Clare Gallagher Explained

Birth Place:Colorado, United States
Alma Mater:Princeton University
Sport:Ultra running

Clare Gallagher (born 1991 or 1992)[1] is an American ultrarunner and environmental advocate. She is a past winner of both the Leadville 100 and Western State 100 races. 

Early life

Gallagher grew up in the suburbs of Denver, Colorado, where she and her family often spent weekends in the mountains. She attended Princeton University where she studied ocean health and was influenced by ethicist Peter Singer. At one point Gallagher planned to go to medical school. She graduated from Princeton in 2014.[2] [3]

Running career

Gallagher ran at Princeton but lost interest in running.  She spent a couple of years in Thailand after college on a teaching fellowship. While in Thailand she won an 80-kilometer race in October 2014 having never run more than 10k previously. After her fellowship ended Gallagher moved to Boulder, Colorado and became active in the local trail running community.[4]

Notable race results
Year Race Finish Notes
2014Thailand Ultramarathon1stinaugural race[5]
2016 Dirty 30 50K 2nd
2016 US 30K Championships 2nd
2016 Aspen Power of Four 25K1st
2016 1st second-fastest all-time (19:00:27)
2017 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc CCC 1st course record
2017 The North Face Endurance Challenge 50 Mile Championships 2nd
2019 1st second-fastest all-time (17:23:25)[6]
2022Black Canyon 100k 1st[7]
2022Leadville 1001st19:37:57[8]
2022Chuckanut 50k1st 04:07:34[9]

Advocacy work

Gallagher is an advocate for issues such as climate change and the environment. She is an ambassador for Winter Wildlands Alliance and is involved with Protect Our Winters (POW). She won Western States in 2019 shortly after going on a two-week mountaineering expedition in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to advocate for the ANWR.[10]  

Gallagher won the Best of the Rockies—Advocate award from Elevation Outdoors Magazine in 2020 for her work as a Patagonia ambassador and POW athlete. The magazine noted that "she is a constant voice for climate action, social justice, and public lands."[11]

Since 2015 Gallagher is a member of Giving What We Can, a community of people who have pledged to give at least 10% of their income to effective charities.[12]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Clare Gallagher . ITRA.run . . https://web.archive.org/web/20210624211110/https://itra.run/RunnerSpace/590348 . June 24, 2021.
  2. Web site: The Activist: Clare Gallagher And The Environment . Senseman . Eric . January 18, 2018 . iRunFar.com . March 24, 2020 . Clare Gallagher cares deeply about a lot of environmental issues. The 26 year old is concerned... . March 24, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200324155802/https://www.irunfar.com/2018/01/the-activist-clare-gallagher-and-the-environment.html . live .
  3. Web site: Champion Ultra Runner Clare Gallagher on Running, Reefs and Frosting . VisitMammoth.com . Prelle . Monica . March 24, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200324155812/https://www.visitmammoth.com/crib/blogs/champion-ultra-runner-clare-gallagher-running-reefs-and-frosting . March 24, 2020 . Clare Gallagher quietly made her ultra running debut while living abroad in Thailand. It did not take long for the 25-year-old Colorado native....
  4. Web site: Clare Gallagher, Leadville Champ, Runs on Hard Work, Smiles and Candy . Trail Runner Magazine . August 26, 2016 . March 24, 2020 . In her first 100-miler, at just 24 years old, Clare Gallagher ran the second-fastest women’s time ever at the Leadville Trail 100... . March 24, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200324155812/https://trailrunnermag.com/people/profiles/clare-gallagher-leadville-champ-runs-hard-work-smiles-candy.html . live .
  5. Web site: Gallagher . Clare . June 24, 2015 . TROPICAL TRAILS: THE THAILAND ULTRAMARATHON . Ultrarunning Magazine.
  6. Web site: Clare Gallagher - insights from the ultrarunner . Strength Running . Mullen . Anya . March 9, 2020 . March 24, 2020 . March 24, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200324155802/https://strengthrunning.com/2020/03/clare-gallagher-running-training/ . live .
  7. Web site: Bowman . Dylan . February 23, 2022 . Clare Gallagher Black Canyon 100k Champion . Freetrail.
  8. Web site: Wilson . Mark . August 21, 2022 . 2022 Leadville 100 Mile Results: Gallagher and Macdonald Notch Second Wins . IRunFar.
  9. Web site: Clare GALLAGHER - Her Trail results and UTMB® Index . utmb.world . en.
  10. Web site: Boulder’s Clare Gallagher wins prestigious Western States 100 run after spending 2 weeks in the Arctic . . Meyer . John . July 1, 2019 . March 24, 2020 . Gallagher, 27 . November 28, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211128031606/https://www.denverpost.com/2019/07/01/boulders-clare-gallagher-wins-prestigious-western-states-100-run-after-spending-2-weeks-in-the-arctic/ . live .
  11. Web site: Best of the Rockies . Elevation Outdoors Magazine . Brendza . Will . March 3, 2020 . March 24, 2020 . Clare Gallagher, Boulder, Colorado . March 24, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200324155803/https://www.elevationoutdoors.com/go-outside/best-of-the-rockies-2/ . live .
  12. Web site: Members . givingwhatwecan.org . October 25, 2020 . May 12, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200512001719/https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/about-us/members/ . live .