Anjos sets women’s northbound Appalachian Trail fastest known time, shares about record journey completed in Maine

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) - Mount Katahdin is the north end of the Appalachian Trail. The trail runs about 2,200 miles to Springer Mountain in Georgia. The woods of Maine welcomed Liz Anjos a few weeks ago. She became the women’s fastest known time to complete the trail going north.

“Hiking up the final you know ascent, and reaching the northern terminus of the trail, touching that sign, and having the summit to myself on this beautiful day,” says record-setting hiker Liz Anjos, “I felt in disbelief that I was there.”

Liz Anjos was a distance runner before she began conquering trails.

“I became a runner at the age of 14 and then I started running more competitively as an adult,” says Anjos, “So my love for running, and ambitions in running, started to melt with this dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail.”

She earned the nickname “Mercury," and planned to be the fleetest of foot to ever complete the Appalachian Trail.

“Targeting either the overall record Karel Sabbe of Belgium 41 days and change,” says Anjos, “and then the women’s record by Jennifer Davis of 46 1/2 days, so that’s from 47 to 53 miles per day.”

An epic journey, from July 7th to August 27th, all the way to the great Maine woods.

“Bear encounters and I hiked through the hurricane that came through earlier in the year,” says Liz, “And it was almost just surreal to be so close to Katahdin, in the hundred 100 Mile Wilderness. After all of that difficult times on the trail, it was almost like everything started to open up.”

She is the 2nd fastest female to complete the trail.

“Establish the fastest known time for northbound women, get another woman’s name on the board," says Anjos, “and maybe it will inspire more women.”

A supported hike taking 51 days 16 hours and 30 minutes.

“It was just kind of like wow, I can’t believe I am actually here,” says Anjos, “it was just a really neat feeling.”

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