In reply to James FR:
"(full disclosure: Lee from inov-8 met me twice to take photos/video but gave me nothing other than encouragement. "
I'd be careful with that. That's still emotional support. It does make a difference mentally. It is hard to balance with sponsors. Honestly, I think once or twice very very briefly is OK but too much and it will vary into supported land. Anyone who has done 20 hour days in the hills will know about the loneliness and doubt which can be an issue.
https://fastestknowntime.com/fkt-guidelines
Supported
Supported means you have a crew that meets you along the way. This can range from one person handing you water once, to an entire team that accompanies you the whole distance giving you everything (except physical assistance -- FKTs are self-powered). Whether it’s just once or continuously, any support at all means it’s a Supported trip. Supported can enable the fastest trips due to the ability to carry less weight. To get a Supported FKT you also have to beat the fastest Self-Supported and Unsupported times (since those times were also set within the "rules" for Supported style).
Self-Supported
Self-Supported means you may have as much support as you can manage or find along the way, but not from any pre-arranged people helping you. This can range from caching supplies in advance, purchasing supplies along the way, to finding or begging for food or water. Most long thru-hiking routes are done Self-Supported. To get a Self-Supported FKT you also have to beat the fastest Unsupported time (Unsupported is a subset of Self-Supported).
Unsupported
Unsupported means you have no external support of any kind. This means you carry everything you need from start to finish except water. This naturally limits the length of an Unsupported trip. If a person is accompanied or paced for any distance, it automatically becomes a Supported trip. Teams, however, can be Unsupported as long as they all travel and finish together. A mixed gender team can be Unsupported, but an individual traveling as part of such a team cannot claim an Unsupported FKT in their gender (they could claim a Supported - paced - FKT in their gender).
"If a person is accompanied or paced for any distance, it automatically becomes a Supported trip. " is the crucial line.
Just to add (I saw the dislike), this was an issue in recent White Mountain hut traverse records where females have claimed self supported (and been given it) but had guys running behind them which they say doesn't count as support - with the Hut Traverse there is really no unsupported because the point is to use the huts for support. Obviously it's far clearer but there's still people arguing that it is acceptable.
Post edited at 14:19