The ultrarunner raised more than $12,000 for the Long Trail during her FKT attempt.
Ultrarunner Tara Dower completed the Long Trail this morning, setting a new overall Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the iconic Vermont trail.
Dower completed the 272-mile trail in an astonishing three days, 18 hours, and 29 minutes. She began her supported effort on the morning of Friday, August 15, and ran southbound, finishing at the trail’s southern end at 3:29 a.m. on Tuesday, August 19.
Her finishing time is still pending verification by the Fastest Known Time website, but if it is approved, as it is expected it will be, it will set a new overall record on the trail for either a male or female. The previous record was held by Will Peterson, who completed the trail supported in three days, 21 hours, and nine minutes in September 2024.
The Long Trail features 68,000 feet of vertical gain over its length running from the Canadian border to Massachusetts. It traverses most of the largest mountains in Vermont, directly summiting or coming within 0.2 miles of summiting all five of Vermont’s 4,000-foot peaks.
Dower is no stranger to FKTs. In September 2024, she set the overall FKT for the 2,189-mile Appalachian Trail, completing it in 40 days, 18 hours, and six minutes.
Dower’s record is the latest of several new FKTs set recently in New England. Earlier this month, Tori “Chewy” Constantine set a new unsupported female record on the Long Trail, completing it in 5 days, 19 hours, and 29 minutes, beating the previous record by nearly a day.
In July, Andrew Drummond set a new unsupported FKT of the White Mountains Diretessma, completing the challenge of connecting all of New Hampshire’s 48 high peaks in under five days.
Dower did more during her time on the Long Trail than just set a new FKT. During her record-breaking run, she also raised money for the Long Trail Day fundraiser, which is the Green Mountain Club’s largest annual fundraiser to support the trails. She raised more than $12,000 for the cause.
The Green Mountain Club is trying to raise $80,000 by September 20. They have so far raised more than $30,000. You can learn more about their Hike-a-Thon fundraising efforts here.
