Megan Eckert
American ultramarathon runner, record holder
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Megan Eckert (born August 11, 1986) is an American ultramarathon runner and teacher. She is most known for her wins and records in backyard ultra and 6 day race events.[1]
Running
Running career
After training for her first 5K in 2008 and deciding not to race, Megan returned to running in 2016 when her then-boyfriend, now husband, Joe convinced her to run a half marathon with him. She states that at the end of that half marathon, the thought that "it would be fun to keep going" spurred her to try increasingly long races and events.[2]
Megan ran her first 100 mile race, the Habanero Hundred, in 2018 and finished first overall. [3] Her first backyard ultra was the Saguaro Showdown in 2024, again finishing first overall. [4] Megan's first 6 day race took place later the same year at Six Days in the Dome, once more taking first overall having run just over 526 miles. [5] She has gone on to podium, win outright, and set course and world records at a number of races across the 100 mile, backyard ultra, and 6 day formats.
Wins and records
6 day races
In May 2025, Megan set a new 6 day women's world record running 603.155 miles at the GOMU 6-Day World Championship in Vallon-Pont-d’Arc, France. During this race she also set the women's 500 mile world record [6] and became the first woman to surpass 600 miles in 6 days. [1]
In September 2026, Megan broke her own 6 day women's record by completing 636.482 miles at the GOMU World Championship 6-Day in Balatonfüred, Hungary. During this race, she also surpassed the overall American 6 day record of 606.243 miles set by Joe Fejes in 2015 and became the first woman to reach 1000 km in a 6 day race.[7]
Backyard ultras
At the 2024 Big's Backyard Ultra in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, Megan broke the women's backyard ultra record completing 87 loops for a total distance of 362.5 miles.[4] This record stood until the 2025 Big's Backyard Ultra, when Megan beat her own record distance by completing 383.3 miles, but came in second behind Sarah Perry, who completed 395.83 miles to set a new women's backyard ultra record. [8]
Selected race results
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Distance | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | GOMU World Championship 6 day | Balatonfüred, Hungary | 1st | 636.482 mi | Women's 6 day world record, overall American 6 day record, and first woman to reach 1000 km in a 6 day race [pending ratification], 1st overall [7] | |
| Vermont 100 Endurance Race | West Windsor, VT, USA | 1st | 100 mi | 17:19:56[9] | ||
| Cocodona 250 | Black Canyon City, AZ, USA | 3rd | 250 mi | 63:09:07[10] | ||
| Northburn 100 | Cromwell, New Zealand | 1st | 100 mi | 24:43:18 | 2nd overall | |
| 2025 | Across The Years - 12 hour | Peoria, AZ, USA | 1st | 81.201 mi | 1st overall | |
| Big's Backyard Ultra | Bell Buckle, TN, USA | 2nd | 383.33 mi | |||
| Habanero Hundred | Cat Spring, TX, USA | 1st | 100 km | 9:43:26 | 1st overall | |
| Badwater 135 | Death Valley, CA, USA | 2nd | 135 mi | 26:24:17[11] | ||
| GOMU World Championship 6 day | Vallon-Pont-d’Arc, France | 1st | 603.155 mi | Former women's 6 day world record [pending ratification], women's 500 mile world record [6], 2nd overall | ||
| Antelope Island Buffalo Run | Syracuse, UT, USA | 2nd | 100 mi | 17:35:56 | 3rd overall | |
| 2024 | Big's Backyard Ultra | Bell Buckle, TN, USA | 1st | 362.5 mi | Former women's backyard ultra world record [12], 2nd overall | |
| Angeles Crest | Altadena, CA, USA | 1st | 100 mi | 22:02:52 | ||
| Six Days in the Dome | Milwaukee, WI, USA | 1st | 523.301 mi | 1st overall |
Personal life
Megan is married to her husband Joe and lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she works as a middle school math teacher. [2]
