American woman sets wild Appalachian Trail speed record

September 23, 2024

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. Canadian Running