Bellingham runner hopes to push her limits in ultra running

When Riley Nachtrieb grew up, her transportation method consisted of a lot of running around West Seattle. She would run to and from school and around her neighborhood. 

She tried cross country at West Seattle High School but was not fast enough to compete in the top meets. Nachtrieb realized she was not a fast runner but could endure longer distances than her peers. 

“I was curious with a group of friends if it’s possible to run over a marathon’s distance, and ultra running popped online and I had to do it,” Nachtrieb said. “I found out about Fastest Known Times (FKT) and the ultra-running world. You can set your times and routes and thought it would be fun to look up a route that has never been done before.”

An ultramarathon is any footrace event, race or challenge that exceeds 26.2 miles. Ultramarathons can encompass anything from a single-day 50K to multiple-day event spanning over 100 miles. The ultramarathons can happen on any terrain and are meant to test your physical endurance and mental toughness.

The 22-year-old recently transferred to Western Washington University and moved to Bellingham with her boyfriend and crew member Nathan Gerber. She then began balancing her schoolwork with FKT. 

FKT is the fastest known time on a particular route that is at least 5 miles long or has 500 feet of climbing. These routes can be on all terrains but are well-known for happening on trails across the world. 

Nachtrieb holds a few records in ultra running. She has the first recorded run around Lake Whatcom on Sept. 28, more than 30 miles.

“We were sitting at my parents’ kitchen table and she asked if she should run 100 miles around Lake Padden,” Gerber said. “I thought of other options and pulled up Lake Whatcom. At some point, Riley did research and realized nobody had done it.”

Nachtrieb began running between 30–50 miles a week to prepare for her attempt at a new record. She started her Lake Whatcom run at the Donovan Blooded Park at 6 a.m. on Sept. 28.

“I drove ahead 4 miles and would check in with her, fill up her water, give her a bite of a muffin and sip some pickle juice,” Gerber said. “I would drive another few miles and do it again. I am also a bit of a scout and found the porta potty and told her this is the only restroom you got.”

After seven hours, Nachtrieb finished at 33.6 miles. As she was running on a cold but sunny day, she said she experienced cramps, hallucinations, excruciating pains and triumph when she finished.

“I want people to be inspired and to apply yourself and test your limits,” Nachtrieb said. “You don’t have to run 30 miles, you can run just one mile. I want to see more women coming out and seeing what they can do.”

Nachtrieb is a member of “Women Who FKT” and they attempt to push the boundaries of a sport dominated by men.

“I want to show women these things are possible and inspire them to run these routes and contribute in this space,” Nachtrieb said.

She began to shatter FKT records in the Pacific Northwest in 2022. She has the first recorded time running across the Olympic Discovery Trail (135 miles in 41 hours) and holds the fastest time for a woman to run the length of Whidbey Island (55 miles in 11 hours).

The Olympic Discovery Trail gave Nachtrieb issues on both of her attempts. During her first run at age 17, her dad pulled her off the course because she got a stress fracture about 90 miles in. 

Although she succeeded on the second attempt, she started getting trench foot because of the rain and moisture. 

“It was mind-boggling that night and day after that I actually survived,” Nachtrieb said. “I could have kept going if it was longer but I stopped because I was at the Pacific Ocean. It is still mind-boggling today.”

“I want to show women these things are possible and inspire them to run these routes and contribute in this space”

Riley Nachtrieb

She can run up to 20 miles by herself with her phone and a spot tracker, but Nachtrieb runs with support alongside her. She typically has a crew of up to five people supporting her with food, water and other necessities. 

Nachtrieb said she has learned a lot about herself, like being able to endure a lot of difficult things.

“It can be as simple as homework being hard but I can look back and see my resumé and the things I have done,” Nachtrieb said. “It sometimes feels like a dream since it is in the past and I hallucinated 90% of the runs, but it shows I can do many things.”

Nachtrieb hopes her next ultra-running event is the Chuckanut 50K race since most of the top ultra runners compete in it. If she does well in the race, she can earn a spot at the Western States Endurance Run, a 100-mile race in Auburn, California.

Nick Zeller-Singh is CDN's sports reporter; reach him at nickzellersingh@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 104.