As the U.S. National Snowshoe Championships approach, Michelle Hummel is preparing the way she always has — deliberately, calmly, and in the mountains she calls home.
Based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Michelle trains year-round in the nearby high-elevation terrain of northern New Mexico. Altitude, climbing, and winter conditions are a regular part of her routine, and they’ve paid off before. In 2020, Michelle won gold at the U.S. National Snowshoe Championships in Leadville, Colorado, racing two miles above sea level against one of the strongest fields in the sport.
Now, she returns to the Nationals start line in Brillion, Wisconsin, in December 2025 — not chasing validation, but bringing experience, perspective, and proven preparation.
“I enjoy racing and pushing myself,” Michelle says. “But I also really enjoy the process of getting ready for these races.”
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Training With Longevity in Mind
Over the years, Michelle has refined her approach to training with an eye toward longevity. She now relies more heavily on cross-training — especially skiing and biking — while keeping her running volume intentional and sustainable. That balance has helped her stay healthy, resilient, and competitive across long winter seasons.
“Biking and skiing give me great fitness for snowshoe running,” she explains.
Her winter calendar often includes snowshoe races alongside ski mountaineering events, building both aerobic depth and climbing strength — assets that matter on championship courses where snow and weather can change quickly.
From Sandia Crest to the World Stage
In addition to her performances on the international stage, Hummel brings one of the most decorated résumés in U.S. snowshoe racing. She is a three-time U.S. National Champion (2017, 2018, 2020), with three additional national runner-up finishes (2016, 2019, 2022).
At the world level, Hummel has earned two World Championship titles (2018, 2020) and added three more podium finishes—third place in 2017 and 2019, and second place in 2024.
Earlier this year, she competed at her local Friends of the Sandias Snowshoe Race at Sandia Crest near Albuquerque (10,600 feet), a course she calls “one of the all-time best snowshoe races”—adding jokingly that she “could perhaps be biased.”
Read More: 2020 Dion U.S. National Snowshoe Championship Results & Recap
Racing With Perspective
Despite her résumé, Michelle approaches Nationals grounded in perspective. For her, race weekend is about more than results.
“Seeing my snowshoe friends is the part I look forward to the most,” she says. “You never know how a race will go, so enjoying the process and the people really matters.”
That mindset doesn’t dull her competitiveness — it sharpens it.
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Ready for the Nationals Start Line
Michelle will toe the line with equipment she trusts, including TSL snowshoes and Craft gloves, staples across her winter sports. With years of racing and training behind her, she’s built a collection of snowshoes suited for everything from racing to deep-snow days.
“They’ve definitely taken over the garage,” she says with a smile.
As Nationals arrive, Michelle’s advantage is clear: altitude familiarity, calm confidence, and firsthand knowledge of what it takes to win at the national level.
“Some people dread winter,” she says. “I think it’s a pleasure — being out in the cold, fresh air, in the mountains.”
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