Karen Benway

About

Karen Benway is an American ultrarunner and professor of chemistry at the University of Vermont, one of a small cohort of athletes who have combined high-level academic careers with serious competitive ultrarunning. Born in 1972, she holds a marathon personal best of 2:57:16 — set at the Boston Marathon in April 2010 — and has competed across ultra distances ranging from 50km to 100 miles, including the North Face Endurance Challenge 50-mile in Princeton, Massachusetts. She has spoken about how ultrarunning and academic science draw on the same cognitive qualities: the ability to adapt to adversity, problem-solve with limited resources, and remain effective in uncomfortable conditions. Running has also been a social anchor throughout her career, with many of her closest friendships formed through the sport. She continues to balance laboratory research and university teaching with training and racing at the margins of her own limits.

Notable Wins

• — Multiple 100-mile finishes
• — North Face Endurance Challenge 50M

Race History