Year: 2022
Award: Ultra Marathon
Location/Affiliation: Boulder, CO
- Leadville 100 Champion
- Fastest known female on the Zion Traverse
The Zion Traverse is a 48-mile trek across Zion National Park in southwestern Utah. It’s typically done as a 5-day backpacking trip. But not for Clare Gallagher. In 2018, Clare ran the Zion Traverse in 8 hours, 1 minute and 24 seconds, which is the fastest known time for a female.
That was 2018. Fast forward to 2022 with the distance more than double and Clare was once again the fastest female on a racecourse: the Leadville 100. Clare ran the iconic “Race Across the Sky” in 19 hours, 37 minutes and 57 seconds, averaging 11 minutes and 44 seconds per mile. She was the fastest female and the 12 overall finisher. She beat the 2nd fastest female by 2 hours and 21 minutes. Her Leadville feat adds to many other first place finishes and course records that she has set throughout her career. Clare Gallagher is our honoree for Ultra Marathon.