Jennifer Pharr Davis set the women's AT speed record, from June 20 to August 16, 2008, (Maine to Georgia) with a time of 57d8h38m. Jennifer was crewed primarily by her husband, Brew Davis, with help from others. The previous women's record was 87 days by Jenny Jardine, hiking traditional thru-hiker style with her husband, Ray.
Hiking from Maine to Georgia in the summer of 2011, Pharr Davis smashed her own women's record, and beat the overall AT speed record by over 26 hours, completing the trail in 46d11h20m, finishing on July 31. An article on her trip was published in the New York Times a few days before she finished. She was once again crewed by her husband and others. She published two books about her experiences on the AT titled Becoming Odyssa and Called Again.
Hold the record lightly. -- Jennifer Pharr Davis