“It hurts up to a point and then it doesn’t get any worse.”
Ann Trason calls herself a world-class deflector. Compliment her and she’ll brush it off. Tell her she inspired you and she’ll change the subject, or point to someone else—her crew, the volunteers, the race director. Despite being one of the most accomplished humans in ultrarunning history, Trason has never wanted the spotlight. She just wants to be one of the people, doing her thing, showing up, celebrating the eclectic, generous ecosystem that is ultrarunning. The rest, to her, is noise. – Sarah Wassner Flynn for RUN magazine
Woof! Woof woof woof!!! Original Gangster of Ultrarunning Ann Trason set TWENTY (20) world records during her career. She won the Western States 100 women’s race fourteen times and twice finished second overall behind only the male champion. Ann won the Leadville Trail 100-Miler four times, setting a course record of 18:06:24 in 1994 that stood for decades. She won the grueling 56-mile South African Comrades Marathon twice (in 1996 and 1997), both times completing the legendary “double” by winning Western States just twelve days later. Her world record of 5:40:18 at the 50-mile distance, set in 1991, was unbeaten until 2015. From 1988 until her “retirement” in 2004, she finished all twenty-seven 100-milers started, always the first woman.
As of her induction into the Ultrarunning Hall of Fame in 2020, she was considered to be the most successful female ultrarunner of all time. You might have guessed that, explains all the clamor.
When and how did you start running?
To be honest, I started running because I wanted to have lunch with my Czech grandmother in elementary school. If I could run home from school and back fast enough, there was time for lunch with her. Nothing to do with racing or winning. Just a good reason to run a little faster.
Who was your toughest opponent?
Me. Always me. Could I get better? Could I make the right decisions when things weren’t going as planned? Ultrarunning is as much about problem-solving as putting one foot in front of the other. Progress wasn’t always measured by a faster time. Sometimes it was measured by what I learned along the way.
What was your most memorable run?
My adventure runs in the Sierra Nevada. After Western States, I would head into the mountains for two- or three-day adventures, sometimes longer. I’d ship clothes ahead to various “resorts,” or really anywhere that had a shower, a bed, and a roof over my head. Luxury accommodations by my standards!
My first adventure run was in 1987. I ran 50 miles, much of it on the John Muir Trail, starting at Onion Valley, climbing over Kearsarge Pass, approaching Mount Whitney from the back side, reaching the summit, and descending to Whitney Portal.
No race, no competition, just the mountains, the trails, and the freedom to explore. Those are the runs I treasure most. All these years later, I can still feel the joy of those adventures. The best.
What was your biggest disappointment?
Having rheumatoid arthritis (I was diagnosed with RA in 2017). I can work to slow the progression of the disease, but no amount of training can stop it. That’s a hard one for me. I’ve always believed in finding ways to work through challenges, but this is different. Certainly a challenge, and one I’m still figuring out.
What would you do differently if you could?
I don’t believe in rearview mirrors. I’ve always preferred looking forward. That said, after every race or event, I would write down three things I would do differently, three things I learned, and three things I did right.
So, I guess there were plenty of things I would have done differently at the time. But that’s how we learn. Take what you can from the experience and move forward. No sense spending too much time looking over your shoulder.
Who is your favorite philosopher, or what is your favorite quote?
“The wise are not moved by either blame or praise.” The Dhammapada, verse 81, a Buddhist teaching.
I’ve always liked this teaching. Whether things go well or badly, I try not to get too caught up in what others think. What matters more is what I know about myself and what I can learn from the experience.
Is there a song that has special meaning to you?
“Watching the Wheels” by John Lennon.
I’ve loved this song for years. To me, it’s about realizing that life has so much more to offer than what others consider success. Sometimes you have to get off the merry-go-round to appreciate what’s around you.
Who is your favorite comedian?
Robin Williams. His quick wit, incredible imagination, and ability to make you laugh one minute and touch your heart the next. There was nobody quite like him.
And for a woman, Diane Keaton. I loved her quirky, wonderfully unconventional sense of humor. She could be funny without even trying, and she was never afraid to be herself.
What is your favorite stretch, and why?
Glute and hamstring stretches. I love the feeling of releasing tension in those muscles. Trail runners use their glutes constantly, especially with all the lateral movement on uneven terrain. And hamstrings often seem to be the weak link when the quads are doing so much of the work. I always liked giving both a good stretch and letting some of that tension go.
That was a typo. And good answer! I should have probably asked all the OGORs. The actual question is, What was your ‘best stretch of running’? And so why do you think you hit that level at that time?
I think more than anything, I’m just incredibly grateful for my entire running career, if you can even call it a career! I’ve never really thought of it in terms of a “best stretch.” There have been so many miles, so many adventures, wonderful friendships, and memories that I wouldn’t trade for anything. Sure, there were times when I was stronger, faster, and probably more competitive, but I don’t know that those were necessarily my best years. I think I was just doing something I loved, putting one foot in front of the other, and seeing where it would take me.
And maybe that’s what makes it so special looking back. I never imagined how much running would become a part of my life or how many doors it would open. At this point, I’m simply grateful for every mile I’ve been given, the people I’ve met along the way, and the fact that I’m still out there, even if I’m bringing up the rear these days with my poles and a unicorn costume!
The times and places fade, but the memories and friendships don’t. And to me, that’s the real gift of running
What gave you your competitive edge?
Being in the moment. That mindset of laser focus, completely present in what I was doing, was and still is my happy place. Everything else falls away. It’s where I feel most alive.
What supplementary exercises did you do?
Not enough! Looking back, I should have done more strength training. I do a lot of it now. You’d probably never know it by looking at me, but strength work is a huge part of any training I do these days. From the feet up. I’ve learned just how important it is, especially if I want to keep doing the things I love.
What was your toughest injury, and how did you deal with it?
Maybe it’s recency bias, but fracturing my femur this past April. I cracked the greater trochanter right off the femur and had multiple spiral fractures in the femoral neck. I spent 12 weeks either in bed or in a wheelchair. The pain was unlike anything I’d ever experienced.
I didn’t want surgery. I wanted to give my body the chance to heal naturally. Looking back, I think that took some courage, along with a whole lot of patience. My orthopedic doctor finally released me at the end of August. I’m just now getting back to walking with hiking poles.
It’s been a long road, and I’m still on it. Perhaps the hardest part has been learning that sometimes progress isn’t about how far or how fast you go. Sometimes it’s simply being able to take the next step
https://run.outsideonline.com/people/ann-trason-is-quietly-coming-back-for-more
People say I’m crazy
Doing what I’m doing
Well, they give me all kinds of warnings
To save me from ruin
When I say that I’m okay, well they look at me kinda strange
“Surely, you’re not happy now, you no longer play the game”
People say I’m lazy
Dreaming my life away
Well they give me all kinds of advice
Designed to enlighten me
When I tell them that I’m doing fine watching shadows on the wall
“Don’t you miss the big time boy, you’re no longer on the ball?”
I’m just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round
I really love to watch them roll
No longer riding on the merry-go-round
I just had to let it go
Ah, people asking questions
Lost in confusion
Well, I tell them there’s no problem
Only solutions
Well, they shake their heads and they look at me, as if I’ve lost my mind
I tell them there’s no hurry, I’m just sitting here doing time
I’m just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round
I really love to watch them roll
No longer riding on the merry-go-round
I just had to let it go
I just had to let it go
I just had to let it go
– John Lennon