Persistence Wins for Woman Who Shatters Tahoe Rim Trail FKT
A 44-year-old mother and endurance runner just set a new women’s record for running the 173-mile Tahoe Rim Trail.
An endurance runner has knocked nearly 11 hours off the fastest known time (FKT) for an unsupported run of the Tahoe Rim Trail by a woman.
Amber Monforte Weibel, a 44-year-old mother and experienced runner, completed the trail on Aug. 1 and secured a women’s FKT. Running unsupported, she finished in 49 hours, 39 minutes, and 3 seconds, the Tahoe Daily Tribune reported.
The 173-mile loop winds around Lake Tahoe, offering beautiful views and challenging trail running. Weibel had previously run it slightly faster, with a time of 49 hours and 17 minutes — but that was with support.
By finishing the trail run unaided, she has now broken the previous record for unsupported runs by women. And, she holds the second-fastest unsupported time, between men and women, trailing only a few hours behind Kyle Curtin.
The previous record-holder, Tahoe 200 Endurance Run organizer Candice Burt, completed the trail in about 60 hours.
Check out the short video below to see Weibel’s family greet her at the end of her run.
“To me unsupported is a purer form,” Weibel told the Tahoe Daily Tribune. “You get dropped off at a trailhead or you drive to a trailhead and you have all your gear on you. I like being in the woods by myself, so to just start at a trailhead and have your family pick you up at the end is pretty cool.”
A Dedicated Runner, Not Just on the Rim
Weibel has been running in major competitions for years. In June, she completed the Western States 100, a grueling and famous journey. She completed it in 22 hours and 5 minutes, according to UTMB World. Two months prior to that, Weibel finished The Canyons Endurance Run’s 100km (62-mile) race in 14 hours and 6 minutes.
All told, she has 16 logged runs on UTMB World, most of them at least 100 km long.
As for her latest feat, Weibel worked for it. She’d already tried to break the record on the Tahoe Rim Trail twice this summer, SnowBrains reported.
Weibel found herself unable to finish during the first two attempts. But cooler weather with a chance of rain provided improved conditions for Weibel to reach the end.
“It was important to get it done,” Weibel told the Tahoe Daily Tribune. “To show my kids hard work does payoff.”
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