Ultra runner Lindsey Herman sets record

Defending champion at the Leadville Silver Rush 50


Lindsey Herman on the trail.

Ultra runner and Western Colorado University alum Lindsey Herman defended her top finisher title at the Leadville Silver Rush 50 mile two weeks ago on July 9. She finished in 7 hours, 31 minutes, setting a new women’s course record and shaving over 30 minutes off of her previous winning time. 

Hermann, originally from New Mexico, moved to Gunnison to attend Western Colorado University and compete as an alpine skier. After a knee surgery following a ski crash in 2017, she moved her focus to trail running. 

She said coming into it as an adult had had a positive impact on her relationship with the sport. 

“My dad used to run a bunch of road marathons when I was younger so I would run with him,” she said. “I played soccer growing up, but I didn’t do the traditional track and cross country background, which I think is kind of cool because I’m not burnt out on the sport at all.”

She said avoiding burnout is central to ultra running.

“I really enjoy the training and all of it, but I think the biggest thing on race day, for the big races, it’s the mental aspect of it,” she said.

Before the Leadville race began, Herman said she could feel the pressure. The race organizer had set her bib aside as the defending champion.

“I was trying not to focus on the time and trying not to put too much pressure on myself,” she said. “But obviously I was there to win.”

That pressure might have been the thing that put her ahead. She said the aid station volunteers didn’t tell her how close the other runners were, mentally pushing her to run as if there was someone right on her tail. In fact, by the end, the second placer was almost 50 minutes behind Herman — an infinity in ultra running.  And that includes the fact that she got lost in the final stretch, taking a wrong turn and having to double back to find the finish line. The next two placers finished only a minute apart.

Herman’s success in the 50 miler has meant her sights have shifted. She’s now planning on competing in the Leadville 100 on Aug. 20. In the meantime, aside from her intensive training regimen, she’ll continue to work for Western’s mountain sports program as well as run her own trail and ultra running business, Running Wild.

(Jacob Spetzler can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or jacob@gunnisontimes.com.)



Support local journalism!

Please consider making a donation to The Gunnison Country Times and help keep local journalism thriving!