Before COVID-19 arrived on our shores, FKTs – or fastest known times – were a bit of a thing in Australia and New Zealand. But they weren’t A THING. At least, not like in the United States, where the phenomenon was born.
But in 2020, the virus struck. Lives were plunged into chaos, and lockdowns threw a king hit at trail-running events on both sides of The Ditch. What was a trail runner to do?
Take matters into their own hands, that’s what – by racing the clock on trails and routes both new and established. It seemed every second day, you’d hear about a new FKT or someone’s planned attempt. The conversation added excitement to our otherwise blank year of racing. And it’s a trend that’s continuing to rise.
FKTs are not a new thing, but they’ve only been officially recorded for 10 years or so. What started as a series of online pro boards turned into the official FKT website, founded by Buzz Burrell (Ultimate Direction brand vice president), Peter Bakwin (a retired physicist), and Jeff Schuler (a website developer) – all of whom have set their own FKTs.
Jase Trimmer is FKT’s regional editor for Australia, New Zealand and Japan. He’s a champion of the FKT juggernaut, having notched an impressive nine of his own – including one record last year on the Bondi to Manly Trail in New South Wales. Jase talks to me about the allure of going for an FKT, what is and is not an FKT, and what he hopes for the future of this adventurous community.
Jase, can you tell me a bit about yourself and how you got into trail running?
I’ve been a runner all my life. I’m originally from the UK, and I’ve got a military background. I was in the British Army for 12 years, so I was outside all the time doing really cool things with cool people. I went to some fantastic places around the globe – really remote and wild places, which combined with my love of running. I’ve run in the desert in Kuwait, the Arctic in Norway, and the Falkland Islands near Patagonia. Running
