Tough Girl Podcast Kaytlyn Gerbin – Motherhood, Mountains, and 100-Mile Runs: Her Ultra Running Comeback
What does it take to return to the top of the ultra running world after major life changes and a "career-ending" surgery? Kaytlyn Gerbin knows.
In this episode, Kaytlyn shares her journey from a scientist with a love for the outdoors to a world-class trail and ultra runner. Growing up active but without formal running experience, she discovered her talent in her mid-twenties and quickly fell in love with the 100-mile distance. Since then, she's set course records, tackled some of the most technical alpine trails in the Pacific Northwest, and stood on podiums at legendary races like UTMB, Western States 100, and Transgrancanaria.
But Kaytlyn's story isn't just about running. It's about resilience, reinvention, and balance. After the birth of her daughter Era in 2024 and undergoing surgery to correct hip dysplasia—a procedure many thought would end her running career—Kaytlyn came back stronger than ever, winning the Cascade Crest 100 and taking on the epic 330km Tor des Geants race in Italy.
In this episode, you'll hear about:
- How she discovered her running talent and found her passion for ultra distances
- Overcoming setbacks, starting over, and learning to meet herself where she is
- The mental strategies that help her tackle 100-mile races and multi-day alpine challenges
- Balancing motherhood with elite-level running
- Her plans and goals for 2026, including Hardrock 100 and UTMB
Whether you're an aspiring ultra runner, a parent chasing big goals, or someone who loves stories of grit, perseverance, and adventure, Kaytlyn's story will inspire you to push your limits—on the trails and in life.
Tune in to hear how Kaytlyn combines mountains, motherhood, and science-backed training to redefine what's possible, one long run at a time.
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Show notes
- Who is Kaytln
- Ultra runner and trail runner for the North Face
- Living in the foothills outside of Seattle, US
- Having a degree in Bioengineering and previously working as a scientist
- Having her first daughter, 14 months ago
- Reflecting back on her childhood and early years
- Growing up in rural US
- Being the oldest of four and being very active as a kid
- How her running journey progressed
- Playing soccer in high school
- Being good at running on the field, but not enjoying the running for training
- Making friends with other students at college who ran
- Discovering her running talent in her mid-twenties
- Entering her first small, local race and finishing 2nd female
- Having fun and feeling strong while running
- Finding her distance
- Loving the 100 mile distance
- Figuring out training for races
- The longer she ran, the stronger she felt
- Feeling overwhelmed by the running distances
- Having to start over with her running
- Remembering how hard it is to start running again after set backs
- Having a hard time with running
- Never having a running coach and getting to make all the rules
- Tracking her training
- Meeting yourself where your at ie being ok with walking
- Bringing in science to her running?
- Lessons on failure and how it applies to running
- Staying humble with her running
- Why the hardest part of the race, is just before it starts
- The anxiety before a race, struggling to sleep and eat before
- Staying relaxed while running and settling into the run after 50k
- Running through the night
- Taking some time before doing the hard thing, and thinking about the mental challenges which may come up and how to handle it
- Running a 220 mile race over 4 days
- Dealing with the guilt of being away from her baby while running
- Anticipate what some of the mental challenges might be during a race and how best to approach it
- Taking a step back from the running during pregnancy
- Not feeling the pressure to go back to running
- Her 'A' race in 2025
- Tor des Geants 330km race in Italy
- Winning the Cascade Crest 100 mile race
- Seeing the 2nd placed woman - starting to race
- Wanting to run hand and push herself
- Plans for 2026
- Applying for Hardrock 100 mile race
- Wanting to go back and race at UTMB
- Having a pregnancy deferral for UTMB
- How to connect with Kaytlyn
- Advice for women wanting to take on a 100 mile race
Social Media
Instagram @kaytlyn_g