Top 10 FKTs of 2020: The Best, Fastest Routes of the Year
The act of setting FKTs (fastest known times) has been popular for decades. But in 2020, the endeavor saw more participation than ever before. Read on for the top FKTs of the year.
Capitol Peak FKT: Zoë Rom Conquers ‘Knife Edge’
Running, speed mountaineering, and butt-scooting with purpose — this trail runner did it all to set the first women’s FKT on the iconic Colorado 14er.
‘Fly By’ Hiker Shatters Colorado Trail Record Record by 4 Days
Mikaela Osler’s goal was to finish the Colorado Trail in a record 14 days. She did it, self-supported, in 10.
Colorado’s Toughest FKT Sees 2 Records Fall
Nolan’s 14 is a 100-plus-mile run over 14 mountains, each over 14,000 feet high. And this week, two runners crushed the speed record over this brutal route.
Coree Woltering Shatters 1,100-Mile Ice Age Trail FKT
Trail runner and The North Face athlete Coree Woltering just ran 1,147 miles through Wisconsin, setting a new FKT and inspiring runners everywhere.
Beachside FKT: Running a Hawaiian Coast
Watch as ultrarunner Amanda Basham sets an FKT on the 22-mile Kalalau Trail in Kauai, Hawaii.
112 Miles: Women Set the Wind River High Route FKT Record
The Wind River High Route covers two 13,000-foot summits, nine mountain passes, and more than 65 miles of off-trail travel. Sara Aranda and Emma Mure recently completed the route in a record-setting 3 days, 17 hours, and 20 minutes.
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Yassine Diboun Sets Unsupported Mount St. Helens FKT
Running around the volcanic landscape of Mount St. Helens is no easy feat. And on Monday, Yassine Diboun did it faster than anyone yet.
New FKT: ‘Cam’ Schaefer Blazes Superior Hiking Trail
The 310-mile Superior Hiking Trail in Minnesota has a new Fastest Known Time. Cameron “Cam” Schaefer completed the SHT on Thursday in a supported time of 6 days, 18 hours, and 45 minutes.
280 Miles, 4 Days, 21 Hours: Watch Emelie Forsberg Set FKT on Kungsleden Trail
In Sweden, the Kungsleden (aka King’s Trail or King of Trails) normally takes 25 days to complete. Emelie Forsberg finished it in an astonishing 4 days and 21 hours.
FKTs of the Year: Karel Sabbe, Alyssa Godesky Take Top Honors for Record Times
Fastest known times by Karel Sabbe on the Appalachian Trail and Alyssa Godesky on the Vermont Long Trail won awards from FastestKnownTime.com in 2018.
Winter Speed Record on Arctic Circle Trail: Watch
Jason Antin and Mike Chambers quest into the Arctic for a brutally cold FKT. In Greenland, the only known speed record of the Arctic Circle Trail was during summer. But this attempt was during the dead of winter.
Track Your FKT: SPOT X and Other Smart Strategies to Go the Distance
With new two-way satellite messaging devices like the SPOT X, sharing your fastest known time with the world is simpler than ever. Are you ready?
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Man Smashes Superior Hiking Trail FKT With Fractured Leg
With his 310-mile self-supported speed hike, Ajay Pickett now holds the overall fastest known time along the northern Minnesota trail. That’s even with breaking his leg days before the finish.
Summit Twice, Run Around: Grueling Rainier Infinity Loop Sees New Record
Inspired by Chad Kellogg’s life of perpetual motion, a pair of Coloradan adventurers claims the fastest known time of the 130-mile, 40,000-foot-gain challenge on Mount Rainier.
9 Mountains in 20 Hours: How Runner Crushed 12er Challenge
Mountain runner Cody Lind recently set an FKT on a quirky course covering Idaho’s nine highest peaks. He did the Idaho 12er challenge in a single day without rest. We found out how.
‘Toughest Trek’ FKT to Become Hollywood Film
Two years ago a team of elite runners ran a trail many consider among the toughest in the world in a record time. With 11 mountain passes, most above 16,000 ft., this trail is a crusher. Now, their story is coming to the big screen.
Racing the Tide: Dylan Bowman Sets FKT on Lost Coast Trail
Dylan Bowman set out to set a fastest known time on one gnarly ultra run: The Lost Coast Trail. He faced 57 miles, 11,000 vertical feet, soft sand, and remote risks as he raced the tide on the way to an FKT.
Two Men Traverse Greenland’s Arctic Circle Trail in Winter
The trip around Greenland’s Arctic Circle Trail in winter was so remote that the athletes called it the “first known time.” The Arctic Circle Trail crosses about 103 miles from Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, to the west coast fishing town of Sisimiut.
Woman Sets Speed Record Up Kilimanjaro
Danish athlete Kristina Schou Madsen scaled 5,895-meter Mount Kilimanjaro in 6 hours, 52 minutes, 54 seconds. The time set a new female Fastest Known Time (FKT). It was Madsen’s first FKT attempt and first time up Kilimanjaro.
Tackling An FKT? You’re Eligible For A Grand And Free Gear
Shoot for the record books with a blazing a thru-hike or trail run, and you could land a cool $1,000 and some free gear. And all you have to do is try.
