Top 25 Most Inspirational Men Ultra Runners of 2025

By Henry Howard

The trail and ultra running scene was filled with memorable moments for male runners in 2025. There were triumphs from athletes making comebacks. There were older runners competing at high levels. There were younger runners breaking out.

Heck, there was even an ultra runner who created a 50K that incorporated fast food into the requirements.

The athletes who achieved those successes are among those who I’m honoring in my eighth annual most inspirational ultra runners list of the year. Or rather, make that lists.

Just as in the past few years, the 2025 list is actually two — one for the most inspirational males and another for the most inspiring females, which you can find here. Nonbinary runners will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

For previous versions, check out last year’s most inspirational women ultra runners here and click here for the men’s most inspirational list. The 2023 honorees for women ultra runners are here and the most inspirational on the men’s side is at this link. The 2022 compilation is here, the 2021 list here, the 2020 version here, this one from 2019 and the first installment in 2018.

And now on to the top 25 most inspirational men ultra runners of 2025 in alphabetical order:

1.     Jason Bahamundi: The entrepreneur is building and growing his Run Tri Bike community with a focus on the everyday runner and triathlete. It’s cool to see his passion for the sport grow and enrich the lives and athletic pursuits of others. At the same time, Bahamundi continues to participate as an athlete himself. This past year he won a small 50-miler, for example.

2.     Billy Barnett: I didn’t expect to run a race against Billy the Kid from “Born to Run,” but that’s exactly what happened a couple of months ago. During the three-hour Damascus Festival of Miles, I constantly exchanged “great work” and other greetings with this runner who was ahead of me on the 1-mile loop course. I didn’t know it was Barnett until the race director told me at the awards ceremony. It was an honor to race against, meet and later interview Barnett about his life since the book was published. In the article, he talks about what he’s been doing after “Born to Run,” his approach to running now, raising a family and his commitment to lifelong learning. 

3.     Rod Farvard: In 2024, Farvard chased Jim Walmsley around the Western States course, finishing second overall with what was then the third-fastest time in the race’s history. In 2025, with expectations high, Western didn’t go to plan as he DNF’d. Farvard did knock out a solid performance earlier in the year, winning and breaking Walmsley’s course record at Nine Trails 35 Mile Endurance Run. Win, lose or DNF, what I really admire about Farvard is his thoughtful approach and reflection, as seen in his blog. An example from this year is after he finished ninth at UTMB, and concluded a post with, “There are only things to be gained from going out and pushing yourself to the limit, nothing lost. You are not on display to be judged or graded. No matter the outcome, you only inspire. I know this now, but I’m ready to start believing it.” 

4.     Andrew Glaze: He continued his weekly 100-mile streak, hitting 300 consecutive weeks in December. We chatted a couple of years ago when he was closing in on 200 consecutive weeks, focusing on how running saved his life. In 2025, Glaze just didn’t hit a round mileage number each week, he completed some challenging ultras. Among them were the Arizona Monster 300-miler followed a month later by Cocodona 250, while also completing the Moab 240, UTMB 100-miler and the Leadville 100. But it’s not just the miles that land him on this list, it’s how he uplifts others. “Smile, or you’re doing it wrong,” as he says.

5.     Dan Green: Perhaps best known for winning and setting a course record (58:47:18) at this year’s Cocodona 250, Green also had a strong showing at Western States just eight weeks later. His 17:14 finish at Western was just outside the top 10. As of now, he’s not on the Western States start list but he is signed up for The Mammoth. It will be interesting to see how Green, who finished third in under 13 hours at the 2024 Javelina Jundred, balances the long multi-day events with cranking out fast 100s going forward.

6.     Joshua Holmes: He is the founder, publisher and editor of Run it Fast, “a compilation of some of the most elite and experienced runners in the world. Run It Fast is a way of life and is subjective according to every runner. Run It Fast is about pushing yourself and limits beyond anything you’ve ever done before. For some that will mean running a single mile while for others it will be finishing their first marathon or ultramarathon.” For Holmes running is definitely about testing his limits and encouraging others. He is a 10-time Badwater finisher, and when I congratulated him on that feat, he replied, “Now it’s your turn.” Holmes has run more than 360 ultras and marathons, finished the Last Annual Vol State four times and has a 2:56:26 marathon PR. And this year, he’ll be heading back to Western States for the first time since finishing the race in 2015.

Photo by Bryon Powell of iRunFar

7.     Andy Jones-Wilkins: He is the pre-eminent ambassador of the sport, showing up on podcasts, volunteering at his beloved Western States and more. While his fastest days are behind him, AJW is back to racing on a regular basis after several hip surgeries. In 2025, he finished at least nine ultras, including the Cocodona 250, as a tribute to his late friend Rob Martin. And AJW is not slowing down any time soon, as he is signed up for four ultras in the first half of 2026. You can learn more about his running journey, a range of ultra runners and more on his Crack a Brew with AJW podcast. The podcast, which launched in 2023, quickly became a must-listen for ultra runners of all experience levels.

8.     Kilian Jornet: The GOAT placed third at Western States, 75 minutes faster than his previous finish there when he won the race in 2011. And if that weren’t mind-blowing enough, Jornet completed his “States of Elevation” in just 31 days. That was a massive project, linking 72 fourteeners (14,000-foot peaks) in Colorado, California and Washington by running and biking, covering over 3,000 miles and 400,000 feet of elevation gain. It was his way of fostering connection with nature and environmental awareness. The 38-year-old will return to Western in 2026. Will we see him take a crack at the course record? 

9.     Gabe Joyes: He’s a front-of-the-pack runner, race director and — for the past 18 months — columnist for iRunFar. This year, Joyes (who also has Celiac Disease like me as I found out during out interview) finished sixth at the Canyons 100-miler, placed in the top 10 at Hardrock and won the Dead Horse Ultra 50-miler. Joyes improved upon his 2018 finish by 17 minutes at Dead Horse, winning in 6:39. After the race, he shared: “Don’t be afraid to try something new, and don’t be afraid to try something again and again.” Good advice. Hmmm, maybe just what I need to return to his Sinks Canyon race, which I did in 2017 and 2019.

10.  Kilian Korth: He is an absolute beast in the 200-mile scene, winning all three of the Triple Crown events in a single season, the Tahoe 200, Bigfoot 200 and Moab 240. In doing so, he set a new combined Triple Crown of 200s record with a time of 156:30:20. The previous mark of 162:00:51 was set in 2019 by Michael McKnight, who also won all three Triple Crown races that year. Korth, a former collegiate swimmer, chats with Zach Bitter on his podcast about the transition to ultra running, his fueling strategy, caffeine during the 200s and more. Korth is signed up for Cocodona in 2026. It will be interesting to see how he fares as his previous results there have been mixed. A top 10 finish in 2023, with DNFs the previous and following years.

11.  Karl Meltzer: At some point, his streak of winning 100-mile races each year had to end. Even though he finished on the podium in three of his six 100-milers this year, none were on the top spot. After finishing as runner-up at the Devil Dog Ultras in early December, he wrote, “The 22-year streak has come to an end. Now I can sit back and have a beer and see if anyone breaks it. I believe I’ll die with this one. I came close this weekend at the #devildogultras 100. I was 23 minutes off the front with 6 miles to go. I was essentially crippled at that point. I walked it in. Too much time to catch up in the state I was in. 100 miler #92 is complete. 20:14 (20:10 officially) ain’t too bad for a guy who turns 58 tomorrow.” Meltzer will add to his quest for 100 100-mile finishes in January at Coldwater Rumble ­and — who knows? — may begin another streak.

12.  Chris Myers: This year Myers was the runner-up at Western States, beating his time in 2024 by almost exactly an hour. He also had podium finishes at the Black Canyon 50K and the Lake Sonoma 50-miler, while winning the Chuckanut 50K. Myers has declined returning to Western States in 2026. After finishing the 2025 season with back-to-back 100-mile DNFs at UTMB and Ultra Town Cape Town, it will be interesting to see how he fills in his race calendar after returning to Black Canyon in February. But one thing is for sure, he’ll bring a great attitude wherever he goes. Take this Instagram post after Cape Town, “While it’s never fun to travel far and have a bad day on the trails, Cape Town couldn’t let me be too hard on myself. The wonderful people I met along the way, the scenery, and the food made every bout of heat induced puking and self-doubt worth it. DNFs and bad races are just opportunities to learn and I am lucky to have these experiences and am excited to apply these new lessons in the future. I’ll be back for you Cape Town!”

13.  Zach Miller: In 2024, the talented runner was days away from taking on Hardrock when he came down with appendicitis. He made it to the Hardrock start line this year not only with a chip on his shoulder but a soft spot in his heart. Miller dedicated his race to Hardrock 100 superfan Bill Dooper, a beloved and well-known figure within the ultra running community. He passed away in 2018 at the age of 83. Miller carried a card from Dooper's celebration of life with him throughout the course, running the entire challenging 100-mile loop in the San Juan Mountains in his friend's honor. His journey is captured in this film.

14.  Jeff Mogavero: His fourth-place finish in 14:30 at Western States this year was the 10^th fastest in the race’s esteemed history. Mogavero also placed fourth at the Canyons 100K in a stacked field with the sixth fastest time in that race’s history. With the top two finishers from the 2025 Western States not currently on the start list, this opens the door for Mogavero to improve upon his place. I’m also a fan of his for his honesty and depth in what he writes on his website and Substack, including a recount of his “swing and a miss" at UTMB.

15.  Finn Melanson: He is best known for being the founder and CEO of Singletrack, a media company producing podcasts and other content for the trail running community since 2021. I interviewed him shortly after the podcast’s debut and since then Singletrack’s trajectory has been impressive. More recently he dove into race directing as the co-founder of Massif Running, an events company hosting trail races in the Wasatch Mountains. Massif Running created Twisted Fork and is taking over Antelope Island Buffalo Run, which dates back to 2006. Somehow Melanson still has time to compete as an ultra runner. In March, he placed second at the Antelope Island 50-miler, won a 50K two weeks later and then placed fifth at Cocodona. 

16.  Caleb Olson: His signature victory of 2025 was Western States where he improved by nearly a half hour over his fifth-place finish in 2024. But he also had impressive performances including an early season victory at Transgrancanaria 100-miler and a win at Grampians Peak Trail 100-miler in November. But it’s just not Olson’s athletic achievements that land him on this list, as stellar as they are. He is also among the ultra runners who have can’t-miss Substacks. Among my favorites is this recent one, 30 lifetime moments he remembers as he turned 30.

17.  Ludovic Pommeret: How would he follow up on his impressive win at Hardrock, followed by a top 10 finish at UTMB in 2024? Repeat the feat with back-to-back Hardrock wins and a sixth-place finish at UTMB, about 17 minutes faster than when he was fifth there a year ago. The 50-year-old Pommeret is on the start list for the Hardrock race in 2026. If he threepeats, he will be the first male to do so since (checks notes) …. Kilian Jornet, who became the first and thus far only man with back-to-back-to-back wins in 2014-16. (Three women have won at least three Hardrocks in a row.)

18.  Francesco Puppi: The rising star won CCC with a time of 10:06:02. Earlier Puppi won the Chianti 50K in March, Canyons Endurance Runs 100K race in April, and the Lavaredo Ultra Trail 50K in June. While his ninth-place finish at Worlds may have been disappointing, his thoughtful reflection on Instagram afterward captures his true character. “The result, on paper, was disappointing. Denying ‘negative emotions’ by twisting reality or reframing a bad performance in overly sophisticated ways just to feel better seems to have become popular among athletes. But I think it’s ok to simply say that it sucks and that you feel sad when something doesn’t go according to (realistic) expectations.”

19.   David Roche: His highly promoted run for the Western States record turned out to be a disappointing “Western States 100K,” as he has referred to his drop. Give him credit for putting it all out there on a YouTube series (which was hilariously replicated by another YouTuber) and owning it after the race. It did not take long for him to regain redemption, returning to Leadville to once again win and break the course record roughly two months after Western. Roche followed that up with a strong runner-up finish at the Javelina Jundred, then literally handed over the Golden Ticket to Canyon Woodward, who was less than two minutes behind in third place. Beyond his athleticism and kindness, Roche is a highly respected coach who shares tips, provides context to the latest science and uplifts the community.

20.  Hans Troyer: That’s what I call a breakout year. Troyer started his year by winning the Bandera 50K and Way Too Cool 50K before also taking second at the Canyons 100K, earning a Golden Ticket to Western States. Troyer finished Western, his first 100-miler, in eighth place in just under 16:07. And then it was off to the JFK 50-miler where he won in 5:10:24, the second-best time in the race’s long history. In 2026, Troyer heads back to Black Canyon, this time for the 100K, as well as Western States. What makes his story even more remarkable is his 2025 success followed near organ failure. Last year, Troyer spent 12 days in the hospital with rhabdomyolysis, 40 pounds heavier due to water retention and his kidneys on the verge of failure. If you haven’t watched “The Kid” documentary, then add it to your list.

21.  Matt Urbanski: I switched coaches in the spring of 2025, choosing Urbanski. In that time he has been a powerfully steady influence, guiding me to everything from a 5K victory to finishing a brutal 100-miler. A plant-based athlete like me, Urbanski creates thoughtful training plans, dishes out positivity and serves as a pre-race counselor. He’s an impressive athlete, too. In 2025, Urbanski ran a personal best at the 24 hour World Championships in Albi, France, finishing with 159 miles. He was the 19th male and the top scorer for Team USA. Learn more about Urbanski, why he founded Team Run Run, his running background and more.

22.  Jeff Waldmuller: I was captivated by this episode of the MidPacker Podcast where Troy Meadows interviews Waldmuller, a musician, prosthetist, para-athlete and relentless endurance junkie. Waldmuller toured the world as a trumpet player, even performing with Emmy and Tony award-winning shows. After a devastating motorcycle accident nearly cost him his arm and leg, he opted to amputate below the knee. That choice opened the door to running, triathlons and ultras. This year he completed the Tunnel Hill 100-miler (read his Instagram recap). “I try not to let the accident define me, but rather the actions that I took after that define who I am,” he says.

23.  Jim Walmsley: Unfortunately an injury kept Walmsley out of Western States this year. However, he performed as only as he can in highly competitive races at other times. His year started off with a win at Chianti Ultra Trail 100-miler, beating Kilian Jornet by 28 minutes. After recovering from the injury that followed, he won OCC in a gutsy late surge and then headed to World Mountain and Trail Running Championships a month later. He took first place, finishing the 100K in 8:35:11 over a stacked field. Will he return to States in 2026, the final year of the current course? My gut says yes, and he will break his record there.

24.  Michael Wardian: You would be hard pressed to find an ultra runner with a wider variety of races and other challenges in a calendar year. He finished Hardrock, took third overall at Burning Man 50K, ran a 6:35 for the 50-miler at Tunnel Hill and won the Pistol Ultra 50K in 3:13. In October, he ran a 2:36:53 at the Marine Corps Marathon, 32 seconds faster than the marathon he ran just eight days earlier. Perhaps what drew the most attention to him this year was the Taco Bell 50K challenge, which he helped organize and also participate in. Oh, Wardian also set 10 Fastest Known Times on the year. I’ve had the honor to interview him a few times (including one about strength training) and meet him at the Boston Marathon. As good as an athlete as he is, Wardian is an even better human.

25.  Coree Woltering: As an athlete, Woltering redefined his own previous limits this year, placing second in the Southern States 200-miler and then finishing the Cocodona 250, about six weeks later. As a human, he continues his sobriety journey openly. On Nov. 1, he marked his fourth year of sobriety with this Instagram post, which read in part, “Rehab seemed like such a dirty word, and the place you go if you have nothing left. I didn’t feel like I had lost everything, BUT I knew it was time to make a change. I will not sit here and tell you life is perfect, but man, getting sober is one of the best things I have ever done. If you are ever struggling, or just want to chat about sobriety, never hesitate to reach out. I’m not here to judge, and I may not have all of the answers, but I know many people that know more than me!”

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