Trail runner, author, and organizer based in WNC.


Canyon grew up in the Appalachian Mountains of rural North Carolina and the North Cascades of Washington. He is one of the top ranked runners in the U.S. at the 100-mile and 100k distances, with back-to-back top-3 American finishes at UTMB and major wins across the U.S. In 2025, he earned a Golden Ticket at Javelina 100M, capping a season with four wins and three CR performances across eight races. Since 2022 he has held the FKT on the S.C.A.R. - one of only ten FKT Premier Routes in America. 

Canyon is also a co-founder of Dirtroad Organizing and co-author of Dirt Road Revival. 




The Dirtbag Diaries: What Unites Us


canyonwoodward [at] gmail
Race Highlights
Upcoming Races
Race Highlights

2025 Javelina Jundred // 12:19, 3rd Overall // Fort McDowell, AZ

2025 UTMB // 22:03, 13th Overall // Chamonix, FR

2025 Beaverhead 100k // 9:57, 1st Overall // Salmon, ID

2025 River of No Return 100k // 10:58, 1st Overall (Course Record) // Challis, ID

2025 Canyons 100k // 9:18, 12th Overall // Auburn, CA

2025 Black Canyon 100k // 7:54, 8th Overall // Mayer, AZ

2025 Tsali Ultra 50k // 3:42, 1st Overall // Almond, NC

2024 UTMB // 23:26, 23rd Overall // Chamonix, FR

2024 Siskiyou Out Back 50 // 8:07, 1st Overall // Ashland, OR

2024 Canyons 100 Miler // 18:54, 1st Overall // Auburn, CA

2023 UTMB // 23:56, 29th Overall // Chamonix, FR

2023 Canyons 100 Miler // 17:46, 3rd Overall // Auburn, CA

2023 Bandera 100k // 8:35, 3rd Overall // Bandera, TX

2022 S.C.A.R. // 13:33, Unsupported and Overall FKT // Great Smokies National Park, NC

2021 Cruel Jewel 100 // 22:36, 1st Overall (Course Record) // Blairsville, GA 

Upcoming Races

Tsali 50k

Black Canyon 100k

Canyons 100k

Western States

UTMB

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✍: @annacalla If you haven’t voted yet, it’s time to get moving. If you have, then maybe you’ve got time for a film. In “Rural Runner” filmmaker @forestwoodward follows his brother @canyonwoodward as he runs a political campaign and runs trails in rural America. Canyon is the campaign manager for Chloe Maxmin, who was elected to Maine’s House of Representatives in 2018, becoming the youngest woman to do so. This year she’s running for a seat in the Maine State Senate. “Both politics and trail running require running through the seasons and not just going out when the sun is shining and you’re feeling great. It takes getting out there day in and day out even when it’s really difficult,” says Canyon. “There’s something especially gratifying and fulfilling on a deeper level when you slog through those cold, dark times and make it through to the other side.” The film's about politics and it’s about running, but mostly it's about showing up and about finding common ground. [https://vimeo.com/473942482]. Photos: Forest Woodward.

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