Ben Dhiman - Trail Runner Profile
Ben Dhiman is an American ultrarunner based in the French Pyrenees who won the 2026 UTMB in a course-record 18:16:29, the first sub-19-hour finish in the race's history, on his fourth start after two DNFs and a runner-up finish in 2025.
Ben Dhiman quick facts
- Age: 33 or 34 (born 1992)
- Nationality: United States
- UTMB Index: 965 (as of 6 October 2026, UTMB profile)
- ITRA score: 942 (as of 29 August 2026, ITRA profile)
- Key results: UTMB 2026: Winner, 18:16:29, course record; UTMB history: DNF (2023, 2024), 2nd (2025), 1st (2026)
UTMB Index and ITRA scores change after every race. The dates are when each number was read from the official profile.
Country: United States · Team: ASICS · Specialities: 100 miles, 50–100km
Right now: Won the 2026 UTMB in the fastest time in the race's history, on his fourth attempt.
Key facts
- UTMB 2026: Winner, 18:16:29, course record
- UTMB history: DNF (2023, 2024), 2nd (2025), 1st (2026)
- Background: Former Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail and Hayduke Trail thru-hiker
From thru-hiker to ultrarunner
Dhiman came to trail running through long-distance hiking rather than a running background, completing the Appalachian Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, the Hayduke Trail and a mission across the Himalaya. He discovered ultrarunning while pacing at the Hardrock 100, and moved from Ohio to the French Pyrenees to train.
Four attempts at the same race
Dhiman did not finish UTMB in either 2023 or 2024. In 2025 he built a season around it, winning the Grand Raid Ventoux 100km in April and the Lavaredo Ultra Trail 120km in June, then finished second at UTMB itself, 33 minutes behind winner Tom Evans.
The 2026 win
He moved to the front at La Balme, 41km into the 174km race, and led the remaining 132km alone, more than half an hour clear by Vallorcine on the French side of the course. He arrived in Chamonix 31 minutes and 9 seconds ahead of runner-up Baptiste Chassagne, becoming the second American man to win UTMB after Jim Walmsley in 2023.
How Ben runs
Dhiman's engine was built on foot, but not on a track. Before he raced, he walked the Appalachian Trail, the Continental Divide Trail and the Hayduke Trail, and that background of months-long efforts shows in his racing: an enormous tolerance for time on his feet, a calm, steady effort level and very little sign of distress when others are falling apart.
His 2026 UTMB win was a single long solo move. He went to the front at La Balme, 41km into the 174km race, and nobody saw him again. Holding a lead alone for more than 130km, through the night, without anyone to pace off, is a different kind of effort from racing in a group, and it suits an athlete who is used to long days alone in the mountains.
His path to that win also says something about how he trains and races. After two DNFs at UTMB, he built a whole season around the race, moved to the French Pyrenees to train on similar terrain, and used the Grand Raid Ventoux and Lavaredo as stepping stones. He changed his preparation rather than abandoning the goal.
Where Ben is strongest
Long mountain 100-milers where a sustained, steady effort can build a lead nobody closes. UTMB, with its long climbs, long night and many hours of hiking, is the clearest example, and his course record of 18:16:29 is the fastest time the race has seen.
He also wins on 100 to 120km courses in the Alps and the Dolomites, as his Lavaredo title shows. With a thru-hiking rather than a speed background, he is less likely to shine in short, fast races decided by sharp changes of pace.
The edge. Refusing to change his goal after two DNFs at the same course. His fourth UTMB start was his best one.
What you can learn from Ben
1. Time on your feet counts, even when it is hiking
Dhiman's thru-hiking years built the durability that wins 100-milers. Long hikes with a pack, back-to-back days in the mountains and fast-packing trips all build the capacity to keep moving for many hours. If your goal race is long, value these days as real training, not as a break from it.
2. Train where your race is, or somewhere like it
He moved to the Pyrenees to prepare for UTMB's terrain. You do not need to move, but you can plan training weekends or a training camp on similar ground: long climbs, rocky descents and altitude, if your race has them. Terrain specificity matters more the longer the race.
3. Use build-up races as rehearsals
His 2025 season used two big races as rehearsals for UTMB. A shorter race six to ten weeks before your goal event lets you test kit, nutrition and pacing under race conditions while there is still time to fix what goes wrong.
4. Practise running alone
His winning move meant more than 130km without anyone to pace off. Many runners rely on the people around them in a race. Do some of your long runs alone and at night, so you can hold your effort and keep your focus without company.
Selected results
| Year | Race | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | UTMB | 1st (18:16:29, course record, first sub-19 hours) |
| 2025 | UTMB | 2nd (33 minutes behind Tom Evans) |
| 2025 | Lavaredo Ultra Trail (120km) | 1st |
| 2025 | Grand Raid Ventoux (100km) | 1st |
| 2024 | UTMB | DNF |
| 2023 | UTMB | DNF |
A selection, not a complete race history.
Official profiles
Compare yourself with Ben
- ITRA index calculator: estimate the km-effort and an indicative performance band for your own race result (not an official ITRA Performance Index).
- Trail pace calculator: turn your road pace into a trail pace and finish time for a given elevation profile.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the 2026 UTMB?
Ben Dhiman of the United States, in a course-record 18:16:29, the first man under 19 hours at the race. It was his fourth UTMB start after two DNFs and a runner-up finish in 2025.
How did Ben Dhiman win the 2026 UTMB?
He moved to the front at La Balme, 41km in, and led the remaining 132km alone, arriving in Chamonix 31 minutes and 9 seconds ahead of runner-up Baptiste Chassagne.
What is Ben Dhiman's background?
A former Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail and Hayduke Trail thru-hiker from Ohio, now based in the French Pyrenees, who came to ultrarunning after pacing at the Hardrock 100.
Runners with a similar profile
- Tom Evans (United Kingdom): Western States champion, UTMB champion, and the first British man to win in Chamonix in fifteen years.
- Miguel Arsénio (Portugal): A self-coached Portuguese runner who studies sports science, won the first World Trail Majors title and took second at the 2026 CCC.
- Jim Walmsley (United States): The first American man to win UTMB, and the athlete who redefined how fast a 100-miler can be run from the front.
- Cristian Minoggio (Italy): A 42-year-old dam keeper and skyrunning world champion who won the 2026 CCC in Chamonix.
Sources and verification
Checked against the following sources on 2026-08-29:
- RUN247: UTMB 2026 results, Ben Dhiman storms to men's glory in fastest-ever time
- iRunFar: 4th Time's a Charm? Ben Dhiman's Pre-2026 UTMB Interview
- Canadian Running: U.S.'s Ben Dhiman tops the podium at UTMB 2026
- ITRA runner profile
- UTMB Index profile (official)
Canonical page: https://trailia.run/best-trail-runners/ben-dhiman
Published by Trailia (https://trailia.run), a personalised trail running coaching platform. This profile is a factual reference, not a ranking.