Top 25 most inspirational women ultra runners of 2024
By Henry Howard
The trail and ultra running scene was packed with memorable moments for female runners in 2024. The first woman to finish the Barkley Marathons, a Western States-UTMB double, a blazing new Fastest Known Time on the Appalachian Trail and much more.
The athletes who achieved those successes are among those who I’m honoring in my seventh annual most inspirational ultra runners list of the year. Or rather, make that lists.
Like last year, the 2024 list is actually two — one for the most inspirational males, which is here, and another for the most inspiring females. Nonbinary runners will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
In fact, nonbinary runner Riley Brady was an easy choice for my tribute. Since Brady was born female, I thought it was best to place them in this category. Before naming them last year, I asked Brady for feedback and they agreed with handling it this way.
To see previous versions of the list, check out last year’s most inspirational women ultra runners here and the most inspirational on the men’s side at this link. The 2022 compilation 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 women ultra runners of 2024 in alphabetical order:
Hannah Allgood: In her first 100-mile race, Allgood took second place at the Javelina Jundred, with the fifth-best time ever and just behind Riley Brady’s near-record pace. Allgood performed well this year in a wide variety of races like the Chuckanut 50K, where she took fifth; the Gorge 30K, where she was runner-up; and the Transvulcania 72K, where she was the top American and fifth woman. She’ll be among the runners we’ll be following closely at Western States in 2025 and beyond.
Clare Bannwarth: When pairing quantity and quality of race results, it’s challenging to come up with a better performer who excels at both. First looking back to 2023, Bannwarth ran 10 races of 100K or longer, finishing on the women’s podium seven times including fifth at Hardrock and then took first overall at the Tahoe 200 a week later. She barely hit pause in 2024, winning eight of nine races from January through mid-April, only one of which was less than 100K. It was "only" 80K. Among her top performances of the year were winning the 258-mile Winter Spine Race, taking second at the Tahoe 200 and third at Tor des Geants. Any way you slice these results, she had an impressive year.
Karen Bonnett-Natraj: Not only does Bonnett-Natraj remain very active in the sport — with at least a half-dozen ultra finishes in 2024 — but her Running Strong Mind-Body Connection podcast is carving out a nice niche for itself. It promises to “uncover the inspiring stories of amateur athletes and their running adventures. Learn about the vital mind-body connection and its impact on sports and daily life.” I had a blast chatting with her on a recent episode. I'd be honored if you'd give it a listen here!
Riley Brady: The nonbinary athlete won the Javelina Jundred in 14:19, the race’s second-fastest finish ever. In previous years, they ran 14:45 in 2022 and 15:29 in 2023, finishing second and third respectively. After their 2022 race, we had a great conversation about Brady’s performance nonbinary athletes and more. Much, if not all of the conversation, is still highly relevant today. You can find it here.
Michelle Buncke: In July, the former walk-on to a Division III cross-country team won and set the course record at Mount Hood, a 50-miler in Oregon, with a time of 6:39:08. She didn’t stop there. In October, she won the Kodiak Ultra Marathons by UTMB 100K. With her early success, Buncke is contributing to the growing momentum of involving more women in the sport. Among my takeaways from our interview, she said, “The more female role models we have that show you can be competitive in athletics among other things is really crucial to keep encouraging more women to get into the sport.”
Ruth Croft: Three podiums in three challenging and competitive UTMB races in a year is plenty to land an athlete on this list. In 2024, Croft won the Tarawera 100K, took first at Transvulcania 100K and then was runner-up and just 40 minutes behind Katie Schide’s record-setting performance at the UTMB 100-miler. Perhaps an iRunFar article best summed up her path to becoming an elite runner and why she is so inspirational. “She’s taken the self-reliance, focus, and dedication to hard work that she learned from her family and running mentors during her early years and crafted it into a running career and life that, after a few early setbacks, has seen her at the top of her game for many years.”
Courtney Dauwalter: How does one follow up on a rare Triple Crown, setting the course record at Western States, doing the same at the Hardrock 100 and then winning UTMB, all within about two months during 2023? For Dauwalter, she knocked out yet another truly jaw-dropping year of racing. In 2024, she won Transgrancanaria 100-miler in February, Mt. Fuji 100-miler in April, Hardrock in July, Swiss Peaks 70K in September and the Nice Cote d’Azur 100-miler in October. The GOAT was an easy pick for the list, which she has been on every year I have been publishing these. No other runner has been selected for each list.
Mary Denholm: I get the feeling we’re just starting to see the potential of Denholm. In the second half of 2024, she won the Silver Rush 50, took first at the Leadville 100 and placed second at the JFK 50 in the second-fastest time ever in the historic race’s history. Her 18:23 at Leadville also was the second-best time in the race's history. In a recent Instagram post, she writes about how running can change one’s life, how it builds resilience and creates friendships in the community. “Grateful for another year of learning, growing, & challenging myself in new ways. Excited for all that’s ahead,” she concludes.
Tara Dower: “The racecar,” as she referred to herself while crediting her crew on multiple podcasts, set the overall supported Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the Appalachian Trail in 40 days, 18 hours and 6 minutes. The gnarly Appalachian Trail has 465,000 feet of elevation gain and stretches 2,197 miles from Mount Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in Georgia, and travels through New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. Dower’s mark surpasses Karel Sabbe’s previous overall and men’s supported FKT of 41 days, 7 hours, and 39 minutes, which he set in 2018. Dower also finished fourth at Hardrock and — just three months after the FKT – took second overall at the Mel Williams Memorial Seashore Race in Virginia Beach, Va. “I wasn’t sure how my body would respond being three months removed from the FKT but I’m really happy with the result. I felt solid the entire race and it was a great opportunity to practice fueling and figure out my sweat rate,” she said afterward.
Rachel Drake: What a year for the mom/runner/doctor! Drake started out with victories at the Black Canyon 100K, Gorge Waterfalls 30K and Tillamook Burn 50-miler. She then finished in the top 10 at Western States in a highly competitive field before becoming the first woman to ever go under six hours at the JFK 50. In addition to her work in medicine, she also brings the energy not only to motherhood but to the ultra running community by sharing her knowledge on the Trail Network Podcast, including this episode where she talks about the JFK record.
Michele Hartwig: The race director, runner and owner of Ornery Mule Racing is anything but ornery. In 2024, I did two of her races, the Earth Day 50K and the Kettle Moraine 100-miler, both were amazing experiences, thanks to her and her amazing volunteers. Previously I ran her Hennepin Hundred three times, with two finishes, and know first-hand that at each race she puts the needs of runners first. Speaking of firsts, Hartwig was the initial featured race director in my ongoing series highlighting RDs who make the sport great. Among the highlights from the post are her reason for getting into race directing, “I wanted to invite people to run and race on my local trails. Especially women since I did not see many women at trail and ultra races when I started. I designed race courses that I enjoyed running, in the distances that I enjoy.”
Marianne Hogan: After a highly successful 2022 — second at UTMB and third at Western States — injury forced her to miss most of last year. Hogan tore her psoas muscle, which led to a sacral stress fracture, at the 2022 UTMB. However, she returned triumphantly this year to go under 24 hours and take third place. She also won a couple of other smaller races, including the Swiss Canyon Ultra Trail 111K.
Jacky Hunt-Broersma: A shining light on social media, Hunt-Broersma is raising awareness that you can do hard things, regardless of any physical setbacks. She achieves this through her inspirational running journey, sharing her experiences on any platform and — this past year — authoring a children’s book, “Emma’s Brave Steps.” The book highlights a young girl with a prosthesis who inspires her peers. Hunt-Broersma didn’t let her book project slow her down. In April, she became the first amputee to ever run 250 half marathons in 250 consecutive days. In October, she set a new 100-mile treadmill PR with a time of 21 hours, 53 minutes. And she has big plans for 2025. In late December, Hunt-Broersma posted her upcoming quest: “7 Marathons. 7 continents. 7 Days. My next incredible challenge for 2025. In November I will be running 7 Marathons on 7 continents in 7 Days with team @30forfreedom. We are taking FREEDOM for trafficking victims around the world. Amazing cause and what an incredible experience and incredible challenge. So honored and grateful to be part of this.”
Heather Jackson: Top 10 finishes at two of the sport’s most competitive races was only part of the reason why Jackson returns to this year’s list. The former triathlete finished in fifth place at Unbound, the world’s largest gravel bike race, then took seventh at Western in 17:16:43. That’s two top incredible finishes in the same calendar month among elite fields in two different sports. Just two months later, she finished in fifth place at CCC, a strong improvement from her 20th place finish at the 50K OCC a year earlier. As she writes on her website, “My hope is to inspire people to challenge themselves to get outside of their normal orbits and to try something different and new. We can let fear and self-doubt creep into our heads and never go for something, or we can know we’ve already succeeded purely by facing the unknown no matter the end result.”
Jazmine Lowther: Overcoming adversity is a great way to inspire fellow runners and other humans, too. For Lowther, a disappointing DNF at CCC must have fueled her fire to come back strong and win Ultra Trail Cape Town 100K in November. After her victory, her Instagram post is one that is sure to inspire anyone at a race start line. “Lining up for this, there’s always the what if’s… at the end of the day, Never stop believing in yourself.. ;) Because what if you could? I didn’t expect to be chasing dudes for this one, but it was hella fun 😉”
Gina Lucrezi: The founder of Trail Sisters is a trail runner and ultra runner, and so much more. She launched Trail Sisters in 2016 and it has grown to a community of 150 regional chapters, a website that offers free resources like online education and more. She has worked tirelessly to empower thousands of women to get out on trails and encourage race directors to make their events welcoming to women.
Corrine Malcolm: The editor of Freetrail, host of the Trail Society podcast and tremendous commentator during ultra races also runs professionally for Adidas Terrex. “If you like science and sarcasm Corrine’s your gal and you’ll find that here in her stories and coaching,” her bio on the Freetrail page reads. In whatever media you happen to be consuming, Malcolm brings an unmatched combination of insight, knowledge and passion for the sport. I’ve enjoyed the interviews I’ve conducted with her including the one for this story on the future of women and ultra running.
Fiona Oakes: A vegan of 50 years, Oakes recently completed an amazing challenge to support her animal sanctuary. From Dec. 1 through Christmas Day, she ran 25 miles daily for a total of 625. As of this writing, she was just a bit short of raising what equates to just over $50,000 in U.S. currency. (More info on her GoFundMe page.) Why 625 miles? She chose the distance as it is the rough daily cost in pounds of feeding the 400 animals who live at her sanctuary.
Courtney Olsen: While she garnered attention for setting the 50-mile world record at Tunnel Hill in November, Olsen placed third at the Comrades Marathon earlier in the year. These achievements followed an injury that derailed her plans at the end of last year. After battling back to overcome the injury, as well as the toll it took on her mental health, Olsen ran well and inspired ultra runners with her 2024 performance. And I think she is only getting started.
Jasmin Paris: History was made when she became the first woman to finish the Barkley Marathons with just 99 seconds to spare. Only 20 runners have finished the brutal, self-navigated 100-mile endurance challenge since 1989. “The final minutes were so intense, after all that effort it came down to a sprint uphill, with every fiber of my body screaming at me to stop,” she said in an email to The New York Times after the race. All Barkley finishers are inspiring and Paris is no exception. Beyond her achievements as a runner, she is also a mother of two who works full-time as a small animal veterinarian. Additionally, I am inspired by her commitment to sustainability practices, including going vegan, reducing her travel and installing renewable energy in her home.
Megan Roche: In some cases, you don’t actually have to run multiple races to be included on this list. Roche, the wife of my coach David (for full transparency), is a talented runner who returned to racing in March and won the King Crown Scramble 50K, which set her up nicely for a shot at a Golden Ticket for Western States. However, on the eve of race day, she learned she was pregnant and wisely bowed out. She gave birth to Ollie following an up-and-down year for the family. But you would never know it from the joy she spreads on the Roches’ SWAP podcast, social media channels and elsewhere. Among the ways: applying her science knowledge and research to help women runners. Somehow she also finds the time to put her education to use and help other women runners improve.
Katie Schide: The American who lives in France pulled off the Western-UTMB double in blazing fashion, besting her time at the previous year’s Western by almost an hour and cutting more than an hour off her time two years ago at UTMB when she also won that race. Her finishing times at the past two Western States are among the five fastest ever for women runners. Somewhat lost in her successful season was her victory at the Canyons 100K, a race she didn’t need to win to get a Golden Ticket since she was already on the start list for Western States. Looking ahead to 2025, it will be exciting to see what she does at Hardrock. Here’s an excellent piece on who Schide is and how she became one of today’s elite ultra runners.
Sriirachamayo: While this name may not be familiar, her impact on the sport is one of the biggest stories of the year in ultra running. “Sriirachamayo” is the Reddit user who broke the Spring Energy story, posting this thread about her kitchen experiment that showed the gels didn’t have nearly the number of carbs they promised. That led to a wide-ranging discussion on Spring Energy and more rigorous independent testing that backed up Sriirachamayo’s intitial discovery. While I corresponded directly with her in a running group, I am choosing to use her Reddit handle since that’s how she chose to identify herself in this instance.
Leah Yingling: 400 miles at the Lululemon FURTHER event. Second place at Run Rabbit Run. A top 10 finish at Western States. A victory at the Quad Rock 50. Few athletes have the combination that Yingling possesses: elite running skills, the ability to offer depth (And it’s deep. IYKYK.) as a commentator in the sport and a passion that inspires runners of all levels. For all this and more, she is an easy selection again this year for the list. And while her racing plans may change, she is currently on the starting lists of some epic races in the coming year: Gorge Waterfalls 100K, Cocodona 250, Western States and Hardrock.
Aneta Zeppettella: The co-owner of Empower Ultras, along with Jennifer Russo, Zeppettella is an amazing human, runner and race director who immigrated to the U.S. from Poland in 1999. I ran the Night Owl Trail Marathon in 2023 and am returning in January 2025 for another go because I enjoyed the event so much. I came away very impressed two years ago because she literally rerouted the course the day before the race when flooded creeks forced the issue. I featured her in my series on race directors, where she talked about her favorite race to run — the Hurt 100, where she finished 10th in 2024. “I strive to create races that radiate love and community as much as HURT does. It’s truly magical.”
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