Birthday: February 13, 1985
Who is Courtney Dauwalter?
Dauwalter became known as the woman who outran male runners in ultrarunning. She grew up in Minnesota, where she became active in different types of sports and competed in cross-country, track, and Nordic skiing. She owns the record for the longest distance by a female runner in the Big Dog’s Ultra race. She was also famous for wearing baggy shirts and pants in her races which were uncommon among runners as these can be uncomfortable during the course.
Five Facts About Courtney Dauwalter
- She won Big Dog’s Ultra’s American section in 2020
- She has the record for the longest distance finished by a female runner
- She is an American ultramarathon runner
- She was a four-time Nordic skiing champion in high school
Inspirational Quotes from Courtney Dauwalter
“You’re fine. This is fine. Keep going.”
“Work hard enough so that the only voice you hear inside your head is yelling at you that you can.”
“It’s not running away from your issues – it’s running through them.”
Courtney Dauwalter Biography
Personal Life
Dauwalter was born on the 13th of February, 1985, in Hopkins, Minnesota. Ever since she was young, she had always been an all-rounder when it came to sports and was involved in various competitions on track, Nordic skiing, and cross-country. In high school, her skill in Nordic skiing paved the way to her becoming a four-time Minnesota state champion in the said sport.
According to her father, Dick Dauwalter, who was also part of her crew for the Tahoe 200, she was born to compete and was natural. This was why, despite being financially tight, they did their best to get her and her brothers involved in sports under one condition. They made sure that they could complete the season regardless if they disliked the sport.
Dauwalter then attended the University of Denver with a scholarship on cross-country skiing. Afterward, she completed her Master’s degree in teaching in the year 2010 at the University of Mississippi and was involved in the Mississippi Teacher Corps.
She worked as a full-time teacher in both middle and high school in Denver before she decided to pursue a full-time career in professional running in 2017. Currently, she lives with her husband in Golden, Colorado.
Ultrarunning Achievements
Dauwalter was widely known for her outstanding skill in running that came on par with men. She was famous for wearing loose shirts and baggy shorts in her races and is sponsored by Salomon. This was uncommon among runners as it can be restricting and heavy. Her positive attitude and passion also paved the way to her success in the field of ultramarathon.
Her career in ultrarunning boomed in the year 2016 when she won the 100-mile race called the Run Rabbit Run and was 75 minutes ahead of the second placer. She was also able to set a new record for the Javelina Jundred 100K the same year.
The following year, she won the Run Rabbit Run race once more while struggling with temporary blindness as soon as she ran the last 12 miles of the course. Dauwalter was also hailed the champion on the 2017 edition of the Moab 240 race and finished the whole course in a total of 2 days, 9 hours, and 59 minutes. She was ahead of the second placer for more than 10 hours.
The next race she won was the Western States Endurance Run in 2018. It was a 100-mile long race that she finished in 17 hours and 27 minutes. Her time made her the second-fastest woman to finish the race. The same year Dauwalter also competed in Big’s Backyard Ultra and won second-place. She was able to finish 67 laps and set a woman’s record of 279.268 miles. Dauwalter was also the second placer in the Tahoe 200.
Also, in 2018, Ultrarunning Magazine recognized Dauwalter and named her the Ultra Runner of the Year for winning 9 out of 12 races she competed in.
The following year, she then won first place at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc with a time of 24 hours, 34 minutes, and 26 seconds. Dauwalter also entered the Western States in 2019 but was not able to go past 77 miles. In October that same year, she represented the United States as she joined the IAU 24 Hour World Championship held in Brive La-Gaillarde, France, and finished 12th.
In 2020, she won first place at the American section of Big Dog’s Ultra, where she ran 283.3 miles for 68 laps and finished after 56 hours, 52 minutes, and 29 seconds. Her results made her set a worldwide record in the race for the longest distance by a female runner. The same year she was awarded the George Mallory Award for her excellence and beyond her limitations.
