ULTRA RUNNERS SET RECORD ON PACIFIC CREST TRAIL

Yassine Diboun and fellow US ultra running friend Scott Loughney have set a Fastest Known Time (FKT) for a supported-run of Oregon’s 453-mile portion of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in the USA.

In a post on social media, Yassine wrote: “WE DID IT!!! With the help of our top notch and selfless crew, @scottloughney & I crossed the entire state of ‪Oregon‬ hiking and running on the‪ Pacific Crest Trail‬. We set the ‪Fastest Known Time‬ supported in 8 days 12 hours and 5 minutes. The 453-mile journey from the California/Oregon border to the Washington/Oregon border almost broke us down physically, mentally and emotionally. We constantly had to rally and lift our spirits as we traversed rugged terrain, snow, vicious mosquitos, lots of trees blocking the trail… and we dealt with the worst sleep deprivation I’ve ever experienced. I cried almost every day on the trail and it was such a cleansing and primal experience.

“This adventure taught us so much, brought so many people together for a great cause and challenged us to the brink. It will likely take a long time to process it all. I have immense gratitude to our families and friends who supported us, and all the donors. It truly was a team effort that I’ll never forget. Stay tuned for the movie!”

SECOND TIME ON PACIFIC CREST TRAIL FKT-HUNT FOR YASSINE

Yassine first attempted a self-supported run of the Oregon PCT in 2013 when he was joined on the trail by Brian Donnelly. Unfortunately an injury forced Yassine to pull out at about 150 miles, while Brian went on to claim the self-supported FKT. In a recent interview with Competitor, Yassine said: “It was one of those things that left a bad taste in my mouth because I put so much anticipation into it – training and money – and I came way short. I dusted myself off, got back to life and went on with my racing. But still in the back of my mind I would think, I want to go back and try that again someday.”

The portion of the PCT that the duo ran starts on the border of California and Oregon and finishes at the Bridge of the Gods, on the border of Oregon and Washington. The full length of the entire Pacific Crest Trail is 2,659 miles, with its end points being on the borders with Mexico and Canada respectively.

The FKT attempt started with three runners on the start line, however, Travis Liles dropped after 215 miles. Collectively they formed the Oregon PCT Running Project and used the FKT attempt to raise money for their chosen charities: The Alano Club of Portland, the Pacific Crest Trail Association, and the Providence Cancer Center. You can discover more about the project and donate by visiting the Oregon PCT Running Project webpage.

Yassine ran in our new TrailTalon 250 shoes and, when it rained, our AT/C Stormshell HZ waterproof jacket. Check out the sweet video below featuring Yassine, who is owner/partner/lead Wolf at Wy’east Wolfpack.