Utah Runner Shatters 100-Mile World Record by 17 Minutes

At 44 years old, Ashley Paulson just proved that some of the best performances of your life are still ahead of you.

The Utah ultrarunner crossed the finish line at Nevada's Jackpot Ultra Running Festival in February having shattered the women's 100-mile world record by 17 minutes and 31 seconds. Her time of 12:19:34 crushed the previous mark, averaging a blistering 7 minutes and 21 seconds per mile for nearly half a day of continuous running.

Paulson had announced her ambitious goal on social media for weeks leading up to the race. Her previous personal best was over an hour and 45 minutes slower, making her target seem nearly impossible to many observers.

But on an unseasonably cool Friday morning at Cornerstone Park in Henderson, Nevada, Paulson executed a masterclass in pacing and determination. She hit the 50-mile mark in just under 6 hours and maintained her speed even as fatigue set in during the second half.

Her husband Matt crewed for her throughout the race, confirming early on that she was targeting a 12-hour, 30-minute finish. Paulson exceeded even that aggressive goal.

The record-breaking didn't stop there. Stella Springer, 55, achieved her own world record in the 55-59 age category, finishing fourth overall among women in 15:41:02 and improving the previous age-group mark by over an hour and 13 minutes.

Just two months after her 55th birthday, Springer had made her intentions clear in a late 2025 interview. At the 2025 24-hour World Championships, she had represented Team USA and immediately set her sights on this next challenge.

Why This Inspires

These performances showcase what's possible when experience meets preparation and unwavering belief. Paulson and Springer aren't fresh-faced newcomers—they're seasoned athletes hitting their stride in their 40s and 50s, rewriting the narrative about peak performance and age.

The weekend also celebrated breakthrough moments for newer talents. Kaylee Frederick, just 21 years old, finished third overall and continues establishing herself as a force in ultrarunning. Jenny Arnzen improved her previous 100-mile best by a staggering 11 hours, proving that personal victories can be just as meaningful as world records.

In the men's race, Rajpaul Pannu won his second USATF 100-Mile championship in three years with a time of 11:38:56, becoming only the second American ever with multiple sub-12-hour 100-mile runs.

These athletes remind us that the only limits that truly matter are the ones we set for ourselves.