Pete Kostelnick

About

Pete Kostelnick is an American ultrarunner and FKT specialist from Iowa, best known for holding the world record for the fastest coast-to-coast crossing of the United States on foot. On September 12, 2016, he set out from San Francisco City Hall and arrived at New York City Hall on October 24, covering 3,067 miles in 42 days, 6 hours, and 30 minutes — demolishing the 36-year-old record of 46 days, 8 hours, and 36 minutes set by Frank Giannino Jr. in 1980. Averaging more than 70 miles per day and consuming between 9,000 and 15,000 calories daily across seven consecutive weeks, the effort remains one of the most extraordinary sustained endurance performances in the sport's history. A two-time Badwater 135 champion (2015 and 2016), he set the Badwater course record in 2016 in 21:56:26. He is also the fifth-fastest North American of all time at the 24-hour run, covering 163.5 miles. He later completed a self-supported 97-day run of approximately 5,300 miles from Kenai, Alaska to Key West, Florida — the Ke2Key. Originally from Lincoln, Nebraska, Kostelnick began running to lose weight before discovering a rare aptitude for ultralong-distance effort.

Notable Wins

• — Badwater 135 2015
• — Badwater 135 2016 (CR 21:56:26)
• — Trans-America record 2016 (SF to NYC
• — 42 days 6:30)
• — Ke2Key self-supported 5
• — 300-mile Alaska to Florida

Race History

Recent Coverage