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Beachside FKT: Running a Hawaiian Coast

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Watch as ultrarunner Amanda Basham sets an FKT on the 22-mile Kalalau Trail in Kauai, Hawaii.

This January, elite runner Amanda Basham donned a sun hat and headed out to the Kalalau Trail to set a new record — a supported FKT (fastest known time) of this iconic coastal Hawaiian trail.

The FKTs on this trail follow an out-and-back route that covers approximately 22 miles and traverses five valleys before ending at Kalalau Beach. The trail has a rolling elevation, with cliffside 4,000-foot heights and drops to sea level at beach points along the way.

Once you get past the warning signs that read “hazardous cliffs” and “dropoffs,” the trail is rocky and narrow but also lush and gorgeous. It’s a cross between beach, wilderness, and jungle. The only downside? Basham’s lightning pace means she can’t stop to bask in the views or beaches until the end.

Basham set the female supported record for the segment in 4 hours, 47 minutes, 30 seconds.

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