When Tara Dower, 31, first attempted to thru-hike the 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail in 2017, she was consumed by panic and abandoned her expedition eight days in. "I was like, ‘Never going to thru-hike again.’" she confessed to the Washington Post. But four years later, this same trail would witness her breaking both the men's and women's records for a supported run in a mere 40 days.
On September 21, Dower arrived, exhausted yet triumphant, at Springer Mountain in northern Georgia, the southernmost point of the Appalachian Trail. This marked the end of her monumental journey that began in Maine, covering around 50 miles each day. The typical time to complete this lengthy trail is around six months, highlighting the scale of Dower's achievement.
"It’s just like this huge full-circle moment," Dower said. "And I wish I could look back at that Tara back in 2017 and just tell her, like: ‘It’s going to be OK. Great things are about to come.’"
Dower, a former cross-country runner and college rugby player, was not experienced in thru-hiking when she first attempted the Appalachian Trail in 2017. She returned to the trail in 2019, completing it in five months, and then discovered her talent for trail running. This led her to beat the previous record for the fastest completion of the Appalachian Trail, set by male trail runner Karel Sabbe in 2018, by a full day.
Supported by her mother and a dedicated group of friends, Dower maintained an exceptional pace of 50 miles a day across thousands of miles of dense forest and rocky cliffs. Despite the grueling schedule, Dower found joy in the journey, saying, "I absolutely love the Appalachian Trail and I wanted to be out there."
Dower concluded her record-breaking run with an arduous 129-mile leg, crossing from North Carolina into Georgia in about 43 hours. On reaching the trailhead, 40 days and 18 hours after setting off from Maine, she celebrated her victory with a bottle of champagne, swapping out her regular protein shakes.
Throughout her journey, Dower raised approximately $30,000 for the nonprofit Girls on the Run, hoping to inspire other women in the hiking community. Currently, she's taking a well-deserved break, with plans to set more records in the future.
"Next, I have a nap," Dower said when asked about her plans. "And ice cream."