Dr. Caroline "Earthcake" Himbert held the unsupported women's John Muir Trail record by eight minutes, and then she woke up on the wrong side of the trail with no idea where she was. In this Trail Stories episode, the German-born cancer researcher tells the story of the fourth night of her 2025 JMT FKT, when her own brain started handing out nap invitations, party invitations, and bad directions, and of the 2026 return trip that ended in 3 days, 16 hours, and 36 minutes, more than 12 hours faster. Along the way: a trail name born from one very long mispronunciation, a first day on the PCT spent carrying two backpacks, and Rachel and Kevin, two hallucinations who turned up the moment her shoulder and her foot started to hurt. One of them eventually got told to get out. She will not be inviting either to an actual party. She has also not forgiven her crew for the Sprite Zero.
Show Notes
About the Guest
Dr. Caroline Himbert, trail name Earthcake, is a German expat and cancer researcher on the faculty at the University of Utah's cancer center in Salt Lake City, following a postdoc at Harvard and Massachusetts General Hospital. Her research focuses on cancer survivorship, mainly colorectal and prostate cancer, and how exercise can improve survival and quality of life. She moved to the United States in October 2015 and thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 2016, followed by the Colorado Trail and the Continental Divide Trail. She then moved into ultrarunning, finishing her first 100-miler, the Wasatch 100, in 29 hours and 45 minutes for a top-ten finish and a sub-30 buckle. On the John Muir Trail, she set the unsupported women's FKT in August 2025 in 4 days, 4 hours, and 58 minutes, edging a record that had stood since 2016 by eight minutes. In July 2026 she came back and lowered it to 3 days, 16 hours, and 36 minutes, running northbound from Whitney Portal to Yosemite Valley. She is coached by Joe "Stringbean" McConaughy, and she got her trail name from mispronouncing "earthquake" on the PCT. She is on Instagram at @im_earthcake.
What Happens in This Episode
Twelve Miles From the Finish
A Planner Who Trusts Her Legs
How "Earthcake" Happened
From Thru-Hiker to Wasatch 100
Rachel and Kevin
Taking It Back at Donahue Pass
A Bear, a Burrito, and a Grudge
Doing It Alone, and What Comes Next
Links & Resources
- Earthcake on Instagram (@im_earthcake)
- Caroline Himbert's 2026 JMT FKT page (3 days, 16 hours, 36 minutes)
- GearJunkie: "John Muir Trail FKT: Ultrarunner Fights Hallucinations to Beat Record by 8 Minutes" (2025)
- GearJunkie: "Shattered Record: The Queen of the John Muir Trail Does It Again" (2026)
- Moab 240 Endurance Run (Destination Trail)
- iRunFar: Joe "Stringbean" McConaughy sets the men's supported JMT FKT
- The Third Man Factor by John Geiger — the book on survival-mode hallucinations Caroline recommends.
Connect with Hiker Trash Radio
- Email: hikertrashradio@gmail.com
- Social: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok — search Hiker Trash Radio.
The full interview with Earthcake follows in two parts on the Hiker Trash Radio feed. Leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it takes 60 seconds and makes a real difference.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Listen On
Also In Season 12
-
The Cottage - Episode 5: Work Hard. Stay Curious.
In the finale of The Cottage, we step back from the how and ask the why. Whitney -
The Trail Name That Got Away - Bee Corrado (Part II)
In Part 2, the depth behind the content. Bee talks about what it was like to tel -
Dark Miles - Never Again with Zach Lawyer
Zach "Tapeworm" Lawyer had to battle the negative inner narrative growing up. By
Comments & Upvotes