This article was first published iRunFar.
On Thursday, July 23, 2026, Aurélien Sanchez of France set a new men’s supported fastest known time (FKT) on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). His time of 45 days, 20 hours and 15 minutes bettered the previous record of 46 days, 12 hours and 50 minutes. Set by Karel Sabbe of Belgium in 2023Up to 16 hours and 35 minutes.
When Sanchez announced he was leaving for the PCT FKT, he announced he wanted to complete it in less than 46 days. Despite medical and resupply problems, his efforts averaged 56 miles per day.
The PCT has become one of the more competitive long distance FKTs in recent years. sabbe reclaimed Men’s Supported FKT from Timothy Olson In 2023 it will be reduced by about 5 days.
Who is Sanchez?
Sanchez is no stranger to long, difficult outdoor pursuits. In 2018, he established a then-totally unsupported men’s FKT on the 223-mile John Muir Trail, a large portion of which follows the exact path of the PCT. he was also one of them Three finishers at 2023 Barclay Marathon and competed in some of Europe’s longest ultramarathons, including the 224-mile Tor des Gentes and the 435-mile Swisspeaks Trail.
hardship in the desert
The PCT crosses the United States from the US–Mexico border in Campo, California to the US–Canada border at Manning Provincial Park in British Columbia. As one of the longest routes in the US, the route runs 2,653 miles and covers an elevation gain of over 400,000 feet.
The path passes through California, Oregon and Washington, passing through the Sonoran and Mojave deserts before climbing the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges. Sanchez left the campo on the morning of 8 June.
Sanchez’s original plan was to push harder than Sabbe through the California desert by sleeping less and covering more ground, hoping to reach the Sierra Nevada with a 1-day gain. He maintained that pace for some time and finished the day in third, about 22 miles ahead of Sabbe’s schedule. But strong winds, hot days, cold nights, and increasing fatigue reduced his advance to about 9 miles by the end of the fourth day.
Eleven days after the attempt, Sánchez admitted that his aggressive opening strategy was not successful. “The plan was aggressive. My goal was to reach the Sierra Nevada with a one-day lead. I won’t do it, it’s part of the game. I gambled, and it didn’t pay off. Now is the time to adapt and move on. The PCT is still too far,” he wrote. social media,
in this for long distance
From there, Sanchez picked up a remarkably similar pace to Sabbe. Despite battling extreme heat, scarce water sources, wildfires and long-burned forests – common but difficult conditions on the PCT – he remained well within reach of the record.
About 2 weeks after the attempt, he began to struggle with foot and ankle pain and admitted that he had considered ending the attempt. Nevertheless, he reached the halfway point on July 2 – about 25 days after the start – matching Sabbe’s pace from 2023.
Mirroring Sabbe’s schedule, he also arrived in Oregon on day 30. Despite spending a night in the hospital to treat a foot infection at the end of the effort, Sanchez returned to the trail and entered Washington on day 38, once again matching Sabbe’s schedule, with the outcome still uncertain.
As Sanchez entered Washington state, his team wrote on social media, “The dream is within reach, but nothing is guaranteed yet,” before adding that Sanchez would “put his head down, grit his teeth and keep moving forward.”
Sanchez was supported primarily by her partner, Lucille Malgoires, and her cousin, Martin Tullot, with other friends and family joining the crew for parts of the effort. Malgoires documented the logistical challenges on social media, writing that she slept only 14.5 hours for the first 11 days.
During this 1.5-month effort, wildfires closed roads and complicated crew access, while a planned rendezvous in the Sierra Nevada was delayed after a crew member became ill at altitude.
final push
It was Sanchez’s final effort over the last three days that sealed the deal. Where Sabbe was forced to make a roughly 70-mile detour on the 2,550-mile route due to wildfires in Washington state in 2023, Sanchez was able to stay on the more direct official PCT route to the Canadian border.
Wildfire closures are a regular feature of the route, with official seasonal reroutes considered part of the PCT for FKT purposes, making the route’s changing conditions an inherent part of the challenge. A comparison of their routes can be seen Here. Sanchez advanced, logging nearly 18 hours on two consecutive days before a final 16-hour effort on the 46th and final day.
When he reached the northern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail, and finally touching the US-Canadian border, Sanchez accomplished what he set out to do: finish in less than 46 days and establish a new male-supported PCT FKT.
Immediately after finishing, Sanchez wrote on it live-tracking page“This record would not have been possible without the incredible support of my family, friends, partners and everyone who encouraged me during this journey. Thank you for your trust, your messages and your energy. This achievement is yours too. The adventure continues!”
