“I’m anxious to get out there and see what I can do.” Tara Dower wrote in March, while she prepared to take on a world record at the Appalachian Trail. You would never think ‘Candy Mama’ felt anxious during her record-setting AT run. However, her words were reminiscent of the first time the 31-year-old took to the trail, trying to hike Springer Mountain in 2017.

The ultra runner who finished the Appalachian Trail in 40 days 18 hours 5 minutes, could make it past 80 miles on that fateful day. “I had really bad, untreated anxiety, a panic attack on the trail,” Dower told Outside’s, Grayson Haver Currin. Dower had to promise her grandparents she would not thru-hike again. Thankfully, the athlete didn’t stick to that promise and made history.

What made Tara Dower’s run historic?

The Appalachian Trail is known to tourists for its scenic beauty. However, for ultra runners such as Dower, the trail is an over 2,190-mile-long challenge. Completed in 1937 and maintained by the National Park Service, runners and hikers have competed to set the Fastest Known Time (FKT) record on the trial for decades. However, no one has done it faster than the 31-year-old.

At 40 days 18 hours 5 minutes, Tara Dower has shaved off 13 hours from the previous record, breaking multiple records in one attempt. If that does not sound like a lot, let’s take a look at the previous record-setting attempts. With her historic run, the endurance athlete broke both the men’s and women’s records on the AT, becoming the fastest regardless of gender.

Previous women’s record holder Liz Derstine put Dower’s achievement into perspective. “The number of people that have hiked the Appalachian Trail before Tara in less than 50 days is ten, only one of them a woman… Tara has done it faster than all of them, including the men,” Derstine told Outside, who completed the trek in 51 days 16 hours, and 30 minutes.

Before Dower’s record-setting attempt, the record belonged to Belgian ultra runner Karel Sabbe. Despite not being a pro athlete and dentist by profession, Sabbe started running marathons in 2014. Just four years later, the Belgian took on the iconic trail and broke the then-world record of 45 days 12 hours 15 minutes by a whopping four days.

Before Sabbe the record belonged to Seattle native, Joe ‘Stringbean’ McConaughy. Since then, Sabbe’s time sat relatively unchallenged, despite men and women taking a shot at his time every year. The 34-year-old told Outside that he “inhaled food,” throughout the journey, giving it his all to achieve the time. After breaking Sabbe’s record, Tara Dower also became the fastest woman on the trail.

Before Dower and Derstine, North Carolina’s Jennifer Pharr Davis held that title. The former overall champion set the trial record at 57 days and 8 hours. The runner-turned-author described the difficulty of the AT in a 2018 interview with the Connecticut Public. “It was crawling that got me to the end,” Davis said during the interview.

The 41-year-old was delighted at the Tara Dower’s immense success. “A WOMAN ONCE AGAIN HOLDS THE OVERALL RECORD ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL!!!!” she wrote on social media. Besides the incredible distance through forests, hills, mountains, and varied weather conditions, runners have to suffer falls, bruises, and incessant bug bites throughout the journey. While the toll of her epic achievement was visible on her body, Tara Dower’s smile remained intact. That’s because the 31-year-old didn’t do it just for herself.

The natural record breaker’s noble cause

“Finishing the Appalachian Trail in the fastest known time (pending verification by FKT) is a dream come true,” Dower wrote after her victory. However, the athlete felt especially delighted to have done her part in raising money for charity. “My goal is to raise $20,000 for Girls on the Run during the Appalachian Trail Fastest Known Time attempt,” Dower posted on August 12.

However, that wasn’t her only goal. Having suffered a panic attack on her first hike, the ultra runner felt hesitant before another try. However, Tara Dower has realized that she wouldn’t be creating history had she not overcome the initial setback. “My hope is to inspire women and girls to go for that tough goal no matter if it’s with running or in life,” Dower added in her Instagram post.

It took the ultra runner just four years to realize her potential as a record breaker. In September 2020, at 31 years old, she set a record on North Carolina’s 1,175-mile Mountains-to-Sea Trail. Records continued to fall in Dower’s wake, including her victory in the Devil Dog 100-mile race in 2022. She also teamed up with Liz Derstine that same year to set the women’s record on the Colorado Trail.

However, Tara Dower had to dig deep to embody the resilience she hoped would inspire other girls. Despite a strong start to her record-setting attempt, the ultra runner faced a setback. Heavy rain during the New England leg of the race caused her to fall behind Sabbe’s world-record pace.

Dower, who had planned the attempt for almost a year, wasn’t ready to let the weather defeat her. So, not only did Dower make history, but she did so despite falling behind. “This is one of the greatest achievements of all time. It’s huge.” Liz Derstine told Outside. So it’s safe to say that Tara Dower succeeded in achieving all her goals. However, the endurance athlete remained humble even after her record-breaking victory.

“If I’m to be honest, I didn’t think it was possible,” Dower wrote on social media. The athlete thanked her crew for helping her throughout the grueling challenge and credited them for her success. Did Tara Dower’s epic journey inspire you? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.