Fastest Person on the Appalachian Trail: Tara Dower’s Story

Goals, Grit, and Some Woo Woo Sh*t

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Alright, meet Tara Dower, AKA "Candy Mama” (a trail name born of sugar and love for her trail mates); while she’s refined some of those habits… the sweet, sweet nickname still stands.

Tara set the Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the Appalachian Trail, powering through 2,189 miles in 40 days, 18 hours, and 5 minutes. To put that in perspective, that’s like running from Calgary to Toronto…while climbing Mt. Everest 16 times. (My feet hurt just thinking about it!)

So Who’s This Crazy MOFO? Tara is the definition of grit, making it on the news as an endurance phenom.

This is not Tara’s first stab at the Appalachian Trail, previously accomplishing a thru-hike over the course of 5 months in 2019. Her first attempt in 2017 ended early due to a massive panic attack just 8 days in.

If that bit of perseverance isn’t enough, Tara shifted her goals and intentions with completing this hike to enjoy the challenge, not just another box to tick!

Pit Crew to the Rescue! Tara is a metaphorical race car, fueled by a pit crew swapping out shoes like tires.

Along the way, Tara raised over $50,000 for Girls on the Run along the way, mentoring the next gen of fearless female athletes. Her feat is part of a new wave of women pushing limits in endurance running.

Even a powerhouse like Tara doesn’t celebrate till it's over, claiming that she knew she’d made it when she got close enough that “Even if I fall and break my leg, I’ll crawl! ” (Talk about GRIT baby)

Whether you’re an endurance athlete or you’ve just got a tough goal, take a note from Candy Mama: set your ego aside, follow your curiosity, and remember—if you don’t try, you’ll never know.

What’s Inside:

• Endurance Runner, Tara Dower’s FTK on the Appalachian Trail.
• The grit, discipline, and team support of an endurance athlete.
• How shifting goal setting can aid anxiety.
• Following your curiosity to accomplish even the seemingly impossible!

Maybe you’re an endurance athlete already in awe of Tara Dower. Or you might be thinking, Oh hell no, Oonagh, you won’t catch me on a trail like that... Either way, you probably have a tough goal on the horizon. Take this episode as your permission to go for it and even permission to fail! What’s that goal for you? Let me know on Insta!

Mentioned In This Episode:
Tara Treks - YouTube
⭐️🍭Candy Mama🍭⭐️ (@tara.dower) on Instagram
Transform Your Body & Habits In 28 Days. Guaranteed.
Fit Feels Good (@oonaghduncan) on Instagram
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