Some athletes chase the spotlight. Klaire Rhodes just shows up, every single day, and lets the consistency do the talking.
A North Face sponsored athlete and member of the USA Mountain Running Team, Klaire has quietly built one of the most impressive resumes in Alaska running, including three straight wins at Mount Marathon Race. But what stands out even more than the results is how she approaches the process.
Klaire has been a Runners’ Edge Athlete Ambassador for years, and she continues to represent everything we believe in: training smart, fueling well, and building a body that lasts. She’s a mountain running champ, a coach, and right at home in the toughest conditions.
We caught up with Klaire to hear more about her career, training, and what’s next.
Klaire racing Mount Marathon 2026. Photo by Mick Dees.
You’ve built a name in mountain running, both as an athlete and coach! What were the key turning points that got you there?
I often look back and wonder how I got here too! All I can attribute my success to is consistency. I’ve built up my training and racing very gradually over many years while prioritizing staying healthy.
How does training in Alaska specifically prepare you for races that others might struggle with?
I think Alaskans are just tougher! I’m not thrown off by bad weather or a sudden change in conditions. Some of our training days here are picturesque, but more of them are a grind- whether it be on the treadmill in the winter or running through the snow, it’s not always easy but it’s just about showing up every day.
Mountain vs. road: What skills does mountain running demand that road runners often underestimate?
You need to build more physical resilience for the mountains. Movement patterns are more dynamic, so you need to be strong, not just fast, to handle steep climbs and descents and avoid injury.
Mount Marathon strategy: That race rewards smart decisions as much as fitness. How do you approach it tactically?
I do my best to focus on my own effort and what I can control. What’s brought me success in Mount Marathon is not being the best at one specific part of the race, but being well rounded enough to hold my own in any given section. This year, I wasn’t the first to the top nor did I have the fastest downhill of the day. But I’m good enough at both to give myself a shot of reaching the finish line first.
What’s a mistake you’ve made in a race that changed how you compete now?
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in my racing career is to not write out the narrative of the day as it’s happening. Most races consist of both high and low moments, and usually you can come out of a low back into a high. I try to always focus on the moment I’m in and remind myself that it’s never over until it’s over.
Do you have any pre- or post-race rituals that help you perform, reset, or celebrate?
I usually paint my nails the day before a race. It’s a simple task that gets me off my phone and focused on something else for a few minutes. If there’s another race going on, like the Junior Mount Marathon race, I love to go out and spectate and cheer if I can. It usually calms my nerves by reminding me that racing is fun, and inherently unserious!
What does your training prioritize right now, and how has that evolved over time?
My training always looks a little different at different points in the year based on what type of races I’m training for. Right now, during the summer, I’m focused on lots of miles in the mountains to prepare for 10+ hour races. My training volume has very gradually increased over the years, but the basics have stayed the same: weekly rest days, interval workouts, and long runs.
When things start to unravel mid-race, what’s your process for regaining control?
I try to ask myself if in that moment, I’m doing my best at what’s in my control. Have I been eating and drinking water? Do I feel like the effort I’m putting out is my very best?
How do you define a “successful” race beyond just the result?
Even if the result is not ideal, I feel most proud of myself when I feel like I put forth the best effort I had on the day.
What’s been the biggest adjustment you’ve made to stay healthy over the years?
Eating enough is key to a long and healthy relationship with running. I’ve had minimal injuries over the years, and I attribute that to prioritizing a healthy relationship with food and fueling my body with a lot of carbs.
Klaire on the downhill, Mount Marathon 2026. Photo by Charlie Renfro
Working with Runners’ Edge: How has PT helped you?
My biggest tip when it comes to PT is to seek help at the earliest sign of injury. If you can get ahead of it and start managing and healing right away, your injury timeline can be so much more reasonable. One of my favorite things about working with Runners’ Edge has been the wealth of information I’ve been able to learn from PTs who teach me about my injuries, why they’re happening, and what I can do to manage or solve the problem in and out of the clinic.
How has becoming a coach changed the way you approach your own training and racing?
I’ve found it’s kept me more accountable to my own training. I don’t let myself get away with doing things that I wouldn’t approve of my own athletes doing- adding too many extra miles to the week, skipping strength, or not prioritizing fueling.
Coaching others: When you’re working with athletes, what’s one thing you emphasize early that most runners tend to overlook?
Training consistency and fueling are, in my opinion, the most important pillars to maintain if you want to progress. They go hand in hand, as what stops many runners from being able to train consistently is not fueling the training they’re doing properly. Underfueling is the quickest ticket to injury.
Where do you see most runners leaving performance on the table?
Again, fueling! Eating before, during, and after your runs is just as important as doing the running itself. Your body can’t adapt to the hard work you’ve done if it doesn’t have what it needs on board to recover.
What are you currently working on, maybe something people wouldn’t see from the outside?
I’m far from having it all figured out. As an athlete, I’ve learned that there’s no result or finish line that will ever feel completely fulfilling. Knowing that, it’s important to me to always be enjoying the process. So I’d say I’m constantly working on maintaining balance in my life between doing the work to achieve my goals and keeping other aspects of life prioritized like friends, family, and other hobbies. I usually race the best when I’m happy and balanced, so that’s something I’m continuing to work on as my life gets busier!
What’s up next in the race lineup?!
I’m racing CCC 100k in Chamonix, France at the end of August
We are so grateful to have Klaire as part of the Runners’ Edge family, year after year. Stay tuned for more from our Ambassador series.
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