{"id":44068,"date":"2019-02-22T11:16:19","date_gmt":"2019-02-22T19:16:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=44068"},"modified":"2020-04-29T12:29:19","modified_gmt":"2020-04-29T19:29:19","slug":"the-growth-of-womens-fastest-known-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/run\/the-growth-of-womens-fastest-known-times","title":{"rendered":"The Growth of Women\u2019s Fastest Known Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the span of several days back in November 2018, three women made separate attempts at breaking the women\u2019s fastest known time (FKT) for the iconic Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim (R2R2R)<\/a> run in the Grand Canyon. Spanning 42 miles, and gaining a total of around 10,000 feet elevation, the route usually involves running from the south rim to the north and back again, and is among the most well-known and sought after FKTs. Sandi Nypaver, Ida Nilsson and Taylor Nowlin all broke the standing record established by Cat Bradley<\/a> in 2017, and for the moment, the record stands at seven hours, 25 minutes and 58 seconds, set by upstart Nowlin. \u201cFor the moment\u201d being the key words.<\/p>\n

Women ultrarunners are setting the FKT world ablaze these days. The Co-op Journal analyzed data from Fastest Known Time<\/a> for 15 notable, often-contested routes<\/a> across the United States. Including the supported, unsupported and self-supported categories, all but six of the 45 FKTs set by women on those routes have occurred within the last 10 years. In 2018 alone, there were a total of seven women\u2019s FKTs\u2014the most of any other year, the analysis showed. Five were supported, one was unsupported and one was self-supported. These strong and determined runners are blazing trails, encouraging and inspiring each other to reach ever faster times on some of the world\u2019s most iconic routes.<\/p>\n

Buzz Burrell, who co-founded the Fastest Known Time website, serves as the official record keeper for the many routes runners pursue. He\u2019s noticed the uptick in attempts by women at FKTs. \u201cWe\u2019re seeing big record after big record fall. I think these runners see what their peers are doing and are inspired to try bettering it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Clare

Clare Gallagher on the Zion Traverse, which stretches 48 miles through Utah’s Zion National Park. (Photo Credit: Brendan Davis)<\/p><\/div>\n

Patagonia pro runner Clare Gallagher echoes this sentiment: \u201cI think as we see what we can do out there, we\u2019re pushing each other to new limits,\u201d she says. \u201cWe\u2019re also cheering one another on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whatever the case, women ultrarunners are announcing their presence in the world of FKTs and the world is watching.<\/p>\n

A brief history of the FKT<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Burrell and fellow runner Peter Bakwin were among the first to go after an FKT back in 2000 when the two men ran 223 miles on the John Muir Trail in the Sierra Nevada in four days and 14-plus hours. Noticing a void in record keeping for these types of attempts, they launched the FKT website, using the term coined by Bill Wright, co-author of Speed Climbing: How to Climb Faster and Better.<\/em>\u00a0The site catalogs stats on routes, times, athletes and more.<\/p>\n

They use the following criteria<\/a>, among others, to classify an FKT:<\/p>\n