Verify your effort
You want people to believe you did it.
You put in a huge effort.
Now verify it.
No verification means no FKT.
FKT activities are quite popular, professional runners receive sponsorship, and the media is paying attention. So please reduce potential hassles for yourself and document what you do.
Don’t claim later that you did not know you had to verify your effort. And just like with all your other gear, you need to know how to use your tracking device, and need to keep the battery charged.
Verification Procedure
Provide us with:
- The original data file, usually in TCX, FIT, GPX, or KML format — copied directly from your device – GPX preferred.
- A link to your activity on Strava, Garmin Connect, Suunto App, etc.
- A link to a trip report, if any.
- Photos, submitting the original file; image files directly from the device contain valuable metadata that is stripped-out by social media sites.
Announce it
You may (optional) announce your intention but it is not necessary to tell us in advance – you can just run it, and submit your FKT afterward. If you want to announce it, please mail us.
Devices
Besides providing real-time tracking to your friends and admirers, Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) are also excellent safety gear. The SPOT can send pre-written messages plus an SOS, while the Garmin InReach Mini is lighter, smaller, more expensive, and more useful (it can send custom text messages explaining your situation (“Weather is bad, I’m exiting at XX trailhead, please pick me up in YY hours”).
Note that neither device archives data files; download and save it soon. The Somewear Global Hotspot is a new sat comm brand that turns any smartphone into a two-way communicator, offers real-time activity tracking ability and offers SOS.
Watches
GPS watches are nearly ubiquitous. They cannot report your position in real time (as the PLBs do), so they provide a lesser standard of verification, but are perfectly fine. They do generate a GPS track of your activity.
Phones
Phones are now part of standard gear list, as they can do almost anything, from photos to recording routes. There are now live-tracking apps, such as Strava Beacon, which require a cell-phone signal to be real-time.
Since phones are also ideal for navigation (Gaia, Peakbagger, etc), they they are being used more for verification.
Battery Life
Make sure your device is fully charged and has the capacity to last the length of your route – this is your responsibility, just like bringing enough food or water. “Ultra Mode” whereby the device takes GPS readings at lesser intervals in order to use less power creates an acceptable verification record. For multi-day trips, you can turn it off overnight, and should recharge while stopped for the night (a separate .gpx track for each day is acceptable). External batteries for backup don’t weigh much and work well.
Signals
Canyons and forests can obscure the signal from the orbiting GPS satellites. Occasionally find a clear area to get a signal.
Trip Report
The traditional means of verification is a trip report written ASAP after the completion of your trip based on detailed notes taken during the trip. The TR along with photo’s can be backup for verification, and it helps everyone connect with your experience of the trip.
Disclaimer
We are unable to verify the accuracy of every FKT submitted. If you think something is incorrect or misrepresented, please contact us and let’s discuss it.