Acting
Courtney Dauwalter
Born 1985-02-13 · Hopkins, Minnesota, USA
Courtney Dauwalter is widely considered the greatest ultramarathon runner of the modern era, celebrated for her cheerful demeanor, legendary pain tolerance, and historic habit of beating entire fields of male and female competitors alike. Born in Hopkins, Minnesota, in 1985, she was a four-time state champion in Nordic skiing before attending the University of Denver on a skiing scholarship and later earning a Master’s degree in teaching. After working for several years as a middle and high school biology and chemistry teacher, she turned professional in 2017 and began completely rewriting the limits of human endurance. Dauwalter achieved ultimate legendary status during her historic 2023 season, becoming the first person ever to win ultrarunning’s prestigious "Triple Crown" in a single summer: the Western States 100, the Hardrock 100, and the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB), shattering course records along the way. Her dominance spans diverse terrains and astronomical distances, famously winning the 2017 Moab 240-mile race outright by beating the second-place male finisher by more than 10 hours. Living and training at 10,200 feet in Leadville, Colorado, Dauwalter is a beloved anomaly in the high-stakes, meticulously calculated world of elite sports. Rejecting rigid training regimes, coaches, and tech trackers like Strava, she relies entirely on intuitive training, running based on how her body feels and famously fueling her grueling efforts with a diet of candy, nachos, and pizza. Instantly recognizable on the trails by her trademark baggy, knee-length men’s basketball shorts—affectionately dubbed "Shortneys" by her sponsor, Salomon—she pairs her relaxed aesthetic with a ruthless mental framework. She openly speaks about embracing the "pain cave," a mental space she visualizes entering during the late stages of a race where she uses a metaphorical chisel to reshape her physical limitations. Supported at aid stations by her husband and crew chief, Kevin Schmidt, Dauwalter continues to dominate global trails with a signature combination of a bright smile and unmatched athletic grit.
Acting credits
NRBoundary Breaker takes a look behind the scenes of what makes Courtney Dauwalter tick. If you met her, you would never guess the endurance feats she is capable of and has accomplished. Kind, funny, laid back and sporting her signature long baggy shorts, she embodies the best of the ultra running community.
Boundary Breaker
2018
7.5The Source is a documentary film that explores, two time ultra runner of the year Courtney Dauwalter's source of will. How does the candy-loving, beer drinking athlete crush 200+ mile races, in some cases, beating all the men and the women? The film gives viewers a front row seat as Courtney races the Tahoe 200 and lends insight.
The Source
2019
6.0In 2024, Jasmin Paris made history by becoming the first woman to finish the Barkley Marathons, widely known as one of the hardest races in the world and a defining test in ultrarunning and trail running. With over 100 miles of brutal terrain, cryptic course markings, and a near-impossible success rate, the Barkley has long been considered the ultimate challenge in endurance sports. The Finisher" chronicles Jasmin’s extraordinary three-year journey (2022–2024) to achieve this groundbreaking feat.
The Finisher: Jasmin Paris and the Barkley Marathons
2025
NRIn 2018, Courtney Dauwalter battled for two days and 205 miles on the steep, dry Tahoe Rim Trail. Lack of sleep, race mishaps and a relentless competitor pursued her as she was pushing her limits, running towards the overall victory. You can learn a lot about yourself when a race goes well, but you can learn even more when it all goes sideways.
The Ultra Addict with Courtney Dauwalter
2019
9.0No synopsis available yet.
Par monts et par maux
2023
In 2024, the photographers and videographers covering the UTMB trail running event were almost all men. In 2025, Salomon and photographer Cortney White challenged this reality by creating the first all-women content team to cover the world’s biggest trail running event in Chamonix. They brought together some of the sport’s most celebrated creatives, alongside women completely new to the trails, for one of the sport’s toughest assignments: follow 23 Salomon athletes across five races, covering nearly 400 kilometers of trails over six days. Behind the final images was a team navigating long days, unpredictable conditions, last-minute changes, and every challenge the mountains threw at them. This is a story about breaking barriers and the power of women coming together to tell the stories of trail running’s biggest stage.
Incredibly Close | The Women Who Took Over UTMB: Inside Salomon’s All-Women Content Team
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NRCourtney Dauwalter learns that anything can happen in 100 miles the hard way when she sets her sights on the course record of the Western States Endurance Run.
An Almost Perfect Race with Courtney Dauwalter
2020
No synopsis available yet.
A Team Sport
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NRBig's Backyard Ultra has been described as one of the most mentally and strategically complex races in the world.
Big Dog's Backyard Ultra: The Last Man Standing
2018