Jay Birmingham
A high school biology teacher and seasoned ultrarunner from Jacksonville, Florida. Famous for his 1980 transcontinental run, jogging 2,964 miles across the United States from Los Angeles to New York City in 72 days.
In 1981, he became the second person in history to complete the run from Badwater Basin to the summit of Mt. Whitney, setting a new fastest known time (FKT) for the 146-mile route of 75 hrs, 34 minutes, at age 36.
Armed with lessons from Gary Morris (USA), who’d attempted to break Al Arnold’s record in 1980, but DNF-ed (Did Not Finish) due to heat and exhaustion, Jay Birmingham went on to successfully complete the second solo crossing of Badwater in 1981, cutting nearly 8.5 hours off Arnold’s record.
Morris later returned and completed the route during later editions of the Badwater 135 race.