The appropriately titled film “For Our Mountains” is about more than John Kelly attempting a fastest known time (FKT) on the 2,197-mile Appalachian Trail (AT), which stretches from Georgia to Maine in the U.S. While the record was the goal for the three-time Barkley Marathons finisher, John’s main motivation was raising funds for his beloved Appalachian communities that were devastated by Hurricane Helene in 2024. John’s hometown of Boone, North Carolina, was heavily affected by Hurricane Helene, as were communities stretching from Georgia to Tennessee. In addition to documenting the FKT attempt, the film also highlights the people, communities, and organizations that assisted in the cleanup efforts following the natural disaster.
[Editor’s Note: Click here to watch the film on YouTube.]
In the film, John, a father of four young children, describes the day the hurricane hit. He was away for work and trying to methodically figure out how he could navigate the devastation to get back home to his family. Even this is a quick insight into John’s “spreadsheet brain,” as crew chief Brittany Koether describes it, and the theme is repeated throughout the documentary. This methodical approach in the face of stress is what makes John who he is. It’s clear he’s a scientist when describing the hurricane, providing us with the amount of water deposited by the storm in both imperial and metric units — 40 trillion gallons or 150 trillion liters. A Ph.D. engineer with a background in machine learning, John takes a calculated approach to these multi-day adventures, which has likely contributed to his success in races like the Barkley Marathon and Spine Race.
John Kelly uses his “spreadsheet brain” to plan the logistics of his Appalachian Trail run. All images are screenshots from the film “For Our Mountains.”
Behind every legendary athlete lies a sometimes unseen support system. In this documentary, we get glimpses of John’s exceptional team. His wife, Jessi Kelly, brings their four kids along for the adventure of a lifetime. She tells us about John’s lifelong dream of completing the Appalachian Trail in one go, and her unrelenting support of that goal. She says, “I mean, it’s a dream. And if you have dream, and you love somebody, you are going to do everything you can to help them … It’s not perfect, it’s not beautiful, it’s hard work, it’s compromise. It’s conversation after conversation after conversation about it.” She wants her kids to see that both parents are strong. She wants them to see the grit and strength in their father’s athletic endeavor, but also the fact that she took care of them for 40 days while traveling and crewing as the attempt trekked north toward Maine. The crew is one aspect of athletic achievement that is often overlooked in these types of documentaries.
John waiting for the top of the next minute to start his AT FKT attempt.
The film is peppered with insights about John from those who know him best. Kathy and Gary Kelly, John’s parents, reiterate his unwavering work ethic and determination. Jessi calls him stubborn and a fighter.
And, of course, it’s not a running documentary without a graphic blister scene. This one is softened when we receive a detailed blister tutorial from crew chief Brittany via some truly grotesque images on her phone. There are plenty of crew insights along the way as well. With cameos by current AT FKT holder, Tara Dower, and her crew chief, Megan Wilmarth, more commonly known on the trail as Rascal, there is no shortage of Appalachian Trail legends in this film.
John runs with his pacers and crew on the AT.
As John inches closer to the final miles of the trail, you can see his pain. Severe tendonitis presents itself, slowing his pace as he slowly loses control of his legs. It’s impossible not to get a little teary-eyed when John comes to the realization that his FKT attempt has to end after 1,826 miles. We even see a bit of emotion eek onto John’s seemingly always-stoic face once he calls the effort.
In the end, it doesn’t feel like it was all for nothing — he raised more than $110,000 for Hurricane Helene relief. Only time will tell if John will someday return to complete this unfinished business. After all, he is stubborn and a fighter.
John coming to terms with the end of his AT FKT attempt.
Call for Comments
- What did you think of the film?
- Do you have any stories you can share about runners coming together to help after a natural disaster?
