Meghan Canfield honoured with induction into the Ultra Runner Hall of Fame

Elite American ultra runner and CurraNZ ambassador, Meghan Canfield, (above) has spent nearly three decades pushing the limits of what’s possible over 50km, 100km and 100-mile races.

From a disastrous first crack at a local 50k in Oregon to a decade of top‑10 finishes at Western States and multiple World 100k Championship appearances, her journey has been anything but straightforward.

In December 2025, that body of work was recognised with one of the sport’s highest honours: induction into the American Ultra Runner Hall of Fame.

In this blog, Meghan reflects on the long road to that moment - what really mattered along the way, why community and day‑to‑day consistency mean more than records, and the lessons she’s carrying forward from a lifetime spent on the trails.

Meghan writes:
"In 1996, I entered a local ultra marathon, the inaugural McDonald Forest 50k. I knew the course as it was a trail system I ran in my normal training for road marathons. And like many a fool before and after me, I approached it with the “I run marathons fast, so I will run this 50k just like that” attitude. While, yes, I did finish, I ended up hating it.

Trying to put a marathon pace effort from the start was the first mistake - and not knowing how to hike the long steep climbs, the race was basically self-induced torture. I swore off ultras and focused on road marathons for the next several years.

But the trails beckoned as the community of ultra runners and races grew around me, and in 2003 I decided to give it another chance.

Having a bit more wisdom and respect for the distance and terrain, I ran the Siskiyou Out Back 50k and loved every minute. The base of aerobic fitness from years of marathoning and my love of trail running finally came together. I gradually increased the distance of my races over a four-year span, running my first 100 miler, Western States, in 2006. I was definitely hooked. Earning entry back into Western States for the next 10 years from top 10 finishes, my race calendar revolved around the last weekend of June.

Meanwhile, with the encouragement of my good friend and another GOAT of the sport, Kami Semick, I qualified for the Team USA World 100k Championships in 2008. It was another hook, line and sinker, as I fell in love with representing USA in a global setting, and it served as motivation to keep my road running alive. I re-qualified at the World Championships eight times and competed on the team for nine, where I set a couple of age group world records in my 50s.

If success is measured by where I placed in races, then I did have many successes, and while those are certainly pleasing and memorable, my real success lies in the day-to-day ability for getting out the door and being alive.

I am not that different from most ultra runners in my love for the sport, the community and the ability to cover very long distances on foot – I just happened to pick the right parents whose genetic combination put my speed and endurance towards the pointy end of the stick. We all work hard, or we aren’t going to get to the finish line. 

In December, I was pleasantly surprised with the high accolade of being inducted into the American Ultra Running Hall of Fame. The award was created in 2004 by the American Ultrarunning Association which is now part of USATF Mountain Ultra Trail. The criteria, according to the ultrarunning history website are as follows: 

“Candidates are judged on their overall career record.  There are no specific criteria (in terms of athletic accomplishments) that need to be achieved.  However, generally speaking, inductees usually have one or more of the following accomplishments:

• Won/Loss record among peers over the course of multiple years in highly competitive ultras
• Winning multiple major, non-championship ultramarathons against top-level competition
• Winning one or more World or National Championships
• Setting one or more World or American Records
• Setting multiple competitive trail course records
• Versatility of performance success over a wide range of ultra distances and surfaces.
• Longevity of consistent performance at a world or national-class level, setting age group records
• Significant contribution to the history and development of the sport
• Supportive of fellow runners, race directors, and administrators. Has not brought into the sport embarrassment or undeserved controversy.” 

They all sound like notches on a bed post but they are fleeting memories, and pale compared to the experiences I have had, and the stories I have shared with friends I have made along the way - the hours on the trails with them, and places I have seen around the globe, all in the name of running. 

I am grateful for the accolades, and even more grateful to my friends as none of this happened on its own. I have my share of heroes and heroines who have been by my side/had my back/paved the way.