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

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