Grayson Murphy is a running chameleon.

From two-time world mountain running champion to a track star who narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Olympics, the 28-year-old has made a career out of taking on different challenges and distances.

And what a career.

Despite only starting running aged 20, Grayson was soon ripping up records at the University of Utah, setting new standards in the steeplechase, 5,000m and 10,000m events and becoming a five times All-American.

A professional contract followed, but life on the track didn't go exactly to plan to begin with and Grayson made the sudden and surprising switch to trail running.

Victory at the American championship followed - an event she has now won four times - and, on her debut at the race, she won the 2019 World Mountain Running Championships.

Two years later, she returned to the track in style for the Olympic trials, winning her semi-final and finishing sixth in the final of the 3,000m steeplechase.

This year, it was back to the mountains again and a second world championship win as Grayson captured first place in the up and downhill race in Austria.

Running Tales spoke to her about how football (aka soccer) had been her first love, why she loves running such a variety of events and the joys of 'aeroplane arms'... 

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