Zachary Friedley

Zachary Friedley is a professional adaptive trail runner and disability advocate known for his contributions to inclusion in outdoor sports. Friedley was born missing his right leg above the knee and several fingers on his right hand. Using a prosthetic leg, he participated in baseball and wrestled for his high school team. After receiving his first running blade, he trained with adaptive track coaches in an effort to qualify for the Paralympics in the 100-meter dash and the long jump. Friedley later discovered trail running, which became a pivotal focus in his athletic career. At the Born to Run Festival in Los Olivos, California, he completed a 10-mile trail race without prior training, marking his longest trail run to date.

As a professional athlete, Friedley is among a small group of above-knee adaptive runners, often referred to as "trailbladers," competing at a high level with a prosthetic featuring a mechanical knee and carbon-fiber running blade. He has participated in the UTMB Mont-Blanc trail race, a 40K ultramarathon from Martigny-Combe, Switzerland, to Chamonix, France, recognized as one of the most competitive trail ultramarathons globally. Friedley is one of the first disabled Americans to compete in the Mont Blanc race series. His pursuits have also taken him to the summit of Cotopaxi in Ecuador, to ashrams in India, and to the Tarawera Ultramarathons in New Zealand. He is the subject of the On Running short film "Trail Blader" and is featured in Christopher McDougall's "Born to Run 2."

Friedley is the founder of Born to Adapt, a nonprofit organization focused on increasing inclusivity for disabled athletes in the trail running community. Through Born to Adapt events, he has brought together disabled and non-disabled communities at major trail races and running events worldwide. These events include races, workshops, and speaking engagements designed to educate communities and industry leaders on supporting adaptive athletes. A documentary film, also titled "Born to Adapt," explores the shared experiences of ultra-runners and adaptive athletes. Friedley has worked with On Running, other major brands, and race organizers at UTMB to develop adaptive athlete divisions and policies for major trail racing events.

Born to Adapt maintains a presence at events across the United States and internationally, including New Zealand and Italy. In partnership with UTMB North American leaders, the organization directed the first Para Trail Summit in Fruita, Colorado, at the Desert Rats by UTMB trail running festival, featuring races for adaptive athletes, speakers, and panel discussions to raise awareness of the adaptive athlete community. Friedley has also participated in a running clinic for the Paralympic team in Ghana through the Sports Equity Lab. As a keynote speaker, Friedley addresses topics of resilience, diversity, and inclusion within the running industry and beyond, sharing his experiences to encourage broader perspectives on what is possible in adaptive sports.