Olympic Skier Jessie Diggins Tackles First 100-Mile Race

The most decorated cross-country skier in U.S. history is now conquering mountains on foot instead of snow.

Jessie Diggins started her first 100-mile ultramarathon Friday morning at Gooseberry State Park, taking on Minnesota's notoriously challenging Superior Hiking Trail. The 35-year-old retired from professional skiing in March and immediately dove into a new athletic challenge that would make most people's legs hurt just thinking about it.

The Superior 100 follows a rocky ridgeline above Lake Superior, testing even the toughest athletes with relentless hills and rugged terrain. Racers run through the night with headlamps, hoping to reach the finish line in Lutsen about 24 to 28 hours after they start.

But race director John Storkamp isn't worried about Diggins. "There's nobody better at kind of grinding something out, and the 100 mile distance is really about grinding," he said.

Diggins showed up ready with her signature style: homemade tie-dyed shirts for her support crew, glitter, and an Instagram post declaring "See you in 100 miles!" Her crew takes turns running alongside her to help pace and guide her through the grueling course.

The Minnesota native has always celebrated her roots. She grew up in Afton, graduated from Stillwater High School, and consistently showed love back to the state throughout her skiing career.

Why This Inspires

What makes Diggins' story so compelling isn't just that she's attempting something incredibly hard. It's that she retired as a champion just two months ago and immediately chose another mountain to climb.

At this year's Winter Olympics, she won bronze just days after falling and bruising her ribs in a previous race. She walked away from skiing with three Olympic medals: gold in 2018, silver and bronze in 2022, and bronze in 2025.

Most athletes would take a long break after retiring from such a demanding career. Instead, Diggins grabbed a pair of running shoes and picked one of the country's most difficult ultramarathons for her first 100-miler.

Her choice to run the Superior 100 wasn't random. Storkamp noted that Diggins has always honored her Minnesota roots, making this home-state race a perfect fit for her next adventure.

This is her third trail race since retirement, proving she's not slowing down.