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Meghan Laws
Decorated Ultra Runner; Team USA Member - 100k World Championships
Cool, California
I was born in Southern California in 1961. At the age of five, my parents decided it was time to move our family to the relative safety of rural Oregon. I attended a small school, lived on a farm where I learned to ride horses, drive tractors and caterpillars, set chokers, use a chainsaw, buck hay, grow vegetables, raise chickens, pigs, cows, and collies. I was a tomboy, and have never lost that identity.
My sporting life began in Jr High with volleyball. In High School, title IX was implemented and now we had basketball, volleyball, and track for girls. I participated in them all, excelling in volleyball. I went on to play one year of college volleyball before dedicating myself to my studies more seriously.
After college, I married and had a daughter. Not being one to sit around and get out of shape, I took up running as the most efficient way to get exercise, so as to not take too much time away from my family. Over the next several years I increased my distances and started running 5ks, then 10ks, and then road marathons. Here I excelled, qualifying for and competing in the Olympic Marathon trials four times. I had whittled my time down to 2:45, when the ultra marathon bug took hold of me. I have been running ultras consistently since 2003. I gradually worked up to each distance, never over racing. I became very aware of my body mechanics and worked with a great physical therapist who has kept me injury free since 2008.
I believe that because I was so gradual in my build up and followed sound coaching advice, I have lasted all these years, and am still competitive in the open women’s races. I have placed in the top 10 women’s field at Western States 100 Mile endurance run 10 of the 11 times I’ve run it (2006-2017). I am also a member of Team USA for the 100k World Championships where I have scored for our team all eight times I have competed. I hold two age group world records in that event.
In May of 2017 I married Mark Laws, whom I had met after moving to Cool, California in 2013. We live in Cool with our 2 donkeys, 3 goats, and a cat named Max. My daughter lives in Portland, Oregon.
Accomplishments
Marathon PR: 2:45 (2000, 2001, 2003, 2007,2010)
100k PR: 7:41 (2012 – Age group World Record 50-59
2017:
4th at Formidable 50k USATF National Championships 5:20
8th at Lake Sonoma 50 Mile 8:28
9th at Western States 100 Mile 21:56
3rd at Waldo 100k 11:40
2016:
13th at IAU World 100k Championships in Spain with age group world record of 7:58
4rd at Moab 55k 5:21
10th at Marathon des Sables stage race
6th at Western States 100 Mile 20:30
2015:
6th at Sean O’Brien 100k
7th at Lake Sonoma 50 Mile
1st at Quick Silver 100k, course record, 10:19
12th at Western States 100 Mile 22:14
17th at World 100k Championships 8:02
5th at Gobi 50k 4:57
2014:
Voted Best age group performance for IAU World 100k Championships
1st overall, USATF National Trail Championships, Bandera 100k 10:12
7th at Sean O’Brien 50 mile 9:03
5th at Tarawera 69k in New Zealand 7:26
1st at Bishop High Sierra 100k, new course record 11:11
8th at Western States 100 Mile, 21:14
8th at IAU World 100k Championships 7:52 (1st American)
2013:
Voted 4th place ultra runner of the year by ultra running magazine
7th overall, 1st 50+ female - Bandera 100k - 12:23
2nd overall, 1st master - Ray Miller 50k 4:47
1st overall, Way Too Cool 50k 4:06
5th overall, 1st master Lake Sonoma 50 Mile 8:15
1st overall, Ice Age 50k 4:04
1st overall, 1st master Tokyo Shibamata 100k Road Race 7:50
4th overall, 1st 50+, Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run 19:30
2nd overall, 1st 50+, New age group record - White River 50 Miler 8:37
13th overall, 2nd 50+, Ultra Tour de Mont Blanc 100 Mile 32:55
