Is Courtney Dauwalter the ultimate ultrarunner?

Courtney Dauwalter is generally considered to be one of the greatest ultrarunners of all time.

In 2023, she became the first person to win the Triple Crown in a single season, taking in the three most iconic 100-mile races around the world: the Western States 100, Hardrock 100, and UTMB.

In the last 10 years, she has won and often completely dominated more than 50 ultras. These races are notoriously gruelling and competitive; so, as someone who is instinctively unconventional in her training approach, and who likes to fuse hard work with fun, how does she do it?

Although she had previously dabbled in cross-country running, Minneapolis-born Dauwalter didn’t discover ultrarunning until her 20s. In 2017, she gave up her job in teaching to commit to running full-time.

After dropping out of her first race, she realised that motivation was key and that having a deep well of mental strength would be crucial. She has spoken about what she refers to as her ‘pain cave’, an imaginary place she heads to in her head when she reaches her physical limit.

Dauwalter started 2024 with wins at Transgrancanaria 126k and Mount Fuji 100, followed by triumph at Hardrock for a third successive year. Despite these victories, she insists none of these races were as straightforward as she would have preferred, and that they took a lot out of her physically and mentally.

If you think you have what it takes to follow in this legend's footsteps, contact us at Maximum Mileage Coaching for ultra running tips that meet your needs.