Nikki Kimball (born May 23, 1971) is an American distance runner specializing in the Ultramarathon. She ran her first 100-mile race at the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run in 2004, and was the female winner. She was the winning female at Western States again in 2006 and 2007, becoming only the third woman to win Western States three times. In 2014, she won the Marathon Des Sables multi-stage endurance race on her first attempt. Prior to running, her main sport was cross-country skiing. She was crewed at the 2007 Western States by U.S. Senator Max Baucus of Montana, where Kimball lives. She lives in Bozeman, Montana.

Early life

Kimball grew up in Chittenden, Vermont, and had an active childhood spent outdoors hiking and cross-country skiing. A physician advised that Kimball start cross-country skiing when she was child, in order to stop her feet turning in. For high school, Nikki went to Holderness School, which is in Holderness New Hampshire and helped her develop her passions for many of the things she does today.

Career highlights

Ultra marathon

Mountain running

Trail running

Road running

Road marathon wins also include Adirondack Marathon, Schroon, NY; Green Mountain Marathon, Grand Isle, VT; Great Potato Marathon, Boise, ID, Salt Lake City Marathon; Lewis and Clark Marathon, Bozeman, MT

Snowshoe racing

Awards, other athletic achievement and running community involvement

Personal life

Kimball suffers from depression, and refers to it as her secret weapon.