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‘Hardships never last’: Jenn Lichter’s path from Colombian orphanage to ultrarunning records

22 septembre 2026 à 05:00

Jenn Lichter’s childhood followed a difficult path. The resilience she gained helped her achieve an unbreakable ultrarunning feat this summer

On 27 June, Jenn Lichter lined up for her first 100-mile race, the Western States 100. The oldest and most prestigious 100-miler in the world, Western States attracts a highly competitive field from around the globe – the athletes run across the Sierra Nevada from Olympic Valley to Auburn, California. Despite 18,000ft of climbing and daytime temperatures often flirting with triple digits, Lichter went in confident. “I wanted to win, there was no secret to that,” she says. “That’s just who I am.”

The race remained close for the first half, until the 30-year-old made a move on the climb to Devil’s Thumb. The gap grew and at the final aid station, Lichter had a sizable lead over the athlete in second place. A mile from the finish, Nick Cornell, Lichter’s fiance, told her she was just ahead of the course record. “That was the first I had heard about it,” Lichter says. “He knew my competitive side would jump at the challenge.”