#196 - Erin Ton, FKT on Mount Kilimanjaro

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She didn’t just beat a record on Mount Kilimanjaro, she rewrote what “supported speed” can look like at 19,000 feet. Aaron Ton joins us fresh off a massive double: new supported ascent and supported round-trip Fastest Known Times on Kilimanjaro, plus an honest look at the parts that felt smooth and the part that nearly derailed everything when altitude slammed her around 15,000 feet.

We get into the real build behind a big mountain FKT: stacking altitude in Colorado, grabbing a fast acclimation bump in Ecuador near Quito, then navigating Tanzania logistics where a lost bag and a strict six-day permit window forced a smarter timeline. Aaron breaks down the Mweka route from humid jungle darkness to high, dry rock, how she staged guides at camps to meet national park rules, and why those guides weren’t just “support” but true athletes who helped her unlock speed on the descent.

Then we zoom out to the bigger mission: chasing speed records across the Seven Summits. Aaron explains why Mount Elbrus is suddenly on the table, what it takes to get a Russia visa, why Denali intimidates her more than Everest, and how she thinks about risk, intention, and the way social media can make dangerous terrain look easy. We also talk optimization culture, consumerism in trail running, and a post-climb Tanzania safari that raises its own conservation tradeoffs.

If you enjoy deep dives on mountain running, altitude strategy, and the mindset behind big objectives, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave us a rating and review.

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