Announcement from American Trail Running Association corporate member Saucony.
Saucony furthered its commitment to trail running with the signing of American ultrarunner Katie Asmuth, recent winner of the 2021 Bandera 100K. With the win, she will run in the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run starting tomorrow, June 26 in Olympic Valley, California.
Saucony’s ambassador trail runners also include Grayson Murphy, the 2019 USATF Mountain Running Champion, 2019 World Mountain Running Champion and the 2019 Xterra Trail Run World Champion.
“Katie has been an ultrarunning legend in the making, and we’re excited and honored that she is joining the Saucony family,” said Anne Cavassa, president, Saucony. “She didn’t let a hard fall and a broken nose stop her from winning the rugged Bandera 100K, showing her natural true grit. She’s now set her sights on the Western States, the world’s premier ultrarunning event. Besides the endurance needed to run the distance, Western States takes patience, planning and perspective. As a mom and healthcare worker, she brings it all to the challenge. Katie surely embodies Saucony’s ‘Dirt Power’ goodness, running with joy and gratitude and sharing her uplifting spirit with the entire trail community.
“We continue to strengthen our commitment to the trail running community by delivering a boundary-pushing product like the all-new Endorphin Trail, creating authentic partnerships with trail organizations such as the American Trail Running Association and acidotic RACING and joining forces with athletes like Katie and Grayson, who truly embody the brand’s trail-running spirit,” continued Cavassa.
“My partnership with Saucony was an easy fit into my life,” said Asmuth. “Their emphasis on ‘Dirt Power,’ which embodies the confidence, strength and freedom that comes from running in nature, clearly resonates with me. They are proud of my work as a nurse practitioner and a mom, and I’m proud to run for a mission-oriented company that believes in the transformative power of running.
“I am ecstatic to toe the line at the historic Western States 100 where I will compete with some of the best trail runners in the world. I have confidence in my training and my gear. In the Western States, the magic will be tangible and the energy electric. It’s a race that every trail runner dreams of running. You can be sure I’m going to make it count.”
Asmuth ran her first ultra in 2015. In 2019, she won the Zion 100 Mile and Bear 100 Mile. She is coached by David Roche, the 2014 USA Track & Field (USATF) Trail Runner of the Year at the sub-ultra-distance.
