Decoding the Information Behind Appalachian Path FKTs – iRunFar

In September 2024, Tara Dower took the ultrarunning world by storm as she broke the general Appalachian Path quickest identified time (FKT). This can probably be the FKT of the 12 months, and it was coated by the iRunFar group instantly afterward and in a follow-up interview with Dower. On this article, I put a distinct spin on the prevailing protection and dive into the information behind this and former Appalachian Path FKTs.

The Route: 2,189 miles of distance, 465,000 ft of elevation achieve, 14 states.

The FKT: Quickest completion of the complete distance by foot. Could be accomplished in both route.

How does Dower’s run evaluate to previous performances? What does it take to set an FKT? How did Dower do it? Ought to I try the Appalachian Path? Learn on to seek out solutions to all these questions.

Comparability to Previous Performances

To begin, how does Dower’s run evaluate to previous performances? Effectively, there isn’t any higher solution to visualize this than a bar chart race between Dower and different legends who accomplished the path, equivalent to Karel Sabbe, Joe “Stringbean” McConaughy, and Kristian Morgan. Be aware that Stringbean’s run was self-supported, and he nonetheless holds the FKT for a males’s self-supported completion. Dower, Sabbe, and Morgan all made use of assist crews.

Transferring Bar Chart Graphic To Evaluate Earlier FKTs

Whereas I’ve your consideration, a notice on the information. All numbers on this article are pulled from FKT monitoring GPX information of the athletes. Some knowledge recorded was cleaner than different knowledge, and a few knowledge for older makes an attempt (equivalent to Scott Jurek’s, Jennifer Pharr-Davis, and Karl Meltzer’s) was not as full, and therefore I didn’t use it. You possibly can learn in regards to the earlier feminine file holder, Jennifer Pharr-Davis, in her post-run interview article.

I like bar chart races. The above bar chart race makes use of knowledge from the highest two present total FKT holders for the Appalachian Path in every respective route, southbound and northbound. As you’ll be able to see within the above visualization, Dower received off to a “gradual” begin in comparison with earlier FKT holders. She fell behind the earlier southbound file holder, Morgan, by way of day 11, earlier than pulling away and making floor on the 2 earlier northbound FKT holders. It wasn’t actually till the ultimate handful of days that Dower pulled forward of Sabbe.

It’s clear that the route one is heading makes a big distinction on how runners progress by way of the path. The southbound runners begin by descending Mount Katahdin, however then face a really powerful part by way of Maine and New Hampshire. The terrain and elevation achieve by way of this portion of the path is commonly described as probably the most brutal of the complete path, and it isn’t very runnable, as those that have hiked there can attest. Alternatively, the northbound runners transfer sooner by way of the preliminary portion, however finally hit the northeast part to finish the journey.

The Route

Under is a map of the route from Maine to Georgia, and a chart depicting the elevation change alongside the way in which. With 2,189 miles and 465,000 ft of elevation achieve, it’s onerous to quantify on a single graphic, however I hope this provides some perception into what the hikers and runners face on the way in which.

Map of the Appalachian Path

Chart Depicting the Elevation Profile of the Appalachian Path

The Appalachian Path passes by way of 14 states. The Appalachian Path Conservancy has a superb overview of what the path consists of in every state. Every portion has its distinctive challenges, but it surely looks like the one factor each state agrees on is that the path has rocks! Under is a chart exhibiting the variety of path miles in every state.

Appalachian Path by State

Within the southbound route, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont take up a hefty portion at the start; then there’s a vital time in Pennsylvania; then probably the most distance in any state with 557 miles, Virginia; and over 200 miles alongside the Tennessee/North Carolina border.

Going southbound versus northbound every gives distinctive challenges, and the issue of every part can range year-to-year as effectively, relying on the climate. Finally, one should cowl all 2,189 miles both method. Runners both begin up entrance with probably the most troublesome part, tackling it on recent legs when headed southbound, or ease into it and end with the climb up Katahdin if going northbound.

The Strava Recordsdata: What Dower Did Completely different

So how did Tara Dower do it? How did she cowl the complete path sooner than some other human earlier than her? On this subsequent part I’m going to dig into a couple of Strava information to make use of numbers to tell the solutions to those questions. In recent times, runners trying the Appalachian Path have been monitoring their progress and importing it to Strava every day. This permits for an correct image of day-to-day progress. I’ll primarily concentrate on the Strava information of Dower and Morgan, as they’ve the latest knowledge (and therefore, the cleanest information), and are the highest two finishers for the southbound route.

Let’s begin by wanting on the method for distance, which is distance = price × time. We all know the gap is 2,189 miles on this equation. In most races, time is solely the elapsed time of the race — “time on path.” By wanting on the whole elapsed time for every day within the Strava information (begin of every day’s GPX recording till the top), we see that Morgan spent 706 hours on-trail, whereas Dower spent 718 hours. This places Morgan’s price (common tempo) on the path at 19:21 minutes per mile, which is quicker than Dower’s common tempo of 19:42 minutes per mile. See under for a day-by-day breakdown of mile tempo.

Mile Tempo Per Day

Wait a second, Morgan’s FKT was 45 days, 4 hours, and 27 minutes; Dower’s was 40 days, 18 hours, and 6 minutes. That brings us to the second part of the time equation — “time without work path.” In multi-day efforts, runners have to relaxation, eat, and sleep! Subsequently, time = time on path + time without work path.

It isn’t a pure take a look at of velocity, relatively certainly one of endurance and grit to maintain on transferring relentlessly ahead day-after-day, maximizing the time on path per day, whereas balancing it with sufficient relaxation to maintain going. Dower did this higher than anybody earlier than. Whereas Morgan spent on common 15 hours and 41 minutes on path per day, Dower put in 17-hour, 31-minute days. See the graphic under for a day-by-day breakdown of the 2 runners’ common time on path per day.

Hours On Path Per Day

Whereas Morgan’s common tempo on path was sooner, he spent extra time without work path, and therefore coated the two,189 miles slower. By touring at a barely slower tempo and placing in longer days, Dower broke the southbound file by over 4 days.

Conclusion

The Appalachian Path is a mammoth accomplishment to finish, much more so if you find yourself making an attempt to take action as quick as doable. What Tara Dower did earlier this 12 months will go down as one of many best endurance accomplishments ever. To push your physique like that day-over-day for 17-plus hours is tough to understand. She redefined what we thought the boundaries of human endurance have been, and solidified herself in Appalachian Path historical past.

If you happen to’re fascinated about studying extra in regards to the particulars of what setting a FKT on the Appalachian Path entails, I’d advocate Scott Jurek’s e book, “North.” It offers an in depth recounting of his journey, and the grueling schedule that’s required to chase an insanely quick time on probably the most troublesome trails on the planet. Many have tried this FKT, and plenty of will try it within the coming years. I hope this text has been insightful in giving some fascinating numbers behind the Appalachian Path FKT historical past and what was required to set the present benchmark.

Name for feedback

• What’s your expertise with working/mountain climbing on the Appalachian Path?
• What else is necessary to contemplate when evaluating FKT makes an attempt?
• Which numbers shocked you probably the most?