tackle the Sheltowee again, but after this attempt I’ll definitely be ready to set new goals and efforts towards something new in my life.

[@joelcarminati7822]

Awesome job Jason. 80 miles I couldn’t image that. Good music does help😃. looking foward to your next big FKT.

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks Joel, I can't wait to get back on the Sheltowee and show this thing who's boss once and for all...Lord willing!

[@joelcarminati7822]

This time it will happen. Good luck bud😃

[@anthony_privett]

What an awesome effort. You are still a beast. While I know I will never attempt a FKT, you still inspire all of us. Best of luck on your Sheltowee FKT.

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks so much Anthony! I'll do my very best!

[@JourneyontheTrail]

Dang man…can feel the raw emotion through the video. Great attempt bud. Glad you’re going to attempt the Sheltowee Trace Trail again. Appreciate you as always for sharing the ups and downs of these attempts. Will be praying for you on your next FKT at the Sheltowee!!

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks so much, AJ! I’ve mentioned this to several people already, but it’s incredible to me that doing 100 mile straight through is so much harder than doing 350 miles over 6 day period! Being able to stop and sleep some every 60 miles makes a big difference. I’m really looking forward to my next attempt and hopefully I can be successful this time, I really appreciate the prayer and support from you brother!

[@jasonwish-]

And by the way, I am at Audra State Park in West Virginia currently and absolutely loving this place!

[@JayHill615]

I am always amazed that you are still going at FKT. What an absolutely amazing inspiration you are to us all.

[@jasonwish-]

Well, I was 100% certain that I was done with it after that last failed attempt at 100 miles, but after a week of rest, all the competitive drive returned, and now I am 100% committed to putting my best effort in one final time to go sub six days! Lord willing, I will finally accomplish my ultimate goal on the Sheltowee Trace! I was certain after that last attempt, He was telling me to hang it up, but now I feel He’s telling me to use the talents He has blessed me with to go for one final time! Thanks Jay for always following along and being supportive!

[@Smokeybeesnatural]

Dang brother! I'm always proud of you, no matter the outcome! BEAST MODE!

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks Nick! It’s so weird how I feel that I’m letting people down when I fail, when in reality I know that most don’t really care all that much. But it’s a great motivator for me to push on. When I’m on the Sheltowee next month I’ll definitely be thinking of you and Sam and others who have through hiked it and it will certainly help drive me to do the very best that I’m capable of!

[@donaldtimmons1472]

You sir are a machine! I can’t believe you’re scared of spiders.😂😢😢

[@jasonwish-]

Yeah, I am definitely a big wimp when it comes to spiders. I was out on a run today, and I have my phone in my hand and a leaf fell from a tree and landed on my hand and I thought it was a spider and I dropped my phone. At least I didn’t shriek like a little girl 🤣🤣

[@donaldtimmons1472]

@@jasonwish- Lol, I can’t really judge. I’m terrified of anything not human that has hands for feet. Anything primate or large Parrots. 😂. My worst fear, a monkey escaping while I’m at the zoo. The smaller the monkey, the more treacherous.

[@All_Things_Out_Doors]

Dude, if it is your last FKT attempt, thanks so much for inspiring so many people (including me). I couldn't be more proud to call you a friend. Nothing about anything you have attempted has ever been a fail. God bless!

[@jasonwish-]

I still hope to do some smaller one day efforts in the future and continue to run ultra races next year since I will be entering the new age group of 50+ ha ha, hopefully I can be more competitive in this new age group! Thanks so much for always following along with me on my adventures and being supportive, I really appreciate it!

[@nalonabrato8900]

You can’t fail if you don’t try. Therefore, you succeed in many ways. I hope you have recovered well.

[@jasonwish-]

Wise words! I am fully recovered and only have three weeks left of training before the 350 mile Sheltowee Trace overall fastest known time!

[@nalonabrato8900]

Relieved. 💗

[@OldPackMule]

Dude, you cover amazing miles. We are all jealous. Your stomach and symptoms sounds like dehydration sickness. You may simply not be able to process enough water to go at the pace you want. It's a delicate balance at that level. Question is, how often do you have to stop and pee?

[@jasonwish-]

What I experience on the trail is nothing new to almost every ultra runner out there. I was peeing normal every few hours so I don’t believe it was dehydration. Finding the proper balance of fluids and electrolytes and salts and having the right nutrition often takes years to get dialed in. I’m hoping that having some real food along the way during the Sheltowee will help. I tend to only feel sick on day one so I am going to start a little later in the morning and do less miles on day one in hopes of curbing the stomach distress that often plagues me. Thanks for always following along and supporting me on my adventures!

[@DMSAdventures]

Glad you're not hanging it up just yet Jason!! On your comment about listening to KZbin music... YES!! Me too! I play them working out, driving around, at work etc! Everytime i play it with the kids around we remember what adventure we were on with that music, or what sillyness we engaged in while it played! Super fun and i totally get it! 😀 As predictable as your sickness issue at 60 miles seems to be, i wonder if a doc or someone could tell you why that happens every time and how to mitigate it!

[@jasonwish-]

During my latest FKT of 343 miles on the Sheltowee I got through the qeasy stomach very quickly this time, only lasted a few hours and then right back to putting the hammer down! From my research it sounds like even seasoned pros deal with the stomach distress from time to time...its just something that happens when putting the body through something so difficult like back to back 60 mile days...at least it only last a few hours normally. I tried to download some new tunes to my phone and could not get it to work so I had to once again listen to the same clips from previous years,lol

[@rosesmith6208]

whatever happened to the colonol? well if you dont succeed on something change the thing and go for that instead. you did more than I could ever do in my best year of my life, God doesnt look at what you do but the kind fo person you are, he judges based on how much we love him and love our neighbors and our obedience. remember angels are more powerful than any human and yet they dont worry about how far or how fast they can go or challenge themselves in that way, they are more concerned with how well they serve God and obey him out of love.

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks for the comment Rose. I absolutely agree with you 100%! But here’s another way to look at it; the Lord has blessed me so much and one of the things He has blessed me with is a competitive drive, ambition, determination, grit and endurance. I strive to bring Him glory in any way I can with the talents He has given me and in this season of my life I am using it in this way to hopefully and ultimately bring Him all the glory, praise and honor. My hope is that what I’m doing now will help me have a bigger platform to be able share the good news of Jesus Christ with others who do not know Him. God bless!

[@stephenhiker9807]

Inspirational hike. Great job. Always very motivational!

[@jasonwish-]

@@stephenhiker9807 thank you so much!

[@stonedapeadventures]

how was the 666 crossing? ive always imagined that being the toughest spot for an fkt, gibbs hill is no joke as well. hope to see ya at the next a100

[@jasonwish-]

Are you referring to the area near Kettleville Campground? I didn't make it that far, I was a few miles away from it when I had my wife pick me up. If it wasn't for my darn stomach issues I feel like I'm capable of going sub 30 hours, but man things sure always seem to get tough for me after 70-75 miles. I would prefer to run multiple day of 55-60 miles with 3-4 hours of sleep between each.

[@stonedapeadventures]

@jasonwish- Henry Mills Shelter, that up and down always hurts me lol, one side is all hemlock. The other side is hardwoods, I'm no expert on anything, but maybe caffeine is causing stomach issues?

[@jasonwish-]

@@stonedapeadventures I've often thought that myself but it still happens even when I don't take it. I've thought it might have been sugar but busted that theory as well. At least it only happens at the end of day one and part of day 2 and then it goes away entirely so i'm better suited for multi-day efforts.

[@bwalusis]

darn that sucks, I thought you had it in the bag

[@jasonwish-]

Believe me, so did I! I feel that 100 miles straight through in one shot is harder than multiple days in a row of 55-60 miles each day.