A new speed record has been set for taking on the entire Appalachian Trail. 31-year-old Tara Downer, an ultrarunner and speed-hiker, completed the 14-state, 2,197-mile journey in just 40 days, 18 hours, and 5 minutes. Her journey took her from the northern starting point in Maine down to the southern terminus in Georgia, and it’s now the fastest-known trail completion time in either direction. Before Downer, only ten other people in history had completed the Appalachian Trail in less than 50 days, and only one of them had been a woman…and Downer’s mark has officially surpassed them all.
Source: Outside