Hans Troyer

Biography: Hans Troyer is an American professional ultramarathon runner recognized as one of the most explosive young talents in trail running. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2000, Troyer overcame a life-threatening birth defect—tracheoesophageal fistula—undergoing life-saving surgery at just one day old and earning the ICU nickname "Hans the Destroyer". He discovered his calling as a small kid who had to fight to play mainstream sports, eventually running NCAA Division II track and cross-country at Augusta University, where he earned All-Region honors in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. After completing a master's degree in kinesiology and stepping away briefly to work as a graduate assistant, he made a meteoric and unprecedented ascent into elite ultrarunner status starting in 2024. Troyer completely disrupted the ultra-endurance landscape by breaking the USA Track & Field 50 Mile Championship course record by 12 minutes in one of his earliest races. He sustained this momentum by shattering course records at the 2024 Bandera 100k, the 2025 JFK 50 Mile (clocking the second-fastest time in race history), and the 2026 Black Canyon 100k, which he won by lowering the course record by over five minutes. His rapid success earned him a professional contract with Hoka and a fifth-place ranking in the 2025 Ultrarunner of the Year standings.