Wildwood Trail FKT -"Don't be shit" "Be bothered"

End to End to End | 8:04:57 | 60.4 miles | ~6,000 ft | Portland, OR

CRUISIN - Brigit @hellobrigit

On July 1st, 2025, I entered the pain cave under my own volition and came out the other side holding the Fastest Known Time on Portland’s iconic Wildwood Trail, completing the full out & back (E2E2E) in 8 hours, 4 minutes, and 57 seconds.

This effort was both personal and a community effort. Wildwood has been on my radar since my first run in Forest Park after moving to the US. It’s an iconic ribbon of Pacific Northwest singletrack; beautifully runnable, deceptively difficult, and absolutely relentless. There’s no place to hide on this trail: from the Vietnam Memorial to Newberry Road and back, it demands discipline, proper pacing, and relentless focus.

I didn’t want to survive the trail, I wanted to race it. On the day, despite hot weather and a less-than-ideal taper involving travel to WS100 + TrailCon and disrupted sleep, the stars aligned. I executed the plan. But, and I can’t stress this enough, this was never just my record.

The Team Effort

A supported FKT means you have a crew, pacers, and a community in your corner. I had the best:

James Healey & Kevin Ward ran a tight ship as my road crew. From fueling to logistics, everything was seamless, I didn’t have to think, I just had to run.

My pacers brought energy, enthusiasm, and patient pacing:

• Heather Holt

• Jeff Toreson

• Jessie Rubin

• Adam Edgerton

• Liam Meirow

These five kept me locked in when the fatigue and heat started to bite. And bite they would. More of that later.

And as always, my partner Morgen Pack, whose unwavering support behind the scenes keeps me grounded and able to show up fully.

Gear & Partners

I’m proud to represent On, CarbsFuel, and Research Studios Eyewear — their support makes efforts like this possible. The On Ultra Pro trail shoe was flawless over the 60+ miles, designed by Sergi Jansa and Henni Tanninen, and the kit kept me moving comfortably through the heat.

A huge thanks to Jake Otness, Rich Morris and the entire On team for backing me, believing in me, and creating opportunities to push the limits.

Reflections & What It Took

This wasn’t just a race against the clock, it was a test of patience, discipline, and respect for the process and hard work already put in. I’ve spent the last year training in Forest Park, building the fitness and mental resilience required to not just endure, but race Wildwood hard.

Showing up well-fueled, hydrated, and prepared to enter the pain, that’s what made the difference. I’ve learned to take pride in fueling heavily from the gun. Clocking big carb numbers early keeps the brain sharp and the legs ticking, even deep into the muck of the day. Protecting muscle glycogen and preventing muscle breakdown until it's unavoidable.

I knew this direction of the out-and-back was high-risk, high-reward. You can’t win it in the first half, but you can definitely lose it. The first and last 8 miles stack the vertical like a cruel bookend, over 2000 feet of gain in the opening miles up to 53rd, followed by an even steeper, later climb up to Pittock Mansion 55 miles in. If you’re careless early, lactate sneaks up like a silent assassin. But get to Pittock still moving, and you’ve got a shot. The middle 40-odd miles? Entirely runnable. You just have to stay alive.

Fortunately, I had help. Jeff steered me expertly through those first 15 miles to Saltzman, heavily laden with four flasks and the lingering fatigue of a 20-miler two days prior (he’d later run all the way home, naturally). I treat these early miles like the group stage of a World Cup: no glory here, just keep it clean, fuel up, and earn the right to race later. Those first 15 miles would take us 2hrs, perfect. Jeff excuted. Thanks to him, so did I.

At Saltzman, James replenished me and Heather joined the fray, pacing hard from Saltzman to Newberry Road. Heather didn’t let me slack, this is the segment where there’s no excuse not to move fast. With the equivalent of a long run now heavy in the legs, it naturally starts to hurt, but no real muscle damage or breakdown has occurred, so we locked in. Respecting the bodies feedback signals, but trusting which ones to tell to fuck off. We reached Newberry in 3 hours 47 minutes, about 1:45 for the leg, the second-fastest south-to-north Wildwood E2E ever. The gears were starting to click.

Kevin met us at Germantown for ice and water, and again at Newberry Rd, where pacer swaps brought in Adam and a surprise assist from Jessie Rubin. Heather handed me a lucky feather, a token of good fortune, which I’d soon need earlier than expected. The first few miles back were a farce: I tripped and front-rolled, rolled my ankle, and had a toilet emergency, all in the space of a mile or so. Adam looked increasingly concerned until that last item finally sorted me out.

The section from Newberry back to Germantown is gnarly, it runs slower than it looks on paper. Rooty, rough underfoot, a little lumpy, never quite flowing. My rolled ankle was speaking up. It was my low point, no question. But these are the make-or-break moments, where I’d once capitulated and DNF’d in races previously. Working with a sports psychologist and therapists post brain bleed have taught me to anchor myself in these moments: don’t let a scratch become a wound. Don’t let a 1-0 deficit become 2-0. There will be lulls, but don’t hemorrhage time. Essentially, there's lots of time and lots can happen, just do the right things in the now.

We iced again at Germantown, and Jessie dropped off. Adam and I pressed on, setting an uncomfortable but sustainable effort, the kind that feels like a slow bake. And in the heat we really did bake. These miles between Germantown and 53rd were the crux of the day. Liam joined us later on, the both of them the few people who know my running moods nearly as well as I do. By now the sun was showing off, and gels were becoming unappealing.

At Saltzman again, around 4 hours since I’d last crossed, James was still waiting, now alongside Bridget and Liam - with unending patience, supplies, and now a camera! Liam hopped in as Adam’s spell continued. I must’ve seemed chirpy because Liam commented on how talkative and cheery I was, but the truth is, when it’s hard, I like to fake happiness until it’s real. Science says smiling can improve running economy and lower perceived effort. Plus, time goes by subjectively faster when you’re smiling. So, we smiled, and we grinded. Liam used a banana as a phone?

The climb up to FL1, unexpectedly, was runnable. Enjoyable, even. Another impromptu toilet stop provided yet more revitalization (ultras: where nature breaks double as life hacks). Kevin met us for the last time at 53rd, as he had that morning with Jeff, and Adam peeled off back to a full afternoon of work and dad duties after a herculean 22-mile pacing shift, ankle rolls and all. What a hero. My trust in him for this crux section was rewarded to no end.

With 8 miles to go, the record was mine to lose. Liam didn’t let me slack, he pushed me. I knew he would, I trusted him too, he was exactly the right person at the right place at the right time, I both loved and hated him for it, intensely in the moment. We flew (ish) down to the Witches Castle, always a bit faster than I wanted, before hitting the final big climb. 55 miles deep, and Pittock Mansion still loomed. Liam kept me running, slow but steady. It felt like we were scaling the Alps, but we crested it, crossed the car park, and knew it was time to empty the tank. The final 4 miles were hard running, I thought we were flying, but data suggests more like 7-minute pace. Still, it was everything. Liam pushed, hoping for a sub-8-hour finish, and I wanted it too, but between the heat, some cautious pacing, and time spent actively cooling, we came up just short. But the effort stayed honest. Kevin and Jacob joined us for the final kick.

At the finish: Morgen holding the tape, Honey by her side, the crew and most of the pacers, and the On team who back me professionally. I might’ve cried, or it might’ve been allergies. We’ll never know. A beer, a celebration, a deep well of gratitude.

Thank you to everyone who made it possible. The favor will be returned. There’s also something sweet about the timing, this came just a day after Liam Meirow claimed the infamous BPA segment from Jim Walmsley. That made it 2-for-2 for the Gorge Guys. And a summer well underway for the local community.

Why It Matters

Beyond the clock, this effort was about celebrating the trails we love, the community we build, and the work no one sees before the big day. FKTs are rarely just about the individual, they’re a culmination of shared miles where ideas, raw emotions, hot takes, and belief from others flourish.

To everyone I’ve shared Forest Park miles with, thank you. This record’s for us.

Photos: 📸 Ashton Mace, Brigit, Jessie Rubin, Jeff Toreson, Liam Meirow

Ajay Hanspal

Professional Trail & Ultra Runner | Founder, AJ Run Coaching

@ajayalexh | www.ajruncoaching.com