The world no.1 ranked ultra runner, Courtney has some of the most prestigious titles to her name, including a UTMB course record. But she's not done there...
Best known for her love of dad jokes, signature shorts and tough-as-nails approach to trail running - Courtney epitomises what it means to be a free spirit. And with some of the most impressive course records in ultra running history to her name - including outrunning the men's field on several occasions - it’s obviously working for her.
Born and raised in Minnesota in the US, Courtney’s path into trail running began with a talent for a slightly different, but not dissimilar endurance sport - cross country skiing. In fact, by the time she finished high school, she was the four-time Minnesota state champion in Nordic skiing, going into college with a cross country skiing scholarship. After graduating she became a middle school science teacher, settling in Denver. And with the Colorado mountains as a backdrop, it is no wonder Courtney discovered - and fell in love with - trail running…
“Why not keep pushing the limits of what’s possible? For me, that’s with my feet…”
The rest, as they say, is history, and after winning several ultras in the US and finishing the 2017 Moab 240, 10 hours ahead of the entire field, Courtney turned pro. Since then, Courtney has had the trail running world mesmerized by her performances including breaking the Tahoe 200 course record by 18 hours and winning the UTMB in both 2019 and 2021 where she currently holds the course record. In 2022, after securing wins at both Hardrock 100 and Diagonale des Fous, Courtney solidified her place in the history books, becoming the only woman to win four major ultra-trails of the world circuit.
In 2023, her winning streak has shown no signs of stopping. Kicking the year off with a win at Bandera 100k followed by another win at Trans Gran Canaria, Courtney followed up with a win at one of the most prestigious races in the ultra running Calendar, Western States 100, where she obliterated the course record by over 78 minutes. Less than 2 weeks later, she was back up and fighting to claim the Hardrock 100 title for the second consecutive year at which point surely she was done? No. Courtney then went on to Chamonix to reclaim the UTMB title in September 2023, completely rewriting history with these back-to-back wins a never-before-seen feat in ultra running...
But Courtney is so much more than the sum of her achievements. With no coach, no fixed nutrition routine and no set training regimen, she dances to the beat of her own drum. And if you're lucky enough to meet her as some lucky members of our community did in July 2023, you will be delighted to discover that despite all of this, she is humble, owing her success to her ability to work hard, put the miles in and listen to her body. And despite winning most of what there is to win within ultra-running, she’s not done there...
"SunGod is full of great people who make incredible products, all while helping take care of our playground. I’m psyched to be part of the team!"
Courtney said to us when we asked what's in store for the years to come: "I am very intrigued by the really, really long distances. I want to try the races and challenges that require physical and mental strength to work together and have a blast while doing it." Courtney is set to continue raising the bar and further solidify herself as one of the most successful ultra runners the world has ever seen.
Does Courtney have the winning recipe? Discover her top tips for trail running success here.
Courtney wears
We went for a run with Courtney in July 2023. Discover what we learned here.
From leading UCI World Tour Team the INEOS Grenadiers to World No.1 Triathlete Hayden Wilde, Team SunGod is packed with world-leading athletes. Explore the rest of Team SunGod here.
