By Andre Anderson 
Writer/Reporter

For most people, running 100 miles sounds impossible. For Jessie Diggins, it was simply the next challenge. 

The Minnesota native, Olympic gold medalist, and recently retired cross-country skiing star won the women’s division of the Superior 100 Mile Trail Race this weekend in her first-ever attempt at the 100-mile distance. Diggins completed the rugged North Shore course in 25 hours, 9 minutes, and 46 seconds, finishing fifth overall among a field of 256 starters.  

The achievement is remarkable not simply because Diggins won, but because she entered unfamiliar territory. Earlier this year, she stepped away from World Cup skiing after one of the most decorated careers in American cross-country skiing history. Rather than slowing down, she traded skis for trail shoes and pointed herself toward one of Minnesota’s most demanding endurance events. 

The Superior 100 Mile Trail Race follows the rugged Superior Hiking Trail from Gooseberry State Park to Lutsen, covering more than 100 miles and approximately 17,000 feet of elevation gain. It is widely regarded as one of the premier ultramarathons in the Midwest and one of the oldest 100-mile trail races in the United States. Of the 256 runners who started this year’s race, only 151 reached the finish line within the event’s 38-hour cutoff.  

As a runner myself, I find accomplishments like this difficult to comprehend. 

Running an ultramarathon requires a different relationship with discomfort. The goal is not speed alone. It is persistence. It is problem-solving. It is learning how to keep moving when your body and mind are both asking you to stop. Anyone can push through a difficult mile. Pushing through a difficult night, after already running for 70 or 80 miles, is something else entirely. 

Diggins spoke openly about that reality after the race, thanking her crew and pacers for helping her through moments when she could barely form a sentence. She described the experience as a team effort and credited the volunteers, aid stations, and trail running community for carrying her through the inevitable highs and lows that define ultrarunning. 

What stands out most is not that Diggins won. Elite athletes often win. What stands out is her willingness to start over. 

Too often, we think mastery in one field automatically translates into success in another. In reality, beginning again requires humility. Diggins entered a sport where she was a newcomer, lined up beside athletes with years of ultrarunning experience, and chose one of the toughest distances available for her debut. That willingness to embrace uncertainty may be as impressive as the result itself. 

For Metro State students, there is a lesson in that. 

Many of us arrive here after major life transitions. Some are returning to school after years away from the classroom. Others are balancing careers, family responsibilities, military service, or challenges that have forced them to take an unconventional path through higher education. We often find ourselves starting over in unfamiliar environments. 

Success rarely comes from avoiding difficult challenges. More often, it comes from leaning into them. 

That is what makes Diggins’ victory resonate beyond sports. It is a story about resilience, growth, and the courage to pursue something new, even after achieving success elsewhere. Whether on snowy ski trails, rugged hiking paths along Lake Superior, or in classrooms at Metro State, progress begins with the decision to take the next step. 

This weekend, Jessie Diggins took more than 100 miles worth of steps. 

And somehow, she made it look like the beginning of a new journey rather than the end of an old one.