Nathaniel Bailey

In the fall of 2021, Helgi Olafson set out to cover nearly 2900 miles on foot in 60 days. He would link the Triple Crown of 200 Mile ultramarathons by human power. On August 13, he started the Bigfoot 200 in Washington. On September 11, he started the IMTUF 100 in Idaho, a course he would complete twice to cover 200 miles. Finally, on October 8, he began the Moab 240.

Originally planning to run from race to race, Olafson developed an avulsion fracture and torn tendon in his left foot during the Bigfoot 200. But rather than abandoning the project, he elected to cycle between races, minimizing impact on the injured foot. By the time he crossed beneath the arch in Moab, he had run 640 miles in three races, and had raised thousands of dollars for the Spondylitis Association of America, an association that supports people who, like Olafson, suffer from Ankylosing Spondylitis, a degenerative form of arthritis that fuses joints together.