Tyler McCandless, one of America’s top short distance trail runners, continues to chase Team USA dreams and aspires to new career bests in 2026, and beyond. McCandless, four-time Olympic Trials qualifier in the road marathon and two-time Team USA member in international trail and mountain running competitions, has excelled in track, road, and trail racing, while managing a full-time job and being a father of two young boys. McCandless has achieved consistency in sport through pushing to his limits in training and racing, as well as seeking fulfillment in his life outside of running. Featured photo: WMTRC uphill by Ranko Milanovic.
Linear progression
McCandless’ running career is a story of near linear progression. While many athletes have their ups and downs in performance and training, McCandless has always aimed for consistency, and achieved it to an incredible degree. Running collegiate cross country and track at Penn State University, McCandless improved steadily, advancing from a talented high school runner into an collegiate All-American. He describes his collegiate running progression, “I had close to linear improvement, where I kept chipping away at my times and consistently getting better. In my last race in the Penn State uniform, I was All-American in the 10,000 meters.”
After a successful college career, McCandless transitioned into road racing. “I went the traditional route of getting into road racing after college.” He raced everything from one mile up to marathons on the road. As of March 2026, McCandless has competed in four Olympic Marathon Trials, as well as won a handful of competitive road marathons including Colfax, Pittsburgh and Kauai. He aims to qualify for a fifth Olympic Marathon Trials in the lead up to the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, CA.
McCandless is a 3x Winner Kauai Marathon and CR Holder. 2:21:33 and 9x Winner Kauai Half Marathon and CR Holder. 1:05:15.
Trail Pro at GoPro
Had it not been for the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, McCandless may never have discovered himself as a trail runner. With large, mass participation events shut down during this time, McCandless shifted the focus of his racing goals. “The world was largely shut down and there wasn’t the opportunity to race on the roads like I had before. In the spring of 2021, I decided to try and make the US Championships on the track.”
Unfortunately for McCandless, during a championship qualifying 10-kilometer event, he couldn’t hold pace, “I ran a quick first 5K (14:06), then totally blew up to finish in 28:50).” Although sub-twenty-nine minutes in a 10K is an impressive feat for most runners, McCandless’ time did not qualify him for the Olympic Trials on the track. He was forced to change his running goals to something outside of road and track running circles.
Following his 10K trials attempt on the track, McCandless knew his fitness was high. He searched for another event to test himself in the summer of 2021, discovering his first trail race, The GoPro Mountain Après 5K in Vail, CO. The event regularly attracts top short distance trail runners from around the state. McCandless would be challenged in ways he never had experienced before. “I remember thinking, ‘Sure, it’s a 5K on a mountain. How hard could that be?’”
McCandless was amazed by the challenge, completing the 5K in a time of 16:04 (nearly three minutes slower than his personal best time of 13:48 on the track). But in spite of the intense effort and his inexperience with trail running, McCandless proved to be a natural for the sport—he took home the win at the GoPro Mountain Games Après 5K, besting professional and former Team USA trail runners.
But even more memorable than his win was McCandless’ discovery of the comradery of the trail running community. “I couldn’t get over how everyone was just so nice. I’m not saying that people in road and track races are mean, but there’s a different level of performance anxiety around these running disciplines. Trail running has a very pure element of people just going out into nature to see how fast they can run over hard terrain. The community has so much positivity, optimism and excitement.”
On McCandless’ drive back from the GoPro Mountain Games to his home in Fort Collins, CO, he was already searching for his next trail race.
On the podium at the WMTRC in Canfranc.
Trail gratitude
Since 2021, McCandless has competed in a variety of trail races across the world, and continues to find the same camaraderie and fulfillment from the sport. He has achieved high accolades in the sport, winning competitive trail races across the U.S. and even securing a team bronze medal by representing Team USA at the uphill race at the 2025 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships. But even on the highest stage of the sport, he’s found its core values remain the same, “I am still always impressed by the trail running community,” said McCandless.
He describes a memorable moment of camaraderie with fellow trail runner and Team USA teammate, Andy Wacker, at a WMRA World Cup race in Italy, “I was struggling on a technical downhill in this race, and Andy came up next to me and helped me through the descent. He coached me on the tough bits and slowed down to help encourage me. That type of stuff doesn’t happen in road or track running, and it’s the epitome of professionalism on trail. The love and respect in the trail community is unparalleled.”
While McCandless has continued to find success in the road racing scene, he’s fully invested in trail running in 2026 and beyond. He finds balance in pursuing both road and trail running disciplines, “Since becoming a trail runner, I’ve pretty much spent summers doing more trail races and then winter doing more road races. It’s been a really fun way to compete all year, yet change my focus and mentality to keep things fresh. It’s been an invigorating way to stay motivated at thirty-nine years old.”
All day I DON’T dream about sport
Elite runners often seek to become full-time professional athletes, yet McCandless has continued to balance his athletics with a life outside of running. “I’m very fortunate to have a career outside of running that I’m passionate about.”
Most of the country’s top trail runners seek to maximize their time training and recovering by signing professional athlete contracts, allowing them not to work a traditional nine to five. McCandless shows there’s not only potential to achieve the highest levels of sport without going pro, but that living life outside of running can actually make a stronger, more well-rounded athlete.
McCandless experienced first-hand the pressures of centering life solely around running, “I paused my PhD to take a little under two years off of school and focus fully on running. During this time, I did not perform as well or enjoy the sport as much. I was too singularly focused. When I restarted my PhD, I ran substantially better.”
This trend of balancing a running career with other interests has continued past school into his professional life. McCandless works full-time, leading a data science team at Equilibrium Energy based in Fort Collins, CO. He has achieved some of his greatest running performances through this work/run balance, “Running is one of my favorite parts of the day, usually the first thing I do after having coffee in the morning. But it’s not everything I think about each day. For over a decade now, I’ve worked full-time while running. This lifestyle has helped me have a better balance where I don’t spend all day thinking about running.”
In addition to his running and professional careers, McCandless also dedicates a large portion of his time and energy to his wife and their two children (born in 2019 and 2022). “I’ll admit, I’m not perfect at balancing family time, work and running. I make mistakes, but I always do my best to stay in the present moment with whatever I’m doing.”
Although challenging at times to manage it all, McCandless’ many commitments outside of running has led to a stronger relationship with the sport, “I’ve had better longevity in my running career because I’m not seeking to live off of prize money and to pay the mortgage with sponsors. Running remains purely a passion and a craft I can master to the best of my God-given ability.”
While there are moments McCandless may be on work calls at 5 A.M., or making time for his family, his running continues to excel through prioritizing life commitments outside of running.
Tyler McCandless racing in the mountains. Photo: Kristin McCandless.
Leadville 100 at age 40?
As trail runners age, it’s common to move up into longer racing distances—a thought strongly on McCandless’ mind as he approaches age forty in October 2026. But with continued success in short uphill mountain races all the way up to marathons, McCandless is still deciding how progressing up in distance could align with his current goals.
“Ever since moving to Colorado, I’ve had this dream that I would win the Leadville 100 when I was forty years old,” said McCandless. The Leadville Trail 100, one of the nation’s most iconic trail ultramarathons, attracts runners from around the world to compete in Leadville, CO, the highest incorporated town in the US, for an epic high-altitude showdown. But with age forty just several months away, McCandless has yet to run an ultramarathon (any race longer than 26.2 miles) — let alone a 100-mile race entirely above 9,000 feet on remote Rocky Mountain trails and dirt paths.
McCandless opined, “I’m very inspired by the ultramarathon scene, but I’m not sure my initial goal of winning the Leadville 100 at forty is realistic. I would love to try a 50K this year, but we’ll see how that works into the schedule with my other shorter distance racing goals.”
In 2026, McCandless plans to compete in eight races within the WMRA World Cup schedule and qualify for the final in Canada in October. He speaks on his desire to continue competing in the WMRA World Cup above all other trail competitions, “These events attract the best trail runners in the world. It’s about having opportunities to learn and challenge yourself to improve against top competition.”
At the finish line at the uphill race at the WMRTC in Canfranc.
At the core of McCandless’ running career, remains a passion for the sport that has helped him maintain longevity at the top of the sport in a variety of disciplines. “I always try to keep running for the love of the game. I pursue competitive races, whether that’s on the track, trails or roads, I like them all.”
He continues, sharing advice for runners seeking structure for their running goals, “Whatever makes you continue to love the game and master the craft of running, focus on that. I wouldn’t push anyone to have to try this or that, nor push anyone young to try the marathon right away. Take the time to pursue what you want to pursue and find real love for it.”
Curious to learn more about McCandless? Check out his website to read more about his career, racing statistics and more here.
