I'd heard about Anish, not this guy until now. It does get a little weird insofar as the speed records are generally talked about as "unsupported". I'm sure that what he's doing is impressive in any event.

In terms of being pushed off the trail by people zipping by --- when I hiked the PCT in 2008 I met Scott Williamson and Tatu Joe as they were doing about a 65 day new speed record that year (unsupported). My wife was hiking that stretch of Oregon with me and I also happened to be walking with a well known trail supporter named Halfmile when they caught up to us.

They stopped and must have talked with us for about half an hour. Didn't sit down, didn't bother to take their packs off, just stopped and talked. I was thinking something along the line of "Don't waste your time with us, you're doing a speed record!". But they were so relaxed and obviously having a good time on the trail.

That had a real impact on me, setting a new record yet being relaxed and having fun while doing it.