Tara Dower, a 31-year-old professional runner from Boulder, Colorado, has etched her name in the annals of hiking history. Dower recently completed the grueling 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail in a mere 40 days. She obliterated the previous fastest-known time (FKT) record by an impressive 13 hours. The Appalachian Trail, stretching from Maine to Georgia, is a behemoth of a challenge that typically takes hikers five to seven months to complete.
Dower’s lightning-fast traverse of this iconic path is a testament to her exceptional athletic prowess and unwavering spirit. Her journey began as a personal challenge, inspired by her previous experience on the trail. “In 2019, I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in five months and 10 days, and then, from there, I wanted to get into the fastest known time attempts to go faster on trails,” Dower shared with Fox News Digital.
The Rigors Of Shattering An Appalachian Trail Record
Dower’s record-breaking run was far from a stroll through nature. The athlete faced numerous physical and mental challenges throughout her 40-day odyssey. Sleep deprivation, hallucinations, and frequent falls were constant companions on her journey.
“It was 40 days, and there’s just so much to experience out there,” Dower reflected. “There [were] really hard days where I couldn’t stop crying.”
The rugged terrain of the Northeast proved particularly challenging. “Maine and New Hampshire were really difficult,” she recounted. “The terrain out in the Northeast is pretty rugged and technical … and that makes it even harder when you’re in New Hampshire [and] it’s these rocks, literal boulders you have to climb up.”
Dower’s success was not a solo effort. She likened herself to a race car, with her support crew as the essential pit crew. Her mother and crew chief were instrumental in keeping her fueled and cared for throughout the experience. Nutrition played a crucial role in her record-breaking feat. Dower aimed to consume about 300 calories per hour while running, relying on various snacks from energy gummies to Goldfish crackers. At each road crossing, she would quickly down a protein shake while continuing to walk, maximizing every moment on the trail.
After 40 days, 18 hours, and 5 minutes of relentless effort, Dower crossed the finish line, securing her place in hiking history. Her time bested the previous record set by Karel Sabbe in 2018, who completed the trail in 41 days, 7 hours, and 39 minutes.
