Mercedes is a Project Coordinator for the National Forest Foundation and a Professional Trail Runner for Merrell. She loves being out in the woods and in the mountains, enjoying nature and working on conservation. Originally from a rural town in Wisconsin, she developed a passion for the outdoors and moving her body. She have a BS in Biology from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, and a MS in Forestry from Mississippi State University. She studied abroad in Belize and Australia, worked in San Diego, CA, St. Croix, the US Virgin Islands, but chose to settle in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, where she feels most at home. Training in the mountains gives her the amazing opportunity to do it all, mountain running, uphill skiing, skate skiing, paddleboarding, roller blading, and finding a sense of community with like-minded friends. With trail and ultra running, she frequently gets to travel internationally and compete at an elite level in mountain and ultra races. You can find her happiest post-run, soaking up some sun near a sandy beach spot or riverside, or at a local coffee shop chatting with friends before yoga.