Scott Jurek is days away from making history, or coming painstakingly close. 

The 41-year-old runner is attempting to set the speed record for completion of the 2,160-mile Appalachian Trail. Jurek departed from Springer Mountain in Georgia on May 27, and is 39 days into his mission. To beat the current record of 46 days, 11 hours and 20 minutes, he'll need to reach Mount Katahdin in Maine by 5:15 p.m. on Sunday, July 12, according to Outside Magazine.

In a press release, Jurek called the run his "masterpiece" -- a potential high point in a decades-long career with multiple running accomplishments. He holds the U.S. all-surface record and won the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run seven years in a row, Outside Magazine reports. He's also a central character in Christopher McDougall's best-seller, "Born To Run."

Scroll through to see the all-star runner's journey thusfar.

Editor's note: This story was updated on July 13, 2015 to add attribution to Outside Magazine. 

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