Emma Bates is an exciting athlete to welcome to this year’s field. After struggling to find her stride while running professionally in Boston, she packed up and moved back to Boise, Idaho – opting for solitude and serenity over the hustle and bustle of a major metropolitan city. Soon, she'll return to the big city for a big run. 

Name: Emma Bates

Country of Origin: U.S.A.

Standout Race: 

She put her name in the 2020 conversation last winter when she broke 2:30 in her marathon debut in Sacramento, finishing in 2:28:19 while also capturing her first U.S. title. She ran her marathon debut by instinct, hitting the half in 1:13 and then slowing slightly over the second half. After the race, she said, “My legs were fine, but I overdid it with fluid intake and started having trouble keeping everything down, so I eased off the 2:26 pace I was running to deal with that. It’s exciting because I know I can run a faster marathon just by fixing that.”

More About Emma Bates: 

At the time of the Sacramento race, Bates did not have a sponsor; she made headlines for wearing a black top inscribed with the words, “Run for Camp Fire Relief.” Outside of running a fast time, she hoped to raise awareness and funds for victims of the deadliest wildfire in California’s history. She was the youngest American woman to run under 2:30 in 2018.