#sabbs

[atomiczoneusa]

Boerboel Wolverine FanBoy Artwork Illustration by @ricardoatomic

[sabbqj]

VENOM

I finally finished this piece. It took almost 50 hours but I'm proud how it turned out.

[tani-b-art]

Black and Missing Foundation — linktree

BAMFI — website

::Twitter Facebook Instagram

[robertfripp]

"There was a nice and a very old-fashioned idea that our management at EG often sent us a telegram at the beginning of a tour saying 'good luck', 'It's going to be terrific', and that sort of morale-boosting thing.

"This time it was the opening of the tour where we'd probably come in on separate planes to the States and we were gathered in a miserable coffee shop in the Holiday Inn somewhere. We sat there facing an itinerary of six or eight weeks ahead of us in some ghastly places, not knowing what was going on and feeling completely abandoned, wondering if anybody knows if there's a car that's been rented or a van anywhere. So sitting there in the coffee shop, Robert composed a telegram to EG which said 'Help. Abandoned.'

"There didn't seem to be a strategy other than we went out there and everyone else was sat around at home. So in some respects it was quite amateurish. This was just four guys, three guitars and half a drum kit in the back of a van, maybe, barely knowing where we were going the next day, let alone having any kind of world-conquering plan."

~ Bill Bruford on King Crimson's 1974 tour of the USA

[na-mukamal]

Na Pucho Zaat, Sabb Matti

Meri Okaat, Sabb Matti

[pcttrailsidereader]

‘Pushing your limits and suffering’: What it takes to hike the Pacific Crest Trail in record time

This article comes from the SF Chronicle. As much as I object to racing through some of the most beautiful country in the world, I admit to a level of awe at the achievement of people like Karel Sabbe. To think of walking more than a double marathon every day for a month and a half in the mountains is inconceivable.

Since shattering the speed record on the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail last weekend, Karel Sabbe has been taking it easy: flip flops, family time, lots of sleep, burgers and Mexican food.

“My body is still in full recovery mode,” Sabbe told the Chronicle on Friday morning from Seattle, where he has been staying the past week.

The 33-year-old Belgian dentist set out on the trail from the Mexican border on July 10 and trekked for nearly 47 consecutive days — pushing through extreme desert heat in Southern California, then the perilous melting Sierra snowpack, and finally a string of wildfires in the Northwest that closed portions of the trail and forced Sabbe and other thru-hikers to reroute. By the end, he had averaged about 58 miles per day.

“My legs have been randomly cramping up and they feel really tired when I have to take staircases,” Sabbe said. “It feels like it’s getting worse every day. … For sure, I haven’t been able to think about running again.”

Sabbe is an accomplished ultrarunner known for going hard in gnarly landscapes. He holds the supported speed record on the 2,190-mile Appalachian Trail (finishing in 41 days) and completed a traverse of the Alps (through eight countries) in the fastest known time of 30 days. He’s one of just a handful of people to finish the notorious 100-mile Barkley Marathon in Tennessee.

Karel Sabbe runs on the Pacific Crest Trail in 2023.Provided by Karel Sabbe

It was Sabbe’s second time setting the PCT record. The first came in 2016, when he finished in 52 days. Then two years ago, world-class ultrarunner Timothy Olson shaved a day off of Sabbe’s time, finishing in 51 days.

Sabbe returned this year to reclaim the record. On Aug. 26, when he reached the northern terminus, he had smashed Olson’s record by more than five days. Both runners were supported along their journeys by crews who made camp along the route and tended to them daily.

To learn what it takes to accomplish such a feat, the Chronicle sent Sabbe a list of questions, which he replied to via voice memos. The following transcription of that correspondence is lightly edited for length and clarity.

Q: Why do you do these extreme, long-distance trail runs? What is the appeal of chasing speed records?

A: At first, back in 2016, when I ran the PCT for the first time I didn’t know the exact appeal of an FKT (fastest known time) attempt like that. I just wanted to hike the PCT but I didn’t have the time to take 4-to-6 months off work — but 2 months was possible, so I decided to run the trail. 

In hindsight, I realized there was a lot of beauty in running a trial like that. There was the scenic beauty, but by pushing your limits, your emotions are stronger and the things you experience are stronger and more valuable — like the interaction with people around you, your friends and family who are supporting you. You learn a ton about yourself when you’re pushing your limits and suffering. I always return from these FKT attempts as a stronger and more optimistic person. They always influence me in a good way.

Q: How did you feel after your first record run in 2016? After finishing, did you feel like you could have done it faster?

A: The first PCT run was a very special experience because it was the first thing I did when it came to ultrarunning. I learned a lot but I also suffered a lot. Then over the years, while setting the record on the Appalachian Trail and the traverse of the Alps, I learned a lot more and I knew the PCT record could be a lot faster. So it felt natural to go back to this unique trail and to be able to run it — physically and mentally pushing hard but without running in so much pain and without so much sleep deprivation. It was really nice to go back in different circumstances now.

Q: In 2021, when you saw Timothy Olson break your record, did you immediately know you’d go back to try to reclaim it?

Karel Sabbe covered an average of 58 miles per day to reclaim the speed record run on the Pacific Crest Trail.Provided by Karel Sabbe

Q: What did you learn from your first PCT run that informed your approach this time?

A: With this one, we had everything much more dialed in. In 2016, it was just me and my brother-in-law, but this year I had a 4-person crew. (During the first run) I had so much pain in my feet — blisters and extreme pain — that it was so hard to think about something else other than the fact that I was suffering. So this time I was always cleaning my feet. In the evening I took a salt bath, had creams and things to take care of my feet so I successfully treated them. I didn’t have any blisters during the entire PCT which helps so much if you’re not running in pain. 

Q: Why did you attempt the record this year? Obviously, it’s a very challenging year with the Sierra snow.

A: The snow in the Sierra was definitely challenging and it worried me for a few months. From all over the world I got messages like, “Karel don’t do it, it’s not possible this year.” But things were in motion already with my friends who were going to support me and with my sponsor. So we postponed it for a month from the 10th of June to 10th of July.

By the time we got to the High Sierra, it was still very much snow covered but it was doable. Three of us went in together with proper backpacks because there was so much snow, and the river crossings were so dangerous, that I didn’t dare to go in there alone. There were some flooded rivers that were difficult to cross but with three of us as a team we managed to go through the High Sierra.

Karel Sabbe pauses for a selfie in the snow-covered High Sierra.Provided by Karel Sabbe

Q: Mentally, how do you stay sharp out there for so long? What do you think about on the trail?

A: The PCT is my favorite trail in the world so I was always feeling at home in the world. Sometimes your mind is racing a bit about worries you have or something, and (in those moments) it would help to listen to music. But mostly I was just happy to be out on the trail and I was trying to feel like a thru-hiker and not think about the fact that it was for a record. The moment you’re in the flow and not thinking about anything, that’s the best moment to be in. Then I also had Henri and Kobe … so we could run together and talk. But the scenery was most important to me. It’s a beautiful trail. It’s very diverse and changes a lot, so that’s enough to keep me going.

Q: How important is having the PCT speed record? If someone breaks your record, do you think you’ll give it one more go?

A: I don’t think I’d be able to do it faster and I’m sure I won’t be going back. I’m just proud of what we’ve accomplished. The chapter of the FKT is done (for me). The only reason I’d go back is to hike it with my family. It’s a beautiful trail and I’d like to do it in five or six months, taking all the time I want. For one part of me, it means a lot to me to have the record. But now that I have it and I know I did my personal best, I’m happy that somebody will go after it and it’ll be broken in the future.

By Gregory Thomas

[tuyetnhivincity]

CẬP NHẬT TIẾN ĐỘ MỚI NHẤT DỰ ÁN THE RIVUS THÁNG 10/2024 |THE RIVUS ELIE ...

[inwokewetrust1981]

LANK: The Documentary

LANK The Documentary

[atomiczoneusa]

Boerboel Kennels Logo Creations Illustration by @ricardoatomic

[sabbqj]

Zirael

So...another The Witcher piece and I'm working on another one...I can't help myself xD Hope you like it and I will be grateful for any interaction with this post:333

[lessoneislessthannow]

You drunk bitch!

WAS IT A FUN RIDE? FUN RIDE FOR YOU?

Shattered glass and burning plastic.

You look like you feel fantastic.

[plasticgroove]

RotPG 10/06/2023

HUGEL, Francis Mercier – NaNa Djon (Extended Mix) Tony Romera, Crusy – Attracted (Extended Mix) Voices Of Valley – No Time (Soul Button Remix) Mau P, Breach – Jack From Amsterdam (BNM Bootleg) Sabb – Motherlove (Armonica Remix) Skatman – I Used To (Hiphop Rewarp) &ME – L.I.F.E (Original Mix) Engelbert, Luke van Veen – Leven (Whirl Remix) Hot Since 82 – Love Me (Extended Mix) Majestic,…

[on-the-sofa-in-the-garden]

[thankyoufinnick]

Their documentary on the 2023 Barkeley is out! It's best watched, I think, after the other 2023 Barkley documentary, because they clearly tried not to overlap much at all, to the point where that tender embrace isn't even included!! (What were they thinking??) But the new documentary does cover the full longer hug later, whereas the other documentary panned away partway through (it was a looong hug), and the new documentary translates a bunch of the dialogue.

Oh, speaking of translation, I've been going back and forth between saying Dutch and Flemish for what they're speaking, because it wasn't clear to me which it was, and Karel has now confirmed it's West Flemish. Not always intelligible even to speakers of East Flemish, apparently!

Yes, I'm a bit of a language geek.

In other Karel/Joren hug news, one of their best took place at Laz's Big's Backyard Ultra in 2020, where Karel was world champion and Joren lifted him off his feet and spun him around. It's a 20-second video here and well worth watching if you like how over-the-top these two can be. (If Karel seems a little out of it, he's been awake and running for 75 hours with only minutes of sleep.) Oh, and that's Karel's wife, Emma, trying to get in on the celebratory hug action, and failing because Joren has completely monopolized his BFF, lol. (Don't worry, she gets a hug and a kiss later.)

There's also this easy-to-miss but hilarious fact that in one of Karel's other documentaries, it shows Karel hugging friends and family one after another after setting yet another world record. The film clearly cuts mid-action to a different Karel/Joren hug and then cuts back to the sequence of hugs with everyone else. Piecing this together with the uncut raw footage on Facebook, I realized that the original post-race Karel/Joren hug was kind of meh, and then they shared a more enthusiastic one a bit later.

What this means is someone involved in the filmmaking decided that it was worth splicing in a completely separate, better hug into an otherwise unbroken sequence of events...because...they know what the people want, I guess? LOL forever.

These two. :D

Ok, I don’t go here,* but. Karel Sabbe’s friend tenderly holding him after he (Karel Sabbe) slumps to the ground at the gate, and saying something very close to his face that we can’t hear, and gently helping him out of his running vest. What was I saying about Barkley. Some brothers-in-arms shit. Over the top. I’m about it.

*male athletes

Also the fact that this is the first thing Google has to say about Karel Sabbe

[pcttrailsidereader]

He broke a hiking record on the PCT . . . This was the extreme physical toll

Nick Fowler set a record for the fastest self-supported thru-hike on the Pacific Crest Trail. Here he took a selfie at mile marker 300 in the Southern California desert. Nick Fowler

SF Chronicle writer Gregory Thomas continues his interest in fast hiking of the PCT as he talks to Nick Fowler, new record holder for the fastest unsupported hike of the PCT. [See also the last post about Karel Sabbe's fastest support hike of the PCT.] Unsupported means that Fowler did not have a team to meet him on the trail with food or water or shelter. Fowler would have had to send himself his resupply or travel into trail towns to purchase food. It is an amazing achievement but not without consequences . . . including significant health issues. Interestingly, Fowler walked his hike SOBO.

An Oklahoma hiker traveling alone shattered the speed record for a self-supported thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. That means he trekked the 2,650-mile trail solo, without the backing of a crew to help him make camp, cook or care for his body along the arduous journey.

Starting in Washington state in July and heading south, Nick Fowler covered an average of about 51 miles per day for 52 days, 9 hours and 18 minutes. He arrived in Campo (San Diego County), near the Mexico border, on Sept. 6, having beaten the previous self-supported record by more than three days.

On Monday morning, Fowler said his body is paying the price for the effort: His toes and forefeet are still numb.

“I’m exhausted,” he told the Chronicle. “I’ve been doing nothing but eating and sleeping since I got home.”

Speed records on the Pacific Crest Trail — and for that matter the Appalachian Trail, too — have been falling the past several years as extreme endurance athletes have taken interest in one-upping each other to establish fastest known times, or FKTs, on America’s wilderness trails. Several of the players belong to the burgeoning global community of ultrarunners — niche performers who participate in 100-mile-plus foot races in the mountains — including Karel Sabbe, who last month smashed the record for a supported thru-hike of the PCT, completing the trail in 46 days.

Nick Fowler sits at the southern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail near the U.S.-Mexico border in early September.Nick Fowler

Fowler, by contrast, is a 35-year-old entrepreneur from Tulsa who says he hadn’t hiked much at all until four years ago. “I’m a nobody,” he told the Chronicle. “I’m brand new to this.”

In 2019, Fowler and his wife lit out in a van to visit all 63 national parks across the country. Along the way, he discovered a love for the outdoors and became fixated on pushing his body to the max.

Two years ago, he set the self-supported FKT on the 1,248-mile Pacific Northwest Trail, which crosses mountain ranges in Montana, Idaho and Washington. Last year he claimed the same record on the Ozark Trail in Missouri. His high mark for a single day of hiking is 78 miles, he said.

But each trek took a toll, and Fowler came away with ligament damage in his ankles and a stress fracture in one foot. Last winter, he prepared for the PCT while on crutches, healing from a foot injury.

The past several PCT record-setters have attacked the trail from south to north, in part to avoid the worst of late-summer heat in the Southern California desert. But Fowler thought heading in the reverse direction would give him an edge: He’d start in Washington’s Cascade Range, where last winter’s snowfall was relatively low, then hit the High Sierra later in summer, when its historic snowpack would be at its thinnest and the landscape would be most easily passable.

The first half of his hike was relatively fast and smooth. He went ultralight, carrying a kit with a base weight of just 7½ pounds, and covered 55 miles per day. Every few days he’d detour into a town to buy food or pick up resupply boxes of clothes and shoes he’d mailed himself along the route.

Then he hit the High Sierra, roughly halfway through, “and it all kind of hit the fan,” Fowler said.

Exhaustion, dizzy spells, a pulled quadriceps, and “the nastiest blister I ever had in my life” chipped away at Fowler’s well-being. Then his urine turned blood red, the result of a condition called rhabdomyolysis, when muscles break down and release their contents into the blood.

The 10,000 calories per day Fowler had budgeted wasn’t enough to sustain him, so his starving body started pulling proteins and electrolytes from his damaged muscles. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines rhabdomyolysis, which can be triggered by intense exertion, as “a serious medical condition that can be fatal or result in permanent disability.”

“I kept going even though everyone was telling me to stop,” Fowler said.

Attempting such an extreme objective forces a person to confront physical and mental limits, said Heather “Anish” Anderson, an author and respected endurance adventurer who set the self-supported FKT in 2013. During her trek, she felt her body “really breaking down,” she said.

Near Mount Shasta, Fowler crossed paths with Sabbe, the ultrarunner working on his supported FKT, and the two snapped a selfie together. Sabbe was being paced by two crew members, one of whom Fowler saw shuttling cans of soda for Sabbe — standard procedure for supported thru-hikers but an impossibility for those going self-supported.

“I was so jealous,” Fowler said. “I would have done anything for a cold pop in certain places.”

While traversing the High Sierra, Fowler encountered a ranger who was warning hikers off the trail: A hurricane of historic proportions was bearing down on Southern California and was forecast to bring deadly conditions to the mountains there.

“I thought, ‘I’ve already gone through so much, I’m not turning back now,’ ” Fowler said.

When Hurricane Hilary reached the southern Sierra, Fowler had to spend nearly two days hunkered down in a cave in the mountains.Nick Fowler

“I came out of the Sierra thinking, ‘Thank God I don’t have to deal with water anymore,’ ” he said.

The final stretch in the desert was so hot, and Fowler was so physically depleted, that the rhabdomyolysis returned and the hiker’s hands locked up on him, making it difficult for him to buckle his backpack straps.

By the time he arrived at the trail’s southern terminus to meet his wife, Fowler had been out of food and water for hours and hadn’t seen another hiker in days. “I felt like crap,” he said. “It was a real rough finish.”

FastestKnownTime.com, the record keeper for mountain treks, is reviewing Fowler’s record claim, which includes his GPS track, photos and trail notes.

Several days after finishing, Fowler said he’s still “in a fog” mentally and physically but had no regrets.

“It’s the funnest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” he said. “It’s just fascinating what the human body is capable of.”