Track Diane Van Deren as she runs the North Carolina Mountain-to-Sea Trail

Today, The North Face endurance runner Diane Van Deren will hit the trail in an attempt to set the time record for running North Carolina’s Mountains-to-Sea Trail. To set the time record and complete the expedition, supported in part by North Carolina specialty outdoor retailer Great Outdoor Provision Co., Van Deren will need to complete the nearly 1,000 miles of rugged trail in less than 24 days, averaging more than 38 miles per day, taking more than 2.1 million steps throughout. 

Diane will be carrying a GPS beacon, so you can track her progress over the next month as she traverses the untamed Blue Ridge mountains, the Piedmont foothills, the swamps and pocosins in North Carolina’s coastal plain, and the beach of the Outer Banks, summiting both Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak on the East Coast, and the highest natural sand dune in the eastern United States.

Along the way, she’ll also pass through many cities and small towns where the public is invited to join her for short runs on her historic record bid. Her goal is to complete the trail on June 2 at Jockey’s Ridge State Park on the Outer Banks to commemorate Great Outdoor Provision Co.’s “Land Trust Day” to bring attention to the State trail.

“The diversity and complexity of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail is what first drew me to this challenge, since the terrain ranges from high peaks to swamps and sand,” said Van Deren.  “I know I’ll run into my fair share of obstacles, but I’m looking forward to exploring a region of the country that is new to me.”

Stay tuned to NeverStopExploring.com/MST-Run or MSTEnduranceRun.com for regular updates and follow her progress of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram through the #GODiane and #MSTRun hashtags for up-to-the minute photos and videos of Diane.