On Saturday night, 31-year-old Tara “Candy Mama” Dower made history by setting a new supported speed record on the Appalachian Trail. Dower reached Springer Mountain, Georgia, the southern end of the 2,197-mile trail, after 40 days, 18 hours, and 5 minutes, shaving 13 hours off the previous record set by Belgian runner Karel Sabbe in 2018.
This achievement returns the overall Appalachian Trail record to a woman for the first time since 2015, when Scott Jurek broke Jennifer Pharr Davis’s earlier record by a narrow margin. Dower’s journey took her across 14 states with challenging terrain, rainstorms, and copious elevation gain. Despite falling behind pace during the rainy New England section, she made an impressive comeback.
“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,” said Liz Derstine, who holds the women’s northbound record for the trail and joined Dower on part of her trek. “And Tara has done it faster than all of them, including the men. This is one of the greatest achievements of all time. It’s huge.”
Less than a decade ago, while studying at East Carolina University, Dower was inspired by a National Geographic documentary about the Appalachian Trail. She attempted her first thru-hike in 2017 but only made it 80 miles before being picked up by her grandparents after a panic attack. This didn’t stop her, though. In 2019, she returned with her husband Jonathan and completed the trail in a little over five months.
Her competitive drive grew during the pandemic when she worked as a guide in Hot Springs, North Carolina, for Jennifer Pharr Davis’s company. Inspired by her proximity to the trail and pacing Liz Derstine’s record attempt, Dower began tackling long-distance speed records herself. In 2020, she set a new fastest time on the 1,175-mile Mountains-to-Sea Trail in North Carolina, completing it in just over 29 days.
She continued to build her endurance resume with four ultrarunning victories in 2021 and a record-breaking run on the Benton MacKaye Trail. In 2022, Dower broke the long-standing women’s record on the 567-mile Colorado Trail.
Dower spent over a year planning her Appalachian Trail record attempt, focusing on extreme endurance training. Her preparation included an overall win at the Umstead 100-miler and a strong fourth-place finish at the 2024 Hardrock 100. Inspired by Courtney Dauwalter’s back-to-back wins at Western States and Hardrock, Dower decided to start her record attempt just a month after finishing Hardrock.
Dower’s strategy was not just about speed, but endurance. Appalachian Trail expert Warren Doyle noted that while Dower’s daily pace was slower than Sabbe’s, she logged more miles each day, putting in longer hours.
Dower’s crew was modest compared to other record attempts. Her support team included her mother, Debbie Komlo, and close friend Megan “Rascal” Wilmarth, who she met during her 2019 thru-hike. They traveled in a van called “Burly,” sleeping in short bursts and feeding Dower up to 10,000 calories a day. While other pacers joined for sections, Komlo and Wilmarth were her mainstays, working to keep Dower on track and fueled with quick meals and snacks.
Instead of corporate logos, Dower’s van displayed the 14 states of the Appalachian Trail, crossing them out as she passed each border. Her record attempt also served as a fundraiser for Girls on the Run, a nonprofit focused on empowering young girls through physical activity. By the time she reached Springer Mountain, she had raised $21,000, exceeding her $20,000 goal.
Despite the grueling nature of the trail, Dower maintained her signature positivity. Even when facing harsh weather or physical pain, she remained upbeat, joking about swallowing bugs or dealing with rain-soaked feet. Her cheerful demeanor was a far cry from the anxiety-ridden hiker who had quit her first attempt seven years earlier.
As she approached the finish, it was clear that Dower had embraced the challenge. Rather than grinding through the ordeal, she appeared to glide through it, combining mental toughness with a sense of humor.
