It's always about the people
I'll miss the community, shared suffering (and shared triumph), the silliness, absurdity, and challenge of the entire endeavor. Mostly, I'll miss the people. It's always about the people.
Running
Long distances, mostly in deserts
I ran my first marathon in 2008 and my first ultra in 2017. Since then, my motto has been "the longer, the better" and I've taken on several big desert races of 200+ miles. Check out writing, films, and conversations below about my experiences.
1stThe Speed Project Solo 2023, outright, and a course record
315Miles across the Atacama, my longest single race
94:27:58Ultra Gobi 400K, 6th overall and 2nd female
$10k+Raised for camp scholarships at Ultra Gobi
The record
Races
- 2025
Ultra Gobi 400K
Gansu, China
China's first non-stop, self-navigated, self-supported ultra. Four days of continuous movement across the Gobi. I finished holding hands with Jack Carey, and raised more than $10,000 for Live Oak Camp scholarships along the way.
- Distance
- 247 miles
- Time
- 94:27:58
- Result
- 6th overall (tied) · 2nd female
- 2025
The Speed Project Solo, LA → Las Vegas
California → Nevada
A third solo crossing from Santa Monica to Las Vegas, this time as part of Team Solo.
- Distance
- ~300 miles
- 2024
Moab 240
Moab, Utah
I entered the lottery while my wife was pregnant, and ran it when our daughter was about two and a half months old. The last stretch of training happened as a new parent.
- Distance
- ~247 miles
- Time
- 93:25
- Result
- 23rd overall · 4th female
- Climbing
- 30,000+ ft of climbing
- 2024
The Speed Project Relay, LA → Las Vegas
California → Nevada
The relay, run days after finishing the same route solo.
- Distance
- 286 miles
- Time
- 47:30
- 2024
The Speed Project Solo, LA → Las Vegas
California → Nevada
I ran the solo, and then a few days later turned around and ran the relay on the same route.
- Distance
- 286 miles
- Time
- 82:41
- Result
- 4th overall · 1st female
- 2023
The Speed Project Solo, Atacama
Iquique → San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
The longest of my solo crossings, across the driest desert on earth. I decided late that the cost and the missed Thanksgiving were worth it.
- Distance
- 315 miles
- Time
- 105:45
- Result
- 3rd overall · 1st female
- 2023
The Speed Project Solo, LA → Las Vegas
California → Nevada
My first attempt at anything beyond 100 miles. Santa Monica to Las Vegas, crewed by nine women, and I won it outright.
- Distance
- 293 miles
- Time
- 84:45
- Result
- 1st overall · course record
Media
Written, recorded, and filmed
"I Love Seeing the World on My Own Two Feet" - Ultra Gobi 400KM Race Report
The race's own write-up of my 94 hour crossing of the Gobi, running it with Jack Carey, and the scholarship money it raised for Live Oak Camp.
Ultra Gobi 400km
Running ultras has never really been about running or the numbers. It's about people, community, connection, and adventure. It's about experiencing the beauty of the world. It's about doing something really hard and feeling gratitude for all that the body is capable of.
Ultra Gobi 400: Into the Heart of China’s Wild Soul
Ian Corless's photo essay from the 2025 race, under the heading 'Teamwork Makes the Dream Work': “Over five relentless days, they navigated fatigue, breakdown, and the psychological toll of isolation. Together, they moved forward, trading off leadership, motivating each other, and managing the fine line between pace and survival.”
Ultra Runner Lucy Schodell Runs The Moab 240
A short film about my Moab 240, made by R.A.D. 240 miles of desert, canyon, and mountain, with my closest friends there, along with my wife Maggie and our ten week old daughter.
LALV 2025 Reflections with Lucy Schodell
Looking back on the 2025 run from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, running solo and as part of Team Solo.
Make Running Presents: THIS IS YOUR MILE
A film by Ashley Stewart, made during the 2025 run from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. It's 'a mile for every woman who's ever been told she can't.' I ran it as part of Team Solo.
The Speed Project Solo: Round 3
A third solo run from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, this time as part of Team Solo.
Episode 2 // LALV 2025 // Solo Day 2 & 3
Race coverage from days two and three of the 2025 solo run from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, catching up with Team Solo as the field pushes through the heat into Palmdale, Adelanto, Victorville, and Barstow.
Reflections ahead of TSP Solo - LALV
A year ago, on my way to finishing 300 miles from LA to Vegas. Looking back before heading to the start line again.
MOAB 240
It was a tough decision because my wife was pregnant with our first child, and the race was when the baby would be about 2.5 months old. The final 2.5 months of training would be as a new parent, with a newborn.
58. Lucy Scholz
The long version: running a marathon as a college freshman, learning to fit running around work, Boston in 2017, moving to trail, a first 100 miler paced by my wife, and how The Speed Project keeps turning up at pivotal moments.
The Speed Project Solo AND Relay: LA to LV 2024
Running the solo, and then coming back for the relay on the same stretch of desert.
"I'm just trying to have the most fun possible"
On racing with a party vibe: my first marathon in 2008, moving into ultras in 2017, and a training week built on long steady miles rather than speed work.
The Speed Project Atacama
Alex Roudayna and I run solo through the driest desert on earth, which nobody had done on that route before.
The Speed Project Solo: Atacama 2023
Flying to Chile to run across the Atacama desert was going to be expensive and missing Thanksgiving with my family was tough to do.
A Race Across the Driest Place on Earth
Outside's dispatch from The Speed Project Atacama: 300 plus miles and 11,000 feet of climbing from Iquique to San Pedro de Atacama, with no spectators, no cell reception, and no fixed route.
Finding Your Team within Running
On winning The Speed Project solo with an all-female crew, and why that sense of community matters so much in running.
Lucy Scholz, in the Sheroes series
A New Orleans profile covering Live Oak Wilderness Camp, coaching with Youth Run NOLA, and running with The 504th, plus the line I keep coming back to: 'running is a team sport.'
Lucy Scholz's 300-Mile Party Across the Desert
Trail Runner's account of The Speed Project Solo record, and a race that looked more like a party moving across the desert than a trip to the pain cave.
The Speed Project: How to Run 340 Miles Across the Desert
A long interview about preparation over raw speed: 'Planning and preparation is one of my strong suits,' and 'so much of ultrarunning is mental.'
Community Connect: Jack Carey and Lucy Scholz
A New Orleans neighbourhood conversation with me and Jack Carey, who I've run a lot of miles with.
r.an a.cross the d.esert (9 hours faster than everyone else) - Lucy Scholz
The Speed Project Solo win, from the inside. 293 miles from Santa Monica to Las Vegas, finished faster than anyone else in the field.
Lucy Scholz on winning The Speed Project Solo and breaking the course record
Recorded a few weeks after the win. What it actually takes to run 293 miles from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, why I went in self-coached, and the crew of nine women who got me to Vegas.
Lucy Scholz's Speed Project record
Runner's World on the 2023 Speed Project Solo: 84 hours and 45 minutes, first overall, on a first attempt at anything beyond 100 miles.
The Speed Project Solo: LA to LV 2023
I've spent the last week feeling proud, loved by my community, sad it's over, and uncertain about what's next. Just like during a 300 mile race, the feelings come in waves. The unsurprising headline: running is a team sport, and I've got the best team.
Nothing in this category yet.