Joseph Gray (born January 20, 1984) is an American world champion runner who competes mostly in

trail A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. Th ...

mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited Summit (topography), summit area, and ...

and

snowshoe Snowshoes are specialized outdoor gear for walking over snow. Their large footprint spreads the user's weight out and allows them to travel largely on top of rather than through snow. Adjustable bindings attach them to appropriate winter footwe ...

races. He won the

World Mountain Running Championships The World Mountain Running Championships (''World Mountain Running Trophy'' until 2008), is an international mountain running competition contested by athletes of the members of WMRA, World Mountain Running Association, the sport's global governing ...

in 2016. He is the first Black American to not only make the Team USA World Mountain Running Team, but also the first Black American to win the USA National Mountain Running Championships and the World Mountain Running Championships. Gray was voted the greatest male mountain runner of all time by a poll conducted by the
World Mountain Running Association.

Biography

Gray's initial inspiration to compete was Simon Gutierrez. Gray has been a 28-time Team USA national team member. He is the only African-American to be part of the U.S. Mountain Running Team at any level. He is a 16-Time USA National Champion and was the first ever national champion at the 30k trail distance. In 2012 he was the co-winner of the XTERRA Trail Run World Championships. In 2018 he became a 4-Time Xterra World Trail Running Champion after winning the Championship 3 years consecutively 2016–2018. He is the American record holder at the Mount Washington Road Race. In August 2016, Gray won the

Pikes Peak Ascent The Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon is a trail running competition that begins at the base of Pikes Peak, in Manitou Springs, Colorado, and climbs over 7,815 feet (2382 m) to the top of the 14,115 foot (4302 m) peak. Since 1956, the event takes pl ...

in a time of 2:05, the fastest climb since 1995. The following month, he won the

which were held in

Sapareva Banya Sapareva Banya ( bg, Сапарева баня, transliterated ''Sapareva banya'') is a town in southwestern Bulgaria, part of Kyustendil Province. As Ancient Germania (in Dacia), a former bishopric, it is a Latin Catholic titular see. It is loca ...

, Bulgaria. In April 2017, Gray won the RRCA Colorado State Championship 5K Non-Road Race, held in conjunction with the Hams and Hamstrings 5K. On July 20, 2018, Joseph Gray ran the

fastest known time A fastest known time (FKT) is the speed record for a running or hiking route. Unlike most endurance sports competitions such as marathon world records, FKTs are self-organized and done alone or in small groups. FKTs are most popular on long trails ...

(FKT) up

Mount Antero Mount Antero is the List of mountain ranges of Colorado#Mountain ranges, highest summit of the southern Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The Topographic prominence, prominent fourteener is located in San Isabel National F ...

from the bottom of FS road 277 to the top of Mount Antero in 1:23:10. He used a running power meter during the attempt. He raced the cog train up Agiocoochook and was the only one who beat the train Gray has the FKT on the

Manitou Incline The Manitou Springs Incline, also known as the Manitou Incline or simply the Incline, is a popular hiking trail rising above Manitou Springs, Colorado, near Colorado Springs. The Incline ascends on the east slope of Rocky Mountain which is itself ...

in Colorado Springs with a time of 17:45 verified with GPS.

References

External links

* Joseph Gray a
A Runner’s Life Podcast
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gray, Joseph Living people American male long-distance runners American male ultramarathon runners American male mountain runners Trail runners Snowshoe runners 1984 births World Mountain Running Championships winners