Help Deanna attempt her FKT on the Florida Trail

My name is Deanna Doane and I am a 26 year old Florida native based in Jacksonville Beach. I am an ultra runner, race director, Florida trail member, volunteer trail maintainer, and USFS certified chainsawyer. A little over three years ago I ran my first ever ultra-marathon (Guana 50k) and it changed my life. I immediately “caught the bug” and started to sign up for as many local races as possible, and slowly started to run farther distances. I think I have run somewhere around 30 or more ultras, including handfuls of self supported ultra runs that were not races.

It has become my life, my world, and my community. In April of last year it even became one of my jobs, as I took on race directing alongside with Run Bum Races. I truly love what I do, but more importantly I love to give back to this community and to inspire others. Lead by example.

I have won races and I have also been dead last. I have been injured. I’ve done everything right and also everything wrong in my racing career so far. What I am saying is that I am not special. When I train well I can do well, which I have, but I am far from being an elite athlete. I have accomplished two FKT’s (Fastest known times) ranging from 34 miles to 62 mile routes. Self supported and supported. I have more recently won larger races in my region, such as the mountain mist 50k and mount cheaha 50k.

I have had the goal for the last year or so to get out of my comfort zone and do something that completely scares me. Something that I am not sure is even possible to complete. An attempt at another fastest known time. Except this one isn’t 30 miles, 60 miles, or even 200 miles… It would be 1,108 miles.

In February 2025 I want to make an attempt to set the fastest known time on the entire Florida trail. My goal is to do it in 21 days or less, which would average out to running/hiking 57 miles every single day for 21 days. Not only do I want to be the fastest WOMAN to complete the entire trail, I want to beat all records to be the fastest ever person to do it. The current female record is 38 days and the mens record is 21 days. I want to take on the challenge to complete the trail faster than both of these.

I am very thankful to have already been on about 400 miles of the trail, and have slowly been seeing as many sections as possible. When I say I am in love with this trail and I want to see all of it, I really and truly mean that. I love calling Florida home and getting to see all the diversity that this trail offers. One of my current FKT’s is in fact on the ocean to lake trail, which is a spur off of the Florida trail in south Florida, starting at lake Okeechobee all the way to Hobe Sound beach. It is one of my favorite point to point sections to traverse.

For those that don’t know, the Florida National Scenic Trail is a 1,108 mile trail that starts at the southern terminus in Big Cypress National Preserve and finishes at Fort Pickens in Gulf Islands National Seashore (Pensacola). It covers the entire state of Florida all the way through the panhandle and is one of 11 national scenic trails in the entire country. The trail itself showcases the incredible biodiversity, history, and rich culture of Florida. Just some of the ecosystems and places you go through are cypress swamps, prairies, hardwood hammocks, white sand beaches, limestone rock bluffs, pine flatwoods, civil war battlefields, traverse along many rivers and so much more. Most people think that because Florida is flat, all of the trail must look the same. This is far from true.

Why am I asking for donations for this? The reality of pulling this thing off, more or less, will cost a lot more than what I have and am able to fund myself. I do not have or make a lot of money. I am a co race director for run bum races and have my catering business on the side. I do not have the stability of a “normal career” with benefits, insurance, or steady paychecks.

The reality in pulling this off is that I would need a crew person to support me the entire way. Driving from point A to point B to meet me, cook for me, refill my pack and refuel me on food/water, take care of me, and take me to wherever we will sleep (likely in the car) I am vegan and have been for the last 10 years, so doing this with a somewhat limited diet presents another challenge in itself.

My good friend Scott Abshire is the person I have chosen who can commit an entire month to helping me accomplish this. With him taking a month off of work to help me, I would have to pay him a minimum of $4k. If I am able to recruit anyone else to commit to crewing me full time, I am willing to pay them too if I can raise enough. It is a huge ask and a lot of work that goes involved with such a big attempt like this.

Other expenses include food, gas, lodging (when not camping/sleeping in the car), and all other supplies, gear, medical kits, etc.. Then theres always the occasional curveball that life likes to throw at us could happen.

I am not trying to make money from this. I am not trying to get “famous” from this. I do not want more followers, views or likes. I am doing this for myself, for personal growth, and to hopefully inspire others to do the same and challenge themselves. I am doing this to prove to myself that I am mentally and physically stronger than I take myself for. I am doing this to learn, grow, and become a more humble person. I want to feel all the highs, all the lows, all the deep feelings of both loneliness and joy. I want the challenge and I want the fight. Above all else I want to do this to inspire others that you can do anything if you set your mind to it. I want to inspire more women to take on huge goals like this. I want to promote womens empowerment in the outdoor scene because I do not think we have enough of that.

I do not know if I will finish. This is just me being honest. Anything can happen, and I am still human. I am not invincible from injury or illness. But I do know that I will give it hell and will not give up if this dream gets to become a reality.

I want to document as much as possible on this journey. I want to bring more awareness to the community of hiking the entire Florida trail. I want to promote trail stewardship, volunteering, being more active, and getting people involved with the Florida Trail Association. I want to inspire others to get outside more, get on this beautifully epic trail, and to consider joining a local chapter. I want to see more women in the scene doing volunteer trail work too! We need that in this community. As a woman I am usually the only one in our trail work groups, and still have yet to meet another woman who is a certified chainsawyer with the forest service.

I pledge that any money that does not get used on this adventure will get donated back to the Florida trail association. If I quit after five days and decide to go home, I will donate the rest of this back to the Florida trail association. I promise you that.

Even if all you can give is $5, THANK YOU. It still helps. That $5 could get a jar of peanut butter and tortillas to eat while out there. It could help with gas money for my brother. A little goes a long way, and it takes a village to make something this crazy actually happen.

If you read all of this thank you. Whether you know me personally, or don't know me. Thank you. I hope to lead and inspire this community through such a crazy feat. Thank you for being part of this journey with me.

Sweet D