Candy Mama

In 2018, a Belgian dentist named Karel Sabbe ran the length of the Appalachian Trail in 41 days, 7 hours, and 39 minutes. His incredible achievement was the fastest-known time to complete the 2,198-mile icon of American footpaths. Sabbe averaged 53 miles per day over intense terrain. That’s more than two marathons every day for more than a month.

Fastest-known times are a big deal in the ultrarunning world. On a trail with a profile like the AT, holding a record for six years shows how strong the feat was. Perhaps Sabbe had pushed the upper boundaries for the human body on the Appalachian Trail.

In 2024, however, a competitor known as Candy Mama stepped onto the trail at Katahdin in Maine. When she reached Springer Mountain – the southern terminus in Georgia – she had slashed 13 hours from Sabbe’s record!

Tradition dictates that one who thru-hikes a long trail will acquire a nickname during the journey. This dubbing is supposed to arise organically from others, the idea being that a proper nomenclature will emerge from the woods and one’s personality.

In 2017, Tara Dower, a recent college graduate, heard the call of the Appalachian Trail. She started a northbound journey, but, just 80 miles in, she had a debilitating panic attack and called off the quest. Undeterred, two years later, she hopped on the trail with her husband. This time, she emerged triumphantly and, along the way, garnered the trail name “Candy Mama.”

On this trek, the couple took their time: over five months. The Appalachian Trail seems to have the ability to mold people in spiritual, fundamental ways. Despite a premature finish on the maiden trip and a lack of endurance background, the long miles of the trail seemed to unlock something inside of Dower.

Never a runner before, Candy Mama began to enter competitions that required the legs of a titan. Inside of Dower, apparently, was a bona-fide ultra-runner. The more she ran, the better she got. She won 100-mile races. She set course records. She began to approach the best in the sport. Remembering her love for the long trail, she set the fastest known times on North Carolina’s 1,175-mile Mountains-to-Sea Trail and the 300-mile Benton MacKaye Trail.

Dower was fast, but more importantly, she was steadfast. She set her sights on the path that started it all. And Sabbe’s record.

Dower opted to begin at Katahdin for her assault because Maine and New Hampshire are widely considered to have the toughest portions on the trail. If she could get through the worst on track, she felt she could build confidence heading south.

Dower’s mother and a friend she made while thru-hiking supported her for the entirety of the trip, driving with supplies and planning the logistics. Additionally, a series of pacers joined her for the majority of the journey, as much for mental reinforcement as pushing the miles.

The logistics and breadth of her achievement look unreal on paper. She consumed 10,000 calories a day. She slept from 10 PM to 3 AM, with occasional 90-second naps along the trail. For 17 hours each day, she ran and walked, covering more than 465,000 feet of elevation gain. When she was alone, she listened to audiobooks and music, often singing to try to keep herself awake. She had time to take three showers.

Though starting with the hard sections meant a smoother end, it also presented a problem. Rain dominated the portions through New England, which made the arduous provinces more difficult, which means Dower was slower on them than desired. When she reached New York and New Jersey, the team discovered she was behind Sabbe’s pace by about 100 miles.

No problem. Just up the average daily mileage from the high 40s and low 50s to 55 or 60!

Day by day, she began to catch the record pace.

By Georgia, the team realized, barring a disaster, she could break the 2018 mark. Whether from anticipation, anxiety, or looking for a safety gap, Dower opted not to sleep for the last 129 miles. How incredible is this last push, after more than 40 days of brutal trail-running?

When she tagged the plaque at Springer Mountain, she had eclipsed the Sabbe record by more than half a day. Candy Mama had bagged the AT FKT.

Though the personal achievement is mighty, Dower repeatedly praised her support crew, realizing the time would not have been possible without them. She also used the attempt to raise money for Girls on the Run, a non-profit organization that aims to “enhance girls’ social, emotional and physical skills and behaviors to successfully navigate life experiences.” As of today, the fundraising effort has reached the $50,000 mark. If you want to contribute to this worthy cause, point your browser here.

Dower officially finished the Appalachian Trail in 40 days, 18 hours, and 5 minutes. That’s 54 miles per day. The physical achievement – faster than any other human – is astounding, but the mental achievement might be more marvelous.

Combine the two and Tara Dower – aka Candy Mama – easily earns a spot in the Woman Crush Wednesday Hall of Fame at The Mountains Are Calling. Take a seat in the hallowed halls next to Grandma Gatewood; she would certainly be proud! I would tell Tara to put her feet up and take a break, but I have a feeling she’ll be back on the trail soon.