American ultrarunner sets 300K FKT from northwestern Maryland to D.C.

Maryland-based ultrarunner Lindsey Weaver recently completed a 304K run from Cumberland, a town near the Maryland-Pennsylvania border, to Washington D.C. The trek — called the C&O Canal Towpath — took her two days, five hours and 39 minutes, which is the women’s fastest known time (FKT) for the route. After successfully crossing the route’s finish line, she was congratulated by fellow American ultrarunner Mike Wardian, who is the owner of the men’s FKT for that run. 

#mondaymotivation @thefitbrarian huge congratulations ? for establishing the @fastestknowntime in 53:36 for 189 miles on the @chesapeakeandohiocanal so cool and ???? #running #trailrunning #fastestknowntime pic.twitter.com/3KLIwuQlru

— michael wardian (@mikewardian) September 28, 2020

Weaver’s run 

Weaver set off from Cumberland and made it to D.C. 53 hours later. Her run was supported, meaning she had a crew with her to provide her with anything she needed. The route is a relatively flat one, and Weaver only gained 308m of elevation throughout the entire run. The fact she ran with a crew and over very few hills hardly detracts from her accomplishment — a 300K run is impressive no matter how you run it. According to her Strava account, her moving time was a little over 40 hours, and her overall pace (including breaks) worked out to 10:34 per kilometre. 

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An experienced ultrarunner 

This result is Weaver’s first official FKT, but it’s far from her debut at an ultra-distance run or challenge. In 2020 alone she has run five ultramarathons, including a women-only 50K in March in Virginia. She finished in fifth at this race, just nine minutes behind the leader. Just over a week before her FKT attempt, she completed a 50-mile virtual race, finishing the run as the 25th woman.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_sizXLHQXe/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Wardian’s 2018 FKT

Wardian’s run on the C&O Canal Towpath in 2018 is the oldest FKT that he owns. Everything else to his name on the official FKT website is from 2019 or 2020. Like Weaver’s run, Wardian‘s was supported, and he finished the 300K route in one day, 12 hours and 36 minutes. This works out to a pace of about 7:13 per kilometre, which, like Weaver’s result, is extremely impressive for a run that takes days to complete. 

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