It's 5:30 on a Tuesday morning, pitch dark, and we're about to start descending mile repeats. That's when we caught up with Ann-Marie, this month's Trail Roots member spotlight. She's run 100 miles, survived a tough-love Big Bend, and is a few weeks out from the Philadelphia Marathon. We talked on the run…literally during our 20 min warm up. Here's her story.
Ann-Marie on the trail in Buena Vista, Colorado, June 2019.
From the track to 100 miles
Ann-Marie ran track in high school, mostly the mile and two-mile with a few 400s mixed in. "Once I graduated high school I was like, I'm not going to see the track again," she laughed.
She went to the University of Northern Iowa, then moved to Austin through AmeriCorps. In 2016 she read a magazine article about someone running 100 miles. "I couldn't wrap my head around it," she told us on the run. "I couldn't comprehend that the human body could do that."
In her own words: "I ran track in high school and ran here and there afterward, but never really considered myself a runner until I read a magazine article in 2016 about someone running 100 miles and thought, 'I want to do that someday!' That eventually led me to trail running, where I met my husband through our running group, and a few years later I finally crossed the finish line of the Oregon Cascades 100-miler!"
Ann-Marie crossing a creek at Saddleblazer, 2017.
Before Trail Roots she ran with Rogue for a long time. That's where she met her husband, Devon. (Shout out, Devon!)
Finding Trail Roots
"I remember leaving my first Trail Roots run feeling really excited about the new running community I had found," Ann-Marie said. "There was something genuine and welcoming about the group, and I especially remember Coach Clark making a point to include me and run alongside me as the newbie in the group."
These days, she says, the group is "literally what gets me up in the morning. It's accountability, just knowing that others are going to be out there."
Why running? "I work remotely and I sit down a lot, and running is just a good outlet for me to get all the angst out before I get behind the desk for the day. You just need your tennies, lace them up and go." Or, as we decided somewhere around mile one: tennies and Trail Roots.
Favorite Austin route
Steiner Ranch is right out of her door and leads to Jessica Hollis Park. "Once you cross Mansfield Dam, there's this janky old road that takes you under the 620 bridge and up to the top of the dam. My tip would be to pace yourself on the climb and enjoy watching the vultures once you get to the top!"
Ann-Marie at a creek crossing during a trail marathon, May 2020.
The hardest moment: Big Bend
Her toughest race was the Trail Roots Big Bend Ultra 50-miler in 2025. "I felt great through the first 50K, but when I got back to the start, my hip flexors were so tight and painful that I literally couldn't lift my legs enough to run, even when I tried."
Ann-Marie at the finish line.
Her husband was her only crew member. "I told him to get the car. I'm done," she said on the run. "He checked me out, told me I wasn't injured, and to get back out there. So I had no choice but to fast-hike the final 30K. Tough love is what got me through it."
It got darker and colder, and she was out there longer. "I definitely had to tap into the mental side. Just the next spot, just the next aid station." The Sour Patch Kids at the aid stations helped too.
And yes, they're still married. "He's not going to be crewing my next race, though."
She also says the Big Bend course was beautiful: "I would go back out just for that reason."
The 100-miler
The Oregon Cascades 100 started in Sisters, Oregon. "It was beautiful," she said. "Highly recommend it."
The biggest challenge was food. "At mile 50, food sounded terrible, and that's what I needed, but it sounded repulsive." At the end, her crew found the Oreos they'd been making her eat stashed in her coat pockets.
She hadn't planned on having a crew at all, but a couple of friends wanted to crew for her. "The community there literally helped me make the cutoff time." She was glad she let the people who wanted to help, help.
Gear and fuel
Swears by: "Maurten gels for sensitive race stomach. Easiest thing to choke down when everything else sounds repulsive." (Lesson learned from those Oreos.)
Never again: "Body Glide. It's never prevented chafing for me. Right now I use Squirrel's Nut Butter!"
Talked into it by the group
"Lise and Augusta helped me get through some ridiculously early mornings and long miles in the dark while training for the Orcas 50K, running in places I definitely wouldn't have gone by myself in the wee hours! And Julie somehow convinced me to show up for a Trail Roots Sunday run, which might be the bigger accomplishment because Sundays are my day off and I can never seem to make it to those! 😂"
What's next: Philly, for the animals
Ann-Marie works for PETA. She's training for the Philadelphia Marathon on November 22 with PETA Pack, "our fundraising team of runners who each run for a cause they're passionate about. My cause is ending animal testing, and I've already exceeded my fundraising goal, which is exciting."
On the run, she told us she's raising money to help end animal testing and promote newer research methods like human organ chips. "It's something that strikes my heart."
Cheer her on from afar, or in Philly if you happen to be there! You can support her here: https://fundraise.peta.org/203/fundraise-for-animals/403408/ann-marie-runs-the-philadelphia-marathon-for-animals-in-laboratories
Learn more about the research: https://science.peta.org/
Nervous about your first group run?
"Don't overthink it. Just show up and give it a try! It's a great group of people, the trails are beautiful, and there's always someone to run with. You might get a history lesson from Ian or get talked into fostering a dog or two by Marla!"
Ann-Marie, we love having you in the group. "It helps me show up," she said. "I'm so happy to be here. You have no idea." Thanks for running with us. We'll be cheering for you in Philly!