Matt Flaherty

About

Matt Flaherty is an American ultrarunner, attorney, running coach, and public policy advocate from Bloomington, Indiana who built one of the sport's most distinctive careers by combining elite competitive running with a sustained commitment to public service. He studied civil and environmental engineering at the University of Illinois before earning his law degree from Indiana University's Maurer School of Law in 2010 and practising patent law with Winston & Strawn LLP in Chicago. In 2012 he left law to run professionally: in 2013 he won the USATF 50 Mile National Championships in a course record of 5:28:11 and the Tussey Mountainback 50 Mile, before lowering his marathon best to 2:21 at the 2014 Boston Marathon and representing Team USA at the 2016 IAU 100k World Championships. Earlier highlights include a win at the 2011 North Face Endurance Challenge Wisconsin 50 Mile in a course record of 5:59:39 and third place at the 2011 UROC 100k. After five years of professional running and coaching, he returned to Indiana University's O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs and earned a dual master's degree in public affairs and environmental science in 2019. He was sworn in as an At-Large member of the Bloomington City Council on January 1, 2020. He has written extensively about ultrarunning for Ultra Running Magazine and continues to coach endurance athletes alongside his public service career.

Notable Wins

• — USATF 50 Mile National Championship 2013 (5:28:11
• — course record)
• — Tussey Mountainback 50 Mile 2013
• — The North Face Endurance Challenge Wisconsin 50 Mile 2011 (5:59:39
• — course record)

Race History