Member Spotlight: Ellie Harrigan
Ellie joined Trail Roots when she first moved to Austin and wanted to find a running group to explore the trails around the city with. With a big 100 miler on the horizon, she wanted to train with a group that would keep her motivated and supported. She gets her long runs in on Saturday mornings and is often running with the speedy ones in the group. She also puts in the work on her speed and quality road runs in during the week. By day, she is a GIS Analyst at an environmental consulting firm and also loves skiing, hiking with her corgi, and exploring new restaurants with friends and family. We wanted to ask her a few questions about her journey with running and Trail Roots.
What inspired you to start running?
Running’s always been a part of my life through organized sports, but I really fell in love with it when I discovered trail running while working on a trail crew in Colorado.
What do you love about running?
I love the sense of freedom it brings and getting to explore unique places you can only see if you're willing to get there on foot.
What do you enjoy doing outside of trail running?
I love Nordic and downhill skiing, hiking with my very energetic corgi, reading, and exploring new restaurants with friends and family.
Why did you join Trail Roots?
I joined to connect with other runners who enjoy exploring trails and find a community to train ultras with.
Has your training changed since joining a group?
Definitely! I’ve been much more disciplined with my running and have incorporated speed work 1x/week, which has been really fun.
What do you think is special about Trail Roots?
No matter how crazy a certain race or distance sounds, there’s always someone in the group who has done something similar and will help support you in any way they can.
“The thought of showing up to a group run might be a little uncomfortable, but it is so worth it. Trail Roots has really shown me how amazing the running community really is.”
Do you have a favorite race? Why?
My favorite race to date has been the Logan Peak Trail Run. It takes place in Logan, UT, and is a pretty grassroots-style event. I love these smaller races that are still extremely challenging and in rugged, beautiful terrain.
What made you register for the Wasatch 100 miler?
I’ve explored a lot of the Wasatch on my skis in the winter, and I’ve always loved the idea of crossing the same mountain range on foot in the summer. This race feels like a really cool opportunity to experience those mountains in a totally different season and makes it feel like a full-circle adventure.
“I love the sense of freedom it brings and getting to explore unique places you can only see if you’re willing to get there on foot.”
How have you utilized the group to help get you ready?
I’ve gone to a few members who are much more experienced in the 100-mile distance and asked loads of questions on nutrition, training, and gear. Everyone has been so generous with their knowledge and sharing routes with me that they’ve used for training runs. We even have a little sub-group that gets together once a week to do some early morning hill repeats, and it’s been really cool to see people show up for one another and support each other’s training goals.
What advice would you give people who are new to running and want to join a group?
The thought of showing up to a group run might be a little uncomfortable, but it is so worth it. Trail Roots has really shown me how amazing the running community really is.