Grayson Murphy (runner)

Grayson Murphy (born June 28, 1995) is an American mountain runner. Representing the United States, she is a two-time world champion in mountain running and trail running, as well as a four-time US national champion in mountain running and vertical kilometer. At the University of Utah, Murphy competed in cross-country and track and field and was a five-time All-American.

Grayson Murphy
Grayson Murphy in 2017
Personal information
Full nameGrayson Murphy
NationalityAmerican
Born (1995-06-28) June 28, 1995 (age 28)
Sport
Country United States
SportMountain running

Early life and education edit

While a student at West High School (Utah), Murphy never competed on any of her school's running teams.[1] She instead was focused on soccer, and began her college athletic career as a member of the NCAA Division III soccer team at Sweet Briar College.[2] After one year, she transferred to Santa Clara University and competed in track for the first time, as a walk-on for the Santa Clara Broncos. She spent the remainder of her collegiate career with the Utah Utes, where she became an All-American in cross-country, indoor track, and outdoor track.[3]

Professional career edit

Murphy captured her first USA Track & Field national title at the 2019 USATF Mountain Running Championships. She repeated her title in 2021 and 2023, while also adding another victory in the Vertical Mountain Running division in 2023.[4][5]

Internationally, Murphy won the 2019 World Mountain Running Championships in her debut at the event.[6] She is also the XTERRA trail run world champion.[7][8]

Murphy also won the 2023 World Mountain Running Championships in the Up and Downhill Mountain class.[9]

Murphy is sponsored professionally by Saucony.

References edit

  1. ^ "Nothing normal about Grayson Murphy's running endeavors, and she wouldn't have it any other way". Deseret Newswha.
  2. ^ "Utah track: Grayson Murphy keeps pushing past her limits". The Salt Lake Tribune.
  3. ^ "An Explosive Run to the Top". June 12, 2020.
  4. ^ "Murphy Captures Third USATF Mountain Running Championship Title". University of Utah Athletics. April 30, 2023.
  5. ^ "Murphy Claims USATF Vertical Mountain Running Championships". University of Utah Athletics. April 29, 2023.
  6. ^ Dutch, Taylor (November 25, 2019). "How Mountain World Champion Grayson Murphy Found Her 'Happy Place' on Trails". Runner's World.
  7. ^ "What Gear Grayson Murphy Is Getting Dirty With". June 12, 2020.
  8. ^ "Joseph Gray, Grayson Murphy win XTERRA Trail Run worlds". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. November 25, 2019.
  9. ^ 2023 World Mountain Running Championships Up and Down Results: U.S.’s Murphy and Uganda’s Chemutai Win Big in Innsbruck