Marathon has never been about the finishing line.  For some, it is the commemoration of the beloved. For others, it is pushing the boundaries or giving back to the community. And sometimes it is just about proving to the world that age does not make you weaker. That message was delivered loud and clear by Ann Trason, a 65-year-old American legend who entered the race with a simple goal, but what she achieved shocked everyone.

Bit by bit, lap by lap, she pushed herself beyond what she, or anyone else, expected. In the end, Ann Trason had walked more than 100 miles with a walker while fighting rheumatoid arthritis (an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the joints).

Sure, using a walker helps reduce stress on her joints, but competing 100 miles with RA is especially impressive because the condition can cause fatigue, stiffness, and pain, even with proper management.

When asked why she decided to push even further, Trason laughed and explained, “My friend Shannon Miles wrote this book called Buckle Fever, And it started really, Western States history really did start with Tavis having buckle fever…And I came all this way, bought a ticket. I decided I’m going home with some hardware,” she added with a grin. “I have hammer toes, and it’s kind of like a little cushioning, sliding action. It works!”

This effort wasn’t about competition or beating anyone else. For Ann Trason, it was about staying connected to the sport she’s loved since childhood. Over her legendary career, she won the Western States Endurance Run fourteen times, claimed four victories at the Leadville 100, and set 20 world records across ultra distances, including 100 kilometers.

Her 50-mile world record of 5:40:18, set in 1991, stood unbroken for 24 years, until 2015. And yet, the path to that success was never easy.

The challenges that shaped Ann Trason

Ann Trason’s unmatched ultra career began at age 24. But before she could shine in ultras, Trason struggled with knee injuries early on. In her first two attempts at Western States 100 in 1987 and 1988, she did not finish, the first time because of knee pain and the second time because she became severely dehydrated near the finish line. Those early defeats forced her to rethink how she raced ultras.

In the mid‑1990s, doctors discovered she had a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her knee. She continued racing with that injury for more than a decade, often unaware of how serious it was until later. That injury eventually became a full tear, and she had multiple surgeries tied to it. But

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But then again, during the peak of her career, Ann Trason tore her hamstring so badly that it almost detached from her fibula. Still, she didn’t give up! At times, she struggled with back pain that brought her to tears during training, and ankle problems that caused ongoing trouble. These kinds of injuries followed her through much of her adult running life.

But in 2004, even while still at the top of her sport, Trason stepped away from professional running.  After stepping away, she spent almost ten years not racing at all. That time included the end of her marriage in 2013. Following the divorce, she resumed running, initially by running with friends. But her coming back was not about victory.

In 2013, Ann Trason took more than 33 hours to complete a 100-mile race in Idaho, much slower than she had been in her prime. She mentioned that she was in the “worst shape of my life,” but enjoyed the experience and group.

Then came the winter of 2015. When Ann Trason was climbing Mount Whitney with a friend, she lost her ice ax and slid down a steep, icy face. Petrified, she let her friend save her and eventually they pressed on up. That wasn’t a racing moment, but it gave a glimpse into the mindset that’s defined her life: bravery, tenacity and a passion for challenge.