Before we dive in, a warning that this episode contains mentions of depression and suicide.

If you are someone you know is struggling, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800273 Talk.

That's 800273-8255.

The strategy I use is like a day is 24 hours and if I'm going to sleep three hours, I can put that anywhere.

If I'm dead tired at 9 p.m. and I got to sleep, I can sleep for my three hours then, which

it's going to make the morning harder, but at least it doesn't

make me have to just death march it in from 9 p.m. to midnight because I'll be moving slower

than if I was well rested. So yeah, it just became all these little strategies, these mental

things, everything that I've worked on through 20 other FKTs kind of bubbled up to the surface.

On September 21st, 2025, Jeff Garmeier hiked to the top of Mount Springer in Georgia.

For the first time in 45 days, eight hours, and 37 minutes, he was

finally able to sit down and rest for as long as he wanted. Jeff had just set the fastest known

time record for trekking the Appalachian Trail, and he did it self-supported. Nobody brought him meals, handed him

fresh gear, or made sure he was on pace. It was just Jeff, a resupply plan, and very little

sleep. I'm Shelby Stanger, and this is Wild Ideas Worth Living, an RI Co-Op Studios production presented by Capital One and the

REI Co-Op MasterCard.

Jeff is a legend in the world of fastest known times. In fact, legend is his trail name.

He holds more than 20 FKTs on routes including the Colorado Trail, the Arizona Trail, and the John Muir Trail.

For Jeff, collecting these records is a perfect way to apply his skills and his single-minded dedication to through hiking.

Jeff Garmar, welcome to wild ideas worth living. You are a man of many, many, many, many,

wild ideas. A lot, my whole life. So growing up, did you do other sports besides hiking,

like for you a runner?

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