BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A Bellingham native has made history in the sport of ultrarunning. 

37-year-old Courtney Olsen beat the long-standing women’s 50-mile world record at the Tunnel Hill 50 Mile race in Vienna, Illinois, on Nov. 9. 

The previous record, held by iconic ultrarunner Ann Trason, was set in 1991. Now, over 30 years later, Olsen has beaten the record by over eight minutes. 

“It feels incredible,” Olsen said. “It feels pretty powerful to have taken a record that was so powerful back then.” 

Olsen finished with a time of 5 hours, 31 minutes and 56 seconds. That’s an average mile pace of 6 minutes, 39 seconds, over 50 miles.

Besides a nasty blister and some calf cramping towards the end—which Olsen joked were nothing against 50 miles—the race went smoothly. 

“My body knew what to do, and the people were really positive along the course, and the race structure was wonderful. It all just worked out pretty seamlessly,” Olsen said.

Olsen has been running her whole life but has only recently gotten into ultramarathoning. She grew up in Bellingham and attended Western Washington University, where she ran cross country and track and field. 

From running middle distance at Western, she moved on to marathons and now, over the past few years, ultramarathons. 

Running such long distances can get lonely, which is why Olsen urges runners to find community in the sport. About 10 years ago, she and a group of women started the Bellingham Distance Project, a post-collegiate training and racing team, which has grown to include around 30 men and women. 

Besides replacing running shoes regularly, Olsen’s biggest piece of advice for aspiring runners is to run with a friend. 

“It’s hard to get yourself out the door every day,” Olsen said. “It’s always better with company.”