Supported John Muir Trail FKT
Ran the trail northbound from Whitney Portal in 2 days, 16 hours, and 15 seconds, lowering François D’Haene’s 2017 supported mark.
Source-checked athlete record · Updated Oct 12, 2026
Joe McConaughy
Northbound Appalachian Trail self-supported record holder and Cocodona champion
Joe McConaughy is an American trail runner with a 45-day self-supported Appalachian Trail record, major long-trail FKTs, and a Cocodona 250 win.
United StatesM35–39
The record so far
Joe ‘Stringbean’ McConaughy is an American ultrarunner known for combining long-distance trail racing with fastest-known-time projects. His published FKT history includes the Pacific Crest Trail, Appalachian Trail, Long Trail, Arizona Trail, and John Muir Trail.
In 2017, McConaughy completed the northbound Appalachian Trail in 45 days, 12 hours, and 15 minutes without a dedicated support crew. Fastest Known Time continues to list that performance for the route’s self-supported category. In September 2026 he ran the John Muir Trail northbound from Whitney Portal with support in 2 days, 16 hours, and 15 seconds, lowering François D’Haene’s 2017 mark of 2 days, 19 hours, and 26 minutes.
McConaughy has also translated his long-trail experience to organized races. He won the 2022 Cocodona 250 in 59:28:54, returned to finish fourth in 2024 and fifth in 2026, placed second at the 2025 Kodiak 100, and recorded podium finishes at the 2025 Black Canyon 100K and Tillamook Burn 50 Mile.
Defining performances
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Cocodona 250 champion
Won the 250-mile Arizona race in 59:28:54, a course record at the time.
Unsupported John Muir Trail FKT
Completed the north-to-south route via Whitney Portal in 3 days, 1 hour, and 34 seconds; Jeff Garmire lowered the unsupported mark later that month.
Appalachian Trail self-supported FKT
Established the northbound self-supported mark at 45 days, 12 hours, and 15 minutes.
Fastest Known Time of the Year
Received the men’s FKT of the Year recognition for the Appalachian Trail performance.
Performance history
| Date | Event | Performance | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Muir Trail via Whitney PortalSupported long-trail FKTNorthbound from Whitney Portal; started September 20, 2026. | 2d 16h 00m 15s | Supported FKT | View ↗ | |
| Olympic Mountains Trail Races100 km trail | 10:24:13 | Winner | View ↗ | |
| Cocodona 250250-mile trail | 61:35:21 | 4th man · 5th overall | View ↗ | |
| Kodiak 100100-mile trail | 17:01:32 | 2nd overall | View ↗ | |
| Western States 100100-mile trail | 18:02:34 | 14th man · 23rd overall | View ↗ | |
| Tillamook Burn Trail Run50-mile trail | 6:56:08 | Winner | View ↗ | |
| Black Canyon 100K100 km trail | 7:31:37 | 3rd overall | View ↗ | |
| Across the Years24-hour track | 131.004 miles | 2nd overall | View ↗ | |
| Cocodona 250250-mile trail | 64:03:02 | 4th overall | View ↗ | |
| John Muir Trail via Whitney PortalUnsupported long-trail FKTJeff Garmire lowered the north-to-south unsupported FKT to 3d 00h 47m 56s on August 29, 2022. | 3d 01h 00m 34s | Unsupported FKT at the time | View ↗ | |
| Cocodona 250250-mile trail | 59:28:54 | Winner · Course record at the time | View ↗ | |
| Arizona TrailSupported long-trail FKT | 13d 03h 21m | Supported FKT | View ↗ |
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