Understanding Premiere FKT Routes

You may have heard of the FKT list of premiere routes, but you aren’t sure what that really means. Here’s our rundown on these competitive courses, including a full list of current times.

What qualifies as a premiere route?

The premiere routes are are ten high-visibility routes that attract national attention and top athletes, including professionals. These are the routes with the most Fastest Known Time Of The Year (FKTOY) Nominations, and they represent the most competitive aspect of the FKT world. Routes are designated by the volunteer editors at fastestknowntime.com. They are subject to change as routes are impacted by environmental and access issues. Successful completion of a new FKT may garner attention in the ultrarunning world.

What do you need to do if you want to attempt one?

For those who want to attempt an FKT on one of these routes, you will be required to be extra diligent in announcing, verifying, and listing these FKTs so the integrity of your effort will be protected and trusted. Your results will be scrutinized and discussed.

Fastestknowntime.com requests that for every attempt on a Premier Route, the athlete should:

• Read the FKT Verification and FKT Guideline pages and assiduously follow these rules.
• Announce your attempt in advance – to receive attention afterward, you should also bring attention to your project before and during as well. Announcement typically happens on the page of the FKT in the comments section, as well as your own social media, if applicable.
• Track your attempt without fail (knowing how to use devices to verify an FKT is part of your essential skill set). Live Tracking is required – you will need to provide FKT the link and they will post it. Females traveling alone may request to be exempted from public live tracking.

These guidelines are generally good practice for any FKT attempt. We suggest following them for any route, not just the premiere ones. If you are attempting a premiere route, though, it is ESSENTIAL that you follow these as your effort will be subject to scrutiny and these practices are the best way to verify your results.

A word about the FKTs listed below

While all variations of the premiere routes have been listed, they are not all equally high profile. The most visible route variations are asterisked.