Timothy Olson

The new face of adventure

In the summer of 2021, Timothy Olson took on the biggest challenge of his ultrarunning career on the Pacific Crest Trail. He succeeded in establishing a new FKT (fastest known time).

The EOFT 2023 film The Mirage tells his story.

He completed the 2650-mile (4265-km) route in the record time of:

51

Days

16

Hours

55

Minutes

Timothy ran about 50 miles (80 km) per day to complete the entire distance in just 51 days. Hiking the PCT usually takes five to six months.

He has made a name for himself as an ultrarunner over the past 12 years. He won the prestigious Western States Endurance Run, a 100.2-mile ultramarathon, twice in a row (2012 and 2013) and even set a new course record. But 100 miles is only a fraction of the distance of the Pacific Crest Trail.

But what's 100 miles in comparison to the Pacific Crest Trail?

Pacific crest trail

Facts & Figures

Length

2650 miles (4265 km)

Start

Campo (California)

Finish

Manning Provincial Park (Canada, British Columbia)

US States

California, Oregon & Washington

Timothy's route

Timothy ran from Campo on the Mexican border to Manning Park on the Canadian border.

If you want to follow Timothy's original route, just SCROLL UP again.

“There were definitely moments when I thought about the project in its entirety, and it was so overwhelming that it just seemed impossible.”
Timothy Olson

How does one endure such a physical and mental challenge?

For mental and physical support during the challenge, Timothy wants to have his family with him, so they travel alongside in a camper van. Although he is alone on the trail during the day, he can embrace his wife Krista and their two sons Tristan and Kai every evening and recharge for the next day.

The hardest days on the trail for Timothy are those when he has to spend the night in the wilderness with his tent and sleeping bag and doesn't get to see his family for several days.

There’s one other thing that Timothy, who must draw most of his energy for the record attempt from within, can't do without.

His daily meditation.

For Timothy, his morning meditation is the foundation of the entire project—a vital 10-minute start to the day. The objective is not to completely block out the effort and pain in the process; it is to consciously allow and accept it.

Whenever I felt frustrated, I meditated.

Timothy Olson

Inhale.

Hold your breath.

Exhale.

It hasn’t always been this way.

In his college days, Timothy impulsively turned to alcohol and drugs to suppress any unpleasantness from his life, but this only brought him more problems. He lost some friends and even served some time in prison.

He realized he had to change something.

He left his troubled environment in Wisconsin and began training as a massage therapist in Ashland, Oregon. There he discovered meditation, and with running, he found a way to constructively harness his wild side.

This, and his wife Krista, whom he met in Oregon and also shares his love of running, gradually steered his life in more positive directions. He trained with some of the best ultrarunners, quickly improving his performance and eventually turning his pastime into a career.

“I fell in love with running again and felt that connection with nature. I just kept at it, and it turned my life around.”
Timothy Olson

Timothy Olson's highest ultrarunning achievements

2021

Current record holder on the Pacific Crest Trail

2021

1st place The Coastal Challenge

2013

1st place Western States Endurance Race

2012

1st place Western States Endurance Race

Timothy’s record-breaking run on the Pacific Crest Trail marks the highlight of his career thus far.

Almost all the trails in Ashland, Oregon, lead to the PCT. He has spent a lot of time on these trails, so for him, this project brings him full circle.

I wanted to know what it felt like to run the whole trail.

Timothy Olson

To the film "The Mirage"