Kathryn Jones is attempting a selfsupported record.

[Just Bill]

According to Instragram, she made 41 miles on Day 4. She's got some bad blisters.

Day 1: ~39
Day 2: ~29
Day 3: ~41
Day 4: ~41

Four day total: ~150 miles
Daily average: ~37.5
Projected days = 2190/37.5 = 58.4

Those are respectable numbers... while we've had some total clown attempts before... that's a respectable start that shows she's in the ball park.
Long story short- she's not making a total fool of herself.

She just said in an Instagram video that she got a hitch today in and out of town (not sure what town) that saved her 12 miles of hiking - doesn't that invalidate the "self-supported" attempt if you don't walk in/out of towns under your own power?

DOH! Nevermind; she just did make a fool out of herself.

While I agree there are no "rules" on the self supported FKT there is a widely held precedent going back to Scott Williamson that defines self-supported as a hike without the use of cars. Every self-supported FKT that I'm aware of has followed the Williamson precedent. Didn't Joey Camp end up in the same boat?

So... here's where things do get mildly interesting on all this. I don't think this is any big state secret so shouldn't be a big deal to share...

Last season regarding Ms. Ninja's exploits on the trail one of the primary nails in the coffin was her hitching a ride in the Shennies. (and other places) As a result- Matt Kirk, Peter Bakwin, and myself (for reasons no one can comprehend) were also reviewing this issue with hitching and unfortunately there was not a clean consensus.

Best to look at this from two camps-

Amongst LD hikers: Williamson is really the modern leader/gold standard on Self-supported FKT's and the GUIDELINES. This does discount Ward Leonard (only from a guideliines aspect) as his trip was not really documented at all nor refined in a way that would level the playing field. It has come to light that Ward did hitch in and out of town- which is fine. However since then Williamson adopted the no-hitching guideline and EVERY significant self-supported trip since then has adopted that rule. This includes the PCT, AT, CDT, JMT, LT, AZT and others. The first documented self-supported hike on the PCT (Williamson) and AT (Kirk) both followed the no hitching rule...

In my opinion- That standard has been set and in the case of the AT and PCT, that standard has been followed by the person who set the record and in both cases by the person to subsequently set a new FKT. In this case both trail records are held by Anish. So not only did the pioneer of a modern FKT set this guideline (no-hitching), but subsequent successful attempts have proven that the guideline is not onerous to follow.

In addition this guideline further levels (improves) the playing field for subsequent attempts by removing ambiguity.... was it truly unplanned support when you hitched? Who cares... just don't get in a car at all for any reason and we don't have to wonder.

Can't recall it off hand- but Peter pointed out a gentleman who set the Colorado Trail FKT while maintaining a vow of silence. Though that gentleman did not make that a guideline he pointed it out as an example of an onerous guideline that could have been set but was not relevant to the FKT. Similar to how folks joke here about the FKT for "dudes in skirts with pigtails"... the guidelines do have to have some structure and practical sense... not just be stuff you pull out of your butt to make it harder, unique or that cannot be practically repeated.

Amongst Ultrarunners (for lack of a better term):
So back to our buddy Joey Camps. When discussing this with Peter I was a bit surprised to hear that there was a different issue at play. From his perspective: Joey disqualified himself not when he got into his father's car but when he called for assistance. It was the call and acceptance of planned assistance that disqualified him from self-supported and made the trip supported. That was the line crossed in his opinion. So Joey was DQ'd for different reasons from each camp... but since we both came to same conclusion it wasn't really discussed. Matt put up a nice post, Peter put up a blurb on the proboards and I spouted my nonsense here... Joey's a badass but didn't earn an FKT.

So I guess here's the rub:
Peter is not really an AT guy, so Doyle and Horton are folks he consults with regarding AT matters. Their rough position is that hitching is totally part of "Thru hiker style" and they have been using that definition. Ward Leonard and Doyle hitched at various points when pioneering records on the AT and Horton was fully supported.

So from their end... in theory "thru-hiker style" is the standard by which to judge.
From our end... the Williamson standard is the definition of self-supported recognized.

I certainly can't discount Horton, Doyle, or Bakwin... but I feel it's a very fair argument to make that the Williamson standard has become the gold standard to use for self-supported efforts on long distance hiking trails.

It is a very fair, clear, and competitive set of guidelines. No hitching only improves the standard prior to it (thru-hiker style) as it eliminates any questions about hitching.
And again- if you look at Ward Leonard's hike as a pioneering effort- it is very fair to say that both Williamson and Kirk are the ones who set what we now know as an FKT on the PCT/AT.
They properly documented their hikes and turned in documentation in a timely manner.
They notified people in advance and were respectful of those who came before them.
They established and followed a self-imposed and fair set of guidelines for any who would like to follow them or attempt to best their efforts.

Now- Peter was very clear... this is supposed to be a community effort. This isn't him and Buzz sitting in a room doling out awards and medals. There are none. There is no rules committee, no courtroom, no lawyers. No group of old white males sat in a dark room and gave the thumbs up or down to Ninja (as some think). This whole thing was always and simply a friendly competition between competitive people who all basically knew each other. Even if it wasn't always friendly it was intended to be honorable. In many ways that has not changed... though things have grown. The goal is to spell out guidelines by which to compare efforts.

So if you really want to get down to it:
Kathryn could potentially hitch all she wants and get to Big K faster than Heather. In theory since she did it "thru-hiker style" she could be recognized on the FKT boards as the current name in bold at the top of the pages.
That said; As a community I don't think that effort would be recognized as besting Anish. While it could be recognized as it's own record, I think the better route would be what happened with Joey Camps- a serious and heartfelt honorable mention- but not an equal effort to the current FKT holder's effort.

There is nothing that says that you can't do something different. But at this point there is enough precedent set and repeated that it is as close to RULES as you're going to get.
By hitching you are not improving the standards but degrading them.

I don't personally find it complicated; but enough people do that I think one standard should be used; and for self-supported LD hiking trails I believe the Williamson standard is it.

I would publically encourage Peter, Doyle, Buzz, and Horton to consider an update to the main page to accept that standard as the base set of guidelines for (at the very least) the AT/PCT and politely but strongly suggest they be used for similar efforts on other Long Distance hiking trails. Though as Peter correctly pointed out- each trail is it's own place and has it's own history and community and a blanket set of guidelines is not quite right, fair, or practical either. However as the triple crown trails are the highest profile ones it seems reasonable to make an effort there to iron these out... and likely it will carry through and simplify the other trails that will inevitably follow. There are some unique trails and FKT's... but for the most part they aren't that dramatically different. Water issues or resupply on remote trails are really the only major difference... even something like the canoe ferry on the AT (technically a vehicle) has been resolved cleanly in Williamson's guidelines as they require you to follow the official route.

If we are "paying our respects to those who came before you"... including the current and most recent holders of these FKT's then I see no reason not to honor those guidelines as well and use them as a baseline of comparison for subsequent efforts. That is really the gist of the goals that Peter and Buzz set up for all of us. Try something, tell others, and when others come they should match or improve on your effort and move the hobby as a whole forward together.

Disclaimer- I shot this all off from memory while also doing my dayjob. I don't speak for any of these folks and sorry if I put words in anyone's mouth or selectively paraphrased or flat out screwed up. I don't really have any axe to grind with anyone and totally understand everyone's point of view on these efforts.

I would just like to see this resolved in some way so we can move on... Every season we spend half the season discussing the "rules" and it's really not that complicated. Right now the minor ambiguity between Peter's site and the hiking community is leaving some wiggle room in there. That opens the door for negative things to happen like last season... and potentially opens the door to another heartbreak similar to Joey for this gal Kathryn to deal with if she does do well somehow. That's pretty crappy to set people up who honestly come to the Proboard site to research only to then run into a different set of standards set by those who actually hold the FKT they are chasing. The guidelines should be clearly noted for these hikes, even if they may be in conflict with the "read this first" general guidelines. Some might say it's pretty simple, just click on Heather's post and copy her rules... but I vividly recall a journalist writing on Kaiha's hike explaining to me that she interviewed Doyle who said hitching was no big deal... so that then gets published and then somebody reads it and then... here we are again. Like it or not there was some truth to the Ninja's argument that there were gaps in the rules. The effort made didn't justify further entertainment but it could have.

For the same reason we can't have blanket rules for all trails... we should honor these specific rules for these specific trails and not entertain general loopholes. In my mind it's pretty simple- you declare you are going after the FKT held by so and so (Anish in this case) then you are held to the standard set by that record holder. Period.


Also- to be fair- this is really "their game" and we are just butting in.

This is really just a hobby for all those fellas too... nobody takes any pleasure in being the referee or intended to be and they mainly want to live their lives and let others live theirs.
All the people involved are very good people!

Hikers are relatively new to the party and should be respectful guests... though despite some occasional comments here... Ultrarunners and hikers are two peas in a pod and then some. And if you're talking AT stuff... From Doyle, Horton and Leonard on down to Jen, Matt, Joey and Heather (Scott and Karl too)... these people all know each other in some form and on various levels of connections from pen pal to close friends. So it really is still just a hobby among folks who know each other and are pushing each other and supporting each other to do something amazing.

I want more stories of how Karl helped Scott and Scott helped Karl achieve a dream... How Matt cleaned up a busted GPS track to help Heather and how crazy good people to crazy amazing things.

So please, lets put this crap to bed.

[JC13]

I never liked the "no rides into and out of town" rule that Scott Williamson apparently started.
I always hitched into and out of towns and most hikers do.
So, all of a sudden, it's not allowed.
I say she's still in it, in my opinion.

I would imagine it became too much of a grey area. People could easily say they hitched or received a ride as trail magic.

[rocketsocks]

While I agree there are no "rules" on the self supported FKT there is a widely held precedent going back to Scott Williamson that defines self-supported as a hike without the use of cars. Every self-supported FKT that I'm aware of has followed the Williamson precedent. Didn't Joey Camp end up in the same boat?

Joey got booted for having a coke and a smile...tough crowd here!

[kythruhiker]

For posterity - not sure how the Instagram "stories" work, but it seems like they might delete themselves or go away after a set period of time. Here's the capture of the admission of a hitch, just in case it disappears: https://goo.gl/photos/SUiA3HR51c4jVwrA8

I hope she keeps on trucking, other than hamburger feet, she's got a great start on mileage and while she's not going to FTK if you base it on those who went before, she still could have a helluva good time. (And we could learn the true durability of an Eddie Bauer set of long distance gear, lol).

[Malto]

JustBill,
I wasn't aware of the "controversy" of the self-supported definition especially the nuance with Joey. I don't think in this case it will matter as I don't see her besting Heather's time given the rough start. While back to back 41s is very respectable especially given her condition, that is still slightly below the average that needs to be maintained over the whole trail.

I do admire the toughness that she is showing right now. It can't be easy mentally or physically but yet she continues.

[Kookork]

If you go to break a record then there should be rules to follow regardless of the presence of governing body or lack of it. If one opts not to follow the semi established rules then the scrutiny and asterisks and DQs will follow and one can not complain after the fact. If you don't know the rules then ask others who know and accept their input especially if they are among unofficial governing body of FKTs.
To me she is trying to beat a record that is not hers to break anymore. Still she can go for FKT of "first time AT Thru hikers" sub category or even FKT with accepting random hitch subcategory but not Anishe's record.
I wish her the best. After all she is doing something remarkable.

[ScareBear]

If you go to break a record then there should be rules to follow regardless of the presence of governing body or lack of it.

Who makes said rules? Somebody that set a record? Because, I'm pretty sure a dude walked the thing backwards, so IMHO he holds the FKT, since I believe all people should walk the AT backwards. Or the blind guy that did it with his dog. I think all FKT's should require blindfolds and German Shepherds. Or Granny Gatewood. I think everyone should hike with Keds. Not using Keds? No FKT for YOU. Do you see my point?

I still don't give a damn about hitching into town. Is that different than a food truck meeting you at a gap? Or resupply boxes dropped at gaps for you? It is the total time taken to walk/run 2190 miles that matters. Everything else is the SUBSET of that. Everything. You want a record for FKT for completely self-supported, no vehicle? Fine. That is a SUBSET of the absolute FKT to cover the distance. THAT is what gets the asterisk, IMHO.

[MuddyWaters]

If you go to break a record then there should be rules to follow regardless of the presence of governing body or lack of it.
.

Key words

You are attempting to break someone elses record
There are rules implicit in it, by which it was set

You are free to SET your own record, with its own rules

The question is.....will anyone care if you do? Will the right people care?

[Linesman]

Allowing hitching is a slippery slope. Ms Jones' hitch was certainly just a random stroke of luck, but what she was well known and had fans offering rides at every road crossing? Its not so far fetched and it flies against the spirit of self supported FKTs because it's a privilege afforded to one hiker and not others. I think Anish ran into a little of this on the PCT with some pizza or something?

Likewise, all trail magic should be eschewed by the self supported hiker to avoid grey areas. I think Matt had an issue with some meals that were gifted to him. Did the giver understand the significance of a meal to an FKT contender, or was it just a random gift?

Walking in and out of towns is also very aesthetic.

Ms Jones should restart like just Bill said.

[MuddyWaters]

Theres probably still semi-legitimate female nobo self supported record waiting out there, since heather was sobo. What direction was Lizs 80 day hike?

[-Rush-]

She wrote this on her latest Instagram post.

"kathrynmjones@sequoia805 thanks guys 😁 it was such an encouragement meeting you two before I took off for the trek. I hope you guys are enjoying Georgia and that the trail is everything you were hoping for. The terrain and elevation get way easier after Georgia, so just get through that and you'll be good 👍🏼😁"

Poor girl thinks the terrain and elevation gets "way easier" after Georgia. That's a first! I wonder if she typed this right before she crossed the NC/GA line?

[Just Bill]

JustBill,
I wasn't aware of the "controversy" of the self-supported definition especially the nuance with Joey. I don't think in this case it will matter as I don't see her besting Heather's time given the rough start. While back to back 41s is very respectable especially given her condition, that is still slightly below the average that needs to be maintained over the whole trail.

I do admire the toughness that she is showing right now. It can't be easy mentally or physically but yet she continues.

Controversy is a strong word with Joey- but I know you didn't mean it to be...
Mainly just perspective. I was so focused on the "do not enter a vehicle at any time" part I hadn't considered the support aspect that Peter correctly pointed out. Really that should be the defining dealbreaker for a self-supported or unsupported effort. In that case though they both led to the same result so it hadn't even come up until last season with Kaiha. I considered the hitch in the shennies the dealbreaker and FKT review done (ala Joey's hike). It wasn't as black and white to Peter as "thru-hiker style" still allowed it in a more broad based sense. Although it seemed clear that a section was skipped- basically she wasn't picked up and dropped off in the same place and skipping any portion of the trail disqualifies any attempt.
And you could further circle back to Peter's statement about accepting support killing it- Kaiha arraigned a shuttle back to the trail with the hostel owner. So that's support. Again... in that case no matter what perspective you came at it from there was a problem of some sort so the technicalities don't matter a ton.

Either way- no ride- no problems.

On Kathryn's efforts: for sake of argument lets assume success.
Now you're back to a Joey situation too from the personal standpoint. You got a well meaning person who gives it a legit shot and despite all odds pulls it off.
But then as they are standing there with arms raised next to the sign on Big K you have to walk up to them, point out that they violated a guideline that should have been clearly presented but wasn't... and pull the plug.

In Joey's case, I was the one who walked up and kicked him in the nuts on that one. He took it and moved on. Can't say anyone felt good about that.
Nor will anyone feel good if that happens in this case and its a small enough community that it can feel like we are setting people new to the hobby up for it to keep outsiders out.

In the ninja's case... the lack of clear transparency and statement of accepted guidelines was used in an attempt to wiggle something through. That ambiguity was picked up with all the other political/human interest components of the story by a few media outlets and all the sudden it seems like there is more to the story than there really was. Certainly not national news but not the kind of news anyone welcomes when FKT's in general are on shaky ground in general.

What happens when you put the two together...
A legit attempt from a likeable person (with some social media presence and fan base) and a rules violation occurs.
Especially when from the outside looking in; it's a very minor violation that even fellow hikers don't agree on. Which was one real life argument made last season.

And let's they don't simply accept it and move on.

[Just Bill]

The hitching thing comes from Scott Williamson and the PCT- though transfers even easier to the AT IMO.
Basically- there are some serious hitches on that trail. Though things have "improved" regarding popularity and recognition of LD hiking in general there are still enough miles of "non trail" miles to town that a hitch would be a serious advantage.
When you're talking a day or less between Success or failure then that's a factor big enough that it was worth addressing.

You could have simple "dumb luck" and catch a hitch the second your thumb pops as you exit onto the shoulder... or sit all day.
You could cheat... and who's to say you didn't... by arranging rides.

You could also have a competitive advantage:
Let's say you have long beautiful hair, you're very attractive and you've got amazing legs you're not afraid to show off. Toss in a great smile, personality and wit just fer fun. Maybe you even bend the rules a little and "accidently" drop your brightly colored bandana you use to flag down rides at critical times.

So Kathryn and I are both chasing the record, but due to my vast natural advantages and charm... I catch a hitch in 15 minutes or less whenever I need one.
While poor Kathryn is wasting an hour or more standing around. Perhaps eventually dejectedly walking into town after her inevitable failures to secure a ride.
So I'm barely trying, feeling great and picking up hours every stop while she's facing demoralizing rejection at every town.

Not hitching levels the playing field across the board.
It prevents hotties like me from getting easy hitches. Prevents cheaters from calling rides in. Prevents dumb luck (good or bad) from being a factor. You can select when and where you resupply, but everyone has (basically) the same miles to walk... in the case of the PCT where options were/are more limited- you literally had the same miles to walk.

I also would put trail magic in that category... but it seems until I put it in my rules and set the FKT nobody else is dying to include it. But for now at least I can console myself with easy hitches

[JC13]

Bill's dancing banana brings all the hitches to the trailhead.

[Just Bill]

Bill's dancing banana brings all the hitches to the trailhead.

I don pay fo shuttles... shuttles pay fo me

[evyck da fleet]

Devil's Advocate here. Based on her mileage and switching the first two days she could have hitched/resupplied daily at Neels Gap, Hiawassee, Franklin, Stecoah Gap, Clingman's Dome and the end of Smokies using roughly 40 mile days and still claim she's self supported.

I like the idea of a redo considering the lack of prep for her feet with blisters on day one. But not knowing about mud season in Vermont, thinking Georgia is difficult etc makes me doubt the record would be in jeopardy. I do hope she finishes though if she's going to put herself through this once it's out of reach.

[ScareBear]

Can't recall it off hand- but Peter pointed out a gentleman who set the Colorado Trail FKT while maintaining a vow of silence. Though that gentleman did not make that a guideline he pointed it out as an example of an onerous guideline that could have been set but was not relevant to the FKT. Similar to how folks joke here about the FKT for "dudes in skirts with pigtails"... the guidelines do have to have some structure and practical sense... not just be stuff you pull out of your butt to make it harder, unique or that cannot be practically repeated.

Who says it isn't relevant to the FKT?

Just like I pointed out, everyone odd who completes the AT is an FKT. Walking backwards. To him, that is how it is done. Want to be the AT FKT? Beat him doing it backwards. To you, it has to be done differently...it has to be done YOUR way....but...are YOU the governing body of AT FKT's? No? Me either...and neither is backwards dude. But if you ask him, he is the FKT of the AT. And, in all seriousness, until somebody else does it backwards for 2200 miles, IMHO, he IS the FKT! Try to beat his time and you are in some rare air!

Now, back to these "rules"...why isn't the FKT an absolute? Why isn't the Fastest Known Time to complete the AT the absolute fastest time to complete the AT? What the hell am I missing? Purity? Feh! Finish the trail in the shortest time possible and you hold the FKT. Period. Any "rules" or limits imposed are arbitrary and irrelevant. Because, it boils down to one simple thing that everyone seems to be missing. Time. Not time going to and from town and how the hell you got there. None of that mileage counts towards 2200, but the TIME does. So, to the competitor that figures out how to eliminate the TIME WASTED OFF TRAIL and retain the MILES HIKED ON TRAIL is the SMARTEST and will be the FASTEST. Because, it isn't a race to see how fast you can get from S to K with rules on how you get to/from town or how you get your supplies or where you frigging sleep at night. It's how fast you do the 2200 miles. Period. To me, if you have aid stations at every gap, its a valid FKT. If you get a ride into town every night and never sleep a frigging night on the AT, its a valid FKT. If you want to put categorical limitations, you need categories of FKT's that are LESS THAN THE ABSOLUTE FKT. In other words, you don't want the real FKT. You want the FKT your way. Less than the absolute FKT. That's cool. Just be sure you understand you aren't promoting the true FKT. Not even close....

[CalebJ]

Now, back to these "rules"...why isn't the FKT an absolute? Why isn't the Fastest Known Time to complete the AT the absolute fastest time to complete the AT? What the hell am I missing? Purity? Feh! Finish the trail in the shortest time possible and you hold the FKT. Period. Any "rules" or limits imposed are arbitrary and irrelevant. Because, it boils down to one simple thing that everyone seems to be missing. Time. Not time going to and from town and how the hell you got there. None of that mileage counts towards 2200, but the TIME does. So, to the competitor that figures out how to eliminate the TIME WASTED OFF TRAIL and retain the MILES HIKED ON TRAIL is the SMARTEST and will be the FASTEST. Because, it isn't a race to see how fast you can get from S to K with rules on how you get to/from town or how you get your supplies or where you frigging sleep at night. It's how fast you do the 2200 miles. Period. To me, if you have aid stations at every gap, its a valid FKT. If you get a ride into town every night and never sleep a frigging night on the AT, its a valid FKT. If you want to put categorical limitations, you need categories of FKT's that are LESS THAN THE ABSOLUTE FKT. In other words, you don't want the real FKT. You want the FKT your way. Less than the absolute FKT. That's cool. Just be sure you understand you aren't promoting the true FKT. Not even close....

For this very reason, two FKT's are generally accepted on the AT/CDT/PCT. One is the supported (read 'absolute' record) where essentially anything is allowed so long as you cover the entire trail on foot. The other (self supported) is a more traditional backpacking approach following the rules stated above. Don't care about the self supported record? Don't waste any more time thinking about it. Many of us find both approaches interesting.

[FreeGoldRush]

What about the retailer that sold her two burgers and a basket of fries? Or the hotel that provided her a washer and drier? Technology is always leveraged to support a hiker. Why is the ride into town and back to the trailhead singled out?

Maybe I don't have enough experience at this, but so long as she is walking every step of the trail and is supporting her hike just like any thru hiker traditionally does, then I'm impressed.

[Just Bill]

Now, back to these "rules"...why isn't the FKT an absolute? Why isn't the Fastest Known Time to complete the AT the absolute fastest time to complete the AT? What the hell am I missing?

"the guidelines do have to have some structure and practical sense... not just be stuff you pull out of your butt to make it harder, unique or that cannot be practically repeated."
You did miss that portion of the portion of my post you quoted.

But you are correct even if you're being silly about it. http://fastestknowntime.proboards.co.../19/read-first
Supported, self-supported, unsupported? What does it mean?

• Supported means you have a dedicated support team that meets you along the way to supply whatever you need. This generally allows for the fastest, lightest trips, and for an element of camaraderie and safety, since someone knows about where you are at all times.
• Self-supported means that you don't carry everything you need from the start, but you don't have dedicated, pre-arranged people helping you. This is commonly done a couple different ways: You might put out stashes of supplies for yourself prior to the trip, or you might just use what's out there, such as stores, begging from other trail users, etc. Long distance backpackers are typically self-supported, since they resupply by mail drop or in stores.
• Unsupported means you have no external support of any kind. Typically, this means that you must carry all your supplies right from the start, except any water that can be obtained along the way from natural sources. This approach has also been termed "alpine style".
  
  So who says? Peter Bakwin and Buzz Burrell, and eventually the community of folks who participate and add to the hobby.
  Since unlike say... track and field... where we can clearly designate a 100m, 200m, 400m and so on event; Some basic guidelines were established as an FKT can literally take place anywhere on any trail in any place.
  
  The absolute fastest time is Supported.
  We can all realize though that as the sport grew, ultra-runners went further and further, and of course simple solo events happened that they were something different. That's why the old joke persists on the long trails:
  Supported is the runners record, Self supported is the backpackers record.
  
  Much like establishing a rock climbing route... sometimes a route needs a little extra instruction or beta to make the most of it.
  Just like we can all understand that showing up to the local crag with a 60' extension ladder and climbing to the top is quite an efficient way to do it... I think we all understand that it's not quite fair to claim you topped out all those routes and can safely declare yourself the best boulderer ever.
  And of course anyone watching can see if you grab that quickdraw or finger hook a bolt and would quickly cry foul.
  
  Afterwards when you're all hanging out at 7-11 in line to get slurpees... if some jerk chooses to cut in line... well we all know that isn't going to fly despite the fact there is no governing body or law to prevent it.
  
  So there is an absolute... and two sub-categories.
  1-You're the fastest possible person with help.
  1a-Or you're the fastest person without help.
  1b-If the trail is too damn long to carry all your stuff... you're allowed to stop for stuff.
  Individual trails/FKT's have some further guidelines as needed.
  
  That's it.
  
  No need to be a three year old about it or get silly.
  Getting in a car is getting help- that's pretty much the gist of it.
  Shouldn't be hard but it is.