Troy Howard

About

Troy Howard is an American ultrarunner who occupies a distinctive position in the sport's lore as the quintessential quiet achiever at the Hardrock 100 — the formidable 100-mile loop through the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado, widely considered the sport's most technically and physically demanding single-stage race. Howard has finished second at Hardrock twice, in 2009 and 2013, placed fifth in 2015, and third in 2018, making him one of the most consistently high-placing athletes in the race's history across a span covering nearly a decade of competition. He was 48 years old at his 2021 Hardrock start — a detail that underscores the extraordinary longevity of a runner who has maintained elite-level mountain performance deep into his forties. His 2018 race strategy, described in a post-race interview on iRunFar, involved running controlled through the first 70 miles before pushing to full effort in the final stretch — the disciplined, experience-built approach of someone who has learned Hardrock's demands not from a race report but from years of standing on the start line and finishing near the front. A 'quiet influencer' in the race's culture by the account of those who follow it closely, Howard embodies the Hardrock tradition of athletes who return annually not for recognition but for the mountain itself.

Notable Wins

• — Hardrock 100 2nd 2009
• — Hardrock 100 2nd 2013
• — Hardrock 100 5th 2015
• — Hardrock 100 3rd 2018

Race History