Today we chat with Lin Gentling, one of the most respected leaders in American ultra-running, about the behind the scenes postponement of the 50k World's. Lin is a veteran athlete, coach, race director, and international team leader whose career spans more than three decades. Her service to the sport is exceptional. A former elite athlete herself, Lin was the 1991 TAC (now USATF) National 100K Champion, a member of the 1991 and 1992 USA National 100K Teams competing at the World Challenge, and a multi-time USATF National Age-Group Marathon Champion (2007, 2008; 3rd in 2009). Her leadership footprint is extraordinary. Lin served as President of the American Ultra Running Association (1997–2000) and later became the IAU Americas Representative (2012–2018). Within USATF, she has been a long-time member, including service on the Executive Masters Committee, the MUT Executive Committee, and the Minnesota Association Board, where she chaired the MUT Committee. Since 2009, she has also served as a USATF Liaison to National Championships. Perhaps nowhere is her commitment more visible than in her role as a USA National 100K Team Leader. Lin has led U.S. teams at World Championships and World Cups across more than 25 international events from Belgium to Japan, Russia to Qatar, South Korea to India, and beyond, shaping generations of American ultrarunners. She has also led U.S. 50K National Teams in Romania and India. Beyond competitive ultrarunning, Lin’s influence extends across coaching, athlete development, and community leadership. She is a long-time race director, a coordinator and coach for the Rochester Running Club’s marathon training programs, and a sports psychology consultant for high school, collegiate, and individual athletes. A scholar as well as a practitioner, Lin holds a BA in Biology and Psychology from St. Olaf College (with honors) and an MA in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Sports Psychology from the University of Minnesota. From world stages to local communities, Lin Gentling has dedicated her life to advancing endurance sport and developing athletes.
