On Sept. 21, 2024, Virginia-based ultrarunner Tara Dower made history by setting a new overall supported Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the Appalachian Trail, completing the monumental journey in an astonishing 40 days, 18 hours and five minutes. This feat surpasses Karel Sabbe’s previous FKT from 2018 by about 13.5 hours.
Her effort also surpasses the men’s southbound supported FKT, at 45 days, 4 hours and 27 minutes (set by Kristian Morgan in 2023) as well as the women’s southbound supported FKT of 46 days, 11 hours and 20 minutes (set by Jennifer Pharr Davis in 2011). By choosing the southbound route, Dower used a different strategy than Sabbe, who went northbound in his 2018 record-breaking attempt.
Tackling the 2,197-mile beast
The Appalachian Trail stretches from Mount Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in Georgia, covering 3,536 km with 141,732 metres of elevation gain. Known as the original long-trail thru-hike, this eastern U.S. route weaves through 14 states, including New Hampshire, Virginia and North Carolina. The trail’s challenging terrain and relentless elevation shifts make it one of the most respected, but daunting, undertakings for any long-distance runner or hiker.
Virginia-based Dower started her journey at the northern terminus of the trail, Mount Katahdin, at 5:47 a.m. on Aug. 12. Over the next 40 days, she navigated everything the trail had to throw at her, completing the Maine section (often regarded as one of the toughest part) in just six days. She made her way southbound, eventually finishing at Springer Mountain on Sept. 21 at 11:52 p.m., surrounded by her crew and supporters. When Dower finished, she highlighted the help of her support crew, calling it “the crew’s FKT.”
A remarkable ultrarunning history
Before her record-breaking Appalachian Trail feat, Dower had already built a strong reputation as a trail athlete. She completed the entire Appalachian Trail for the first time in 2019, with her husband, following an earlier attempt in 2017 that didn’t go as planned. In 2020, Dower set a Fastest Known Time (FKT) on North Carolina’s Mountains-to-Sea Trail, a 1,175-mile trek, which she finished in 29 days, 8 hours and 48 minutes, showcasing her grit during the pandemic. She finished fourth at this year’s notoriously tough Hardrock 100.
Raising funds while racking up miles
Dower was also running with a mission: she hoped to raise USD $20,000 for Girls on the Run, a non-profit organization dedicated to “creating a world where every girl knows and activates her limitless potential and is free to boldly pursue her dreams,” as its website explains. While Dower surpassed her goal, you can still donate and learn about Girls on the Run, here. Dower shared that she hoped to “inspire women and girls to go for that tough goal, no matter if it’s with running or in life.”
