Runner Lauren Gregory Wins 37-Mile Alps Race in Final Sprint

Lauren Gregory spent the day before her race eating pasta in Chamonix, France, wondering if 37 miles through the Alps was too far for her. Twenty-four hours later, she was sprinting past the race leader with one kilometer to go.

The 27-year-old runner won the women's OCC ultra trail race at the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc in dramatic fashion. With just three kilometers remaining, she jumped from third to second place, then overtook leader Naomi Lang in the final kilometer to win by seconds after six hours, eight minutes of running.

The OCC isn't a gentle jog. The course climbs more than 11,000 feet through the Swiss and French Alps, testing even the most experienced ultra runners.

Gregory came from a background of 5K track races, not 60-kilometer mountain trails. She told reporters before the race she was mainly there to "learn where my upper limits are" and gain experience on unfamiliar terrain.

Her track background turned out to be her secret weapon. When she and Lang hit Chamonix's city center in the final stretch, Gregory's speed training kicked in and she pulled ahead.

"The last quarter of everything hurts," Gregory explained. "A 60K is low level hurt for a few hours, whereas in a 5K it's high level hurt for three laps or so."

That mental toughness carried her through. Even though the distance was new, the pain of pushing through a final quarter wasn't.

Why This Inspires

The finish line moment captured something bigger than one race. Gregory and Lang immediately hugged after crossing, celebrating together despite the nail-biting competition.

Third-place finisher Sara Alonso arrived a minute later and did the worm for the cheering crowd. The joy was infectious.

"The depth and overall quality of the women's race is on par with the men's," Gregory said, "and in some fields the women's race is stronger." As more women enter ultra running, races like this prove the sport's future is bright.

After her surprise victory, Gregory headed straight for a burger at a local restaurant, then planned a beach trip to Italy. She knew if she went home to Boulder, Colorado, she'd be too tempted to start training again immediately.

Sometimes the best way to celebrate finding your limits is discovering they were further than you thought.