Larisa Dannis

About

Larisa Dannis (now Dannis MacFadden) is an American ultrarunner from New Hampshire who came to the sport by an unlikely path: an early career largely devoid of exercise, then hiking the 4,000-foot peaks of the White Mountains, and eventually discovering she could run the downhills faster than she hiked them. After running her first road marathon in 2012, she turned to ultrarunning immediately, adopted MAF low-heart-rate training as her guiding methodology, and built her aerobic base with meticulous patience. Her breakthrough came at the 2014 Western States 100, where she finished 2nd overall in the women's race, and that same year she won the USATF 50-Mile Road National Championships at the Fall 50 Mile with a time of 5:59:11. In 2017 she won the Javelina Jundred 100-mile as first woman, 6th overall, in 16:32, earning a Western States lottery qualifier. She holds a 2:44 marathon personal best — a mark that reflects the raw speed underpinning her ultra performances — and is known for her thoughtful, heart-rate-driven approach to training and racing.

Notable Wins

• — 2nd Western States 100 2014
• — USATF 50-Mile Road National Championships 2014 (Fall 50 Mile
• — 5:59:11)
• — Javelina Jundred 2017 (women's winner
• — 16:32)
• — Eastern States 20 Miler

Race History