2021 UTCT champion Courtney Dauwalter is arguably the best endurance trail runner in the world. The 37-year-old American has won every major endurance trail event on the planet, including the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc – which she won in both 2019 and 2021 (including setting a new women’s record) – and the Western States Endurance run in 2019.

I came to spectate at the 2019 UTCT, and it was so cool to be on the cheering side of it and be part of the community and the vibe. It just made me want to come back and run it.

It was amazing to be able to run it the following year. There‘s so much variety on the course, and you’re right here in the city! The route just connects these amazing trail systems, and the trails are so accessible. It’s so awesome to be able to drop down to the beaches, run on top of the mountain and run through forests – in the same race.

UTCT is a very difficult course. It’s relentless, pretty technical, really rocky and hot.

UTCT is a very difficult course. It’s relentless, pretty technical, really rocky and hot. I don’t like comparing the various races, but Cape Town does have these amazing views in every direction; and great support from people, all day long. I always tell people how amazing it is.

Community is a huge part of trail running. It’s one of the things that drew me to it. It just felt so welcoming, and it didn’t matter how long you were out there. I just loved the experience, and wanted to get to the finish line of races and hang out with the people who did the race. I’ve found that the community aspect is huge, and it keeps me coming back.

I did a few road marathons after college, to see if I could survive them. It sounded insane to run that far – but then I finished them! And then I stumbled across a 50km, and did that. I couldn’t believe that I’d made it, and loved it so much. It was great being out there… chatting, filling my pockets with jelly beans. It all just kinda snowballed after that. 

I think it’s a cool way to go about life, trying the thing that seems a little too hard. I’ve always been curious to find out what’s possible with just my feet and my brain. It’s very intriguing to me, and it’s the reason I keep testing myself.

The brain. How important is it? Well, early on I used to think that running was all physical. But through doing all these ultras, I realised what a huge role the mental side plays in it. Your brain can keep you going physically when your body is saying ‘no thank you’.

 

It’s all about thinking good thoughts and avoiding negative ones. It doesn’t serve you to have negative thoughts; but being positive can flip you around. 

Initially I would try and avoid the pain cave, push it away and never want to arrive at it. But now I seek out the pain cave; because that’s where we get better. For me, it’s about celebrating the hard parts and wanting to get to that cave. I picture a chisel, and me wearing a hard hat, tapping away to make the cave bigger.

I’m intrigued by long distances, and by how efficiently I can cover them. I love it when they get longer, and the amount of time you’re out there. You have to put the puzzle pieces together, problem-solve… it’s an extreme rollercoaster ride of ups and downs; but it’s what keeps me going.

I love interacting with the supporters. Sharing those high-fives and passing energy back and forth. I’ve never really considered it a spiritual journey, but that energy… it’s one aspect of trail running that’s super-cool. 

Even if the course was totally empty and there wasn’t a soul out there, I would still love ultra running. 

I don’t take on the expectations of others. My goal is to leave everything on the course, and I never want to finish thinking ‘What if?” That’s the only expectation I put on myself. I try to do that in every single race, and see where it lands me. That’s good by me.

I like trying different things – like the Barkly Marathons, where you’re pretty much guaranteed not to finish. But I love just testing myself.

I’m a 4am riser with my husband, by choice. We set an alarm; and I love to have my coffee slowly, to get into the day, and check the news and my emails. Then I do a 30- to 40-minute strength routine before I go and run.

I don’t really have an average training week. I train totally on feel. When I wake up in the morning I do a systems check of my body, brain and heart, and get an idea of what I’m going to do that day. I live in the mountains in Colorado, so I’m pretty lucky. I guess I do around 180km a week, and my strength and core work before runs on top of that. I also cycle in the summer, and do cross-country skiing in the winter. 

I don’t have a coach or a plan, ever. I do have a race schedule, and base my training around when my races are. Then I put the gas pedal down. I’m not too technical about my training either. I don’t use a heart-rate monitor, and do everything on feel once I can sense that I’m getting the green light from my body and brain. Sometimes I’ll leave the house looking for some chilled kays; but if I feel good, I’ll pop in a couple of intervals. 

My training is what works for me, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it. Training is 100% individualistic. Like, for some, there are tons of benefits to having a plan and a coach. 

I get inspired by a lot of people, and not necessarily around performance. There’s so much wisdom out there. Some of it we like, and bring it into our own lives. Most of the lessons I learn from others are about attitude and mindset. 

I keep race nutrition very simple. In a 100-miler, I’ll probably consume Tailwind energy drink, gels, chews and waffles. I try and limit it to as few options as possible. In races that last multiple days I do eat real food, like pizza, French toast and mashed potatoes. But in one-day events it’s difficult to eat those because of the effort level.

An FKT [Fastest Known Time] is always on my list. People should do what they’re inspired to do. It’s important to figure out what’s important, get out the door and keep training. Setting an FKT isn’t necessarily an ambition of mine; I just try my best, give it everything I have, and hopefully, learn some things along the way.

I grew up wearing longer shorts because I played a lot of soccer when I was young. So I just started using longer, basketball-style shorts when I started running, because it just felt more comfortable. It didn’t make sense to change it. Underneath I just wear a compression pant. I’m also not a huge hat or sunglasses person. I have worn them before, but I’m just not comfortable in them.

My long-term goals are simple: to keep seeing what I’m capable of by putting body and brain together.

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