By 
Comedian Michelle Wolf has had quite the year. Her HBO special, Nice Lady, proved she’s one of today's best standups. Then, whether you loved it or hated it, she made her mark as the featured guest at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
Half Marathon Training The Break, which is a half hour of sketches, late-night show desk segments, and her cutting standup on news and politics.
But when she needs her own break from writing a weekly comedy show or preparing for a set on the road, Wolf searches out trails and running routes to clear her head or work through a bit that just isn’t coming to her. In fact, the Hershey, Pennsylvania, native completed her first ultramarathon—a 50-miler—in May. This is after taking time off from running after college and picking it back up only a few years ago.
“It’s very important for me to fit running in when I’m very busy,” Wolf told Runner’s World by phone. “When I don’t do it for a couple days I feel off, and I don’t think I perform as well.”
Wolf spoke about her transition from middle-distance track and jumping in college to becoming a devoted distance runner, the key thing she loves having in her office, and why ultrarunning makes her feel like a badass.
Runner’s World: Why do you run?
Michelle Wolf: Sometimes I do it to relax my mind. Other times I do it just to pump myself up, and other times I’ll be writing and I’ll have a roadblock. I’ll just go for a run, and I’ll think about it while I’m on the run. A lot of times I end up figuring it out. I use running for a bunch of different reasons, and I also just like how it makes me feel.
RW: You ran in high school, went to state meets, and competed at William and Mary. But how did you start running?
MW: I was always in sports as a kid. I played soccer, field hockey, I danced. I was always very active. It wasn’t until middle school that I realized I was good at jumping, which is mainly what I did. I ran the 400 and 4x400, the 800 when my coach asked me to, and I didn’t like long distance. I’d never been a fan of long distances until recently because I was never good at them. I guess I’m not a fast long distance runner. That’s why I do the ultramarathon, because you don’t have to be fast. If you can just run for a really long time, you can do it.
RW: How did you get into ultras?
MW: I was on a team for three years, and then I just didn’t do it my senior year of college because I was hurt and it wasn’t getting anywhere. I got a job, and very out of shape and I didn’t like running then because I had a new body. I gained weight and I wasn’t fast. It just bummed me out to run. I was still sad about track, so it took me a while to get back into it. And then when I got into ultrarunning, my brother started doing it... and I had done the Grand Canyon’s rim to rim to rim before… [Editor’s note: That’s about 40 some miles and 10,000 feet of elevation gain.]
So I’ve done it twice now. [The last time was in 2017.] The first time I did rim to rim to rim was the first time I thought I would like to do an ultramarathon because I got to this mental place that I’ve never gotten to before. It was like, I was so mad that it wasn’t over yet, that I was more motivated than I think I’ve ever been. It just got me to like this angry yet very satisfied place. When I finally ended up getting into ultrarunning, I didn’t know if I could run for that long. And they had started doing the Dr. Maffetone heart-rate training where you train in zone three. When I first started, I had to go very slow so I could go long.
So I started doing that for 12 or 13 miles and felt good and could do it again the next day. That told me I could run for long periods of time. And because I wasn’t focused on the time, and I was more focused on my heart rate, I didn’t feel bad about it. I was like, no, I’m staying in zone three, which is what I’m supposed to do. I don’t have to hit a mile time, I have to stay in zone three. It just kind of reorganized how my brain thought about running.
RW: What was your first ultra race?
MW: Just this one I did in May—the Salt Flats 50 Mile race in Bonneville, Utah. I train mostly in New York, and when I’m on the road and I’m mostly in cities. So I don’t get a lot of time around mountains unless I go visit my brothers in Arizona. I needed something flat because I didn’t want to do 50 miles, plus throw in a long climb. And the Salt Flat one, after a lot of searching, was the flattest one I could find.
RW: And what was the experience like?
MW: I did it in 12 hours and 18 minutes. I had the ultra planned before I knew when my show was going to start taping and before I knew about the Correspondents’ Dinner. All of that impeded my training. I freaked out. I almost didn’t do it because I was only getting one or two training runs in a week. But for the last month and a half leading up to it, I would take a Saturday and just run for five hours. I was getting close to doing a marathon and getting used to doing that once a week.
I ended up running the ultramarathon and felt really good for a while, and then I had some stomach issues. I felt great and then for miles 32 to 42, I was pretty sure I was going to die. It’s like, this is it. I’m going to die here. I’m gonna die out here in Bonneville, Utah.
RW: How did you get into ultras.
MW: Yeah! I remember I stopped at this one aid station and I was sitting down, my brother was filling up my water for me because he was doing better. And there were these kids helping out their parents at the aid station, and I remember looking at them and getting so jealous and angry because they looked so relaxed, and all I wanted to do was be them.
RW: What does a typical week of running look like for you these days when the show is in full swing?
MW: I started running to work and home from work most nights. I get in about six miles every day during the week. Actually, I’ve never been a good morning runner. I guess I’m not a morning person.
RW: Isn’t that just a part of the comedian lifestyle, to be up late?
MW: We’re like nocturnal animals. Our whole life is in the night. I won’t even finish shows until 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. a lot of times. So asking me to get up at 7 a.m. for a run is a real stretch. But I started running to work, which I really liked. It put me in a really good mood for the day. And running home was really good because then it kind of relaxed me and took away a lot of the stress that had built up from writing a show all day. Plus, I have a shower in my office. So that was helpful to everyone around me. Then on the weekends I still try to go a little longer. I’ve been taking it easy ever since the 50 miler. But, I would like to do another ultra next year.
RW: We saw in one interview that you love Sydney McLaughlin, the 18-year-old track star who ran the 400 hurdles at Rio. Is she your favorite track athlete right now?
MW: Oh boy. It’s really hard to say. I am a big fan of all the Bowerman Babes, and I follow them on Instagram probably a little too closely. [Laughs] But watching Sydney McLaughlin run is mind blowing. I know we’re watching a legend being made, and also the way she runs looks so effortless. Like it almost makes me angry. She’s so smooth and controlled. She’s so young, and I can’t wait to see her career.
Salt Flats 50 Mile race in Bonneville, Utah Shelby Houlihan [a middle-distance runner on the Bowerman Track Club who is the American record holder in the 5,000 meters]. She has this gear at the end, and this game face that I just really appreciate. She’s a beast and fun to watch, too. She’s had a killer season.
RW: What does a typical week of running look like for you these days when the show is in full swing?
MW: What to Wear Tool.
RW: Okay. How many do you have now? Because there was a new pair every week on your show.
MW: I have upwards of 50 pairs. The bummer is Nike stopped making these wedged sneakers because I think I was one of like six people who wore them. So now I have to go on eBay. Luckily, there’s stockpiles in Tokyo or somewhere that I’m able to find my size in. I would really appreciate it if Nike would start making them again. [Laughs]. I like the Nike Air Max, but the wedge sneaker looks good on stage.
RW: A 16th Boston Marathon for This 78-Year-Old?
MW: I wore Pearl Izumi until they stopped making running shoes. Now I’m wearing Adidas, but I also have a pair of Nikes that I like. I can’t remember the exact name of them. I bought the Nikes because my luggage got lost and I was in doing shows in Israel. I didn’t want to not go for a run on the beach in Tel Aviv, so I just randomly bought a pair of Nikes. I’m still trying to figure out what my new go-to is.
RW: Would you say your ultra is your biggest running accomplishment or would that be something else?
MW: I think it is. It was during a tumultuous time of my life because of the Correspondents’ Dinner and starting my own show. It was just in my head, it was really something that I was like, if you can finish this, you can do anything. It’s just very symbolic for me. I honestly did not know if I could run 50 miles.
RW: Where are some of the best places that you’ve run?
Best Running Shoes Seawall in Vancouver. It goes around a park and you turn a corner and the views are just unbelievable, and it’s just for running and biking. Madison, Wisconsin, has a bunch of lakes that you can run around—but not in the winter! Oh, Seattle, I had a good run there. You really couldn’t find a lot in Kansas City. That was a tough weekend. Washington D.C. has some nice running routes.
A 16th Boston Marathon for This 78-Year-Old…
RW: How did you get into ultras?
MW: The heat and also just where I was in the city. It’s just so many highways. I ended getting a gym membership for the weekend and just using their stair climber.
RW: Training Pace Calculator.
MW: No. Sorry, San Antonio. You’ve got to step up your running game. [Laughs.]
RW: We’ve interviewed a lot of comedians about running like Bert Kreischer, Kristen Schaal. Kevin Hart was on our cover. Do you think you’re a stronger runner than them?
MW: Definitely stronger than Bert. That fatty. [Laughs] I would hope I’m stronger than Kristen, although I don’t know how fast she is. I’m probably not stronger than Kevin. I mean he works out all the time. It’s not fair! I think he has like a personal trainer that travels with him or something. We would all be in great shape if we had Kevin Hart resources.
RW: Do you prefer running by yourself or with others?
MW: A lot of it I prefer solo. I’m still a very competitive person, so if I’m running with somebody I just don’t want it to be competitive. When I do run with people, it’s usually with my older brothers [Chris and Ryan] when I go out to visit them in Arizona. I’ll also pace my one brother who’s done a lot of ultras. We’re actually doing the Mogollon Monster in Arizona, and it will be his first 100 miler.
RW: Do you see yourself doing marathons?
MW: I did a marathon back in 2005 in Las Vegas. I did not train well for that one. The longest run I did going into that was 15 miles, and I only did that once. I know a lot of people love marathoning, but it goes back to me on not being that fast. I like ultras because I’m never sure if I can do it—it’s a real mental challenge—and I love the ultra community as well. But the training is a bummer for ultras because it’s a lot of time.
RW: Well, it sounds similar to comedy. You put in a lot of time into something and you never know what the result might be on any specific day or night.
MW: It really is. I mean you’re putting your body into a crisis mode. Look at Jim Walmsley, who is arguably one of the best ultramarathoners in the world right now. Twice in a row at Western States, he couldn’t finish. Not because he wasn’t in shape, but because something went a little bit off. I think one time he took a wrong turn. Which is so unfair. That would make me so angry to have to run one foot out of my way. But it’s all a huge test on your body and you never know if you’ll be able to finish that day. I love the challenge. It’s still not very common. You know, it does kind of make you feel like a badass.
(Nice Lady.
To see the full special, sign up for HBO Go)
RW: How popular are the “No idea what I’m training for shirts” on your website?
MW: I have no idea! I don’t keep track of that. But let me tell you why I love that joke. That was the first time I’ve ever been able to make a joke about running work. It’s hard to write jokes about running because, I don’t know, when people hear you’re a runner and they don’t run, they feel bad about it. It’s like saying, “Are you better than me?” And secretly in my head I’m like, “Yeah, I’m running!” [Laughs]
No Idea What I'm Training For Tank Top
No Idea What I'm Training For Tank Top
RW: Last thing. A politics question. Who would win in a race? Trump or Putin?
MW: Oh, definitely Vlad! [Laughs] That guy might be evil, but he’s in pretty good shape I think.
RW: Salt Flats 50 Mile race in Bonneville, Utah.
MW: So, are you tired of getting questions about your sneaker collection.
This interview was edited for concision and clarity.
Brian has spent the last 10 years focused on creating compelling news, health, and fitness content—with a particular interest on enthusiast activities like running and cycling. He’s coordinated coverage of major events like the Boston Marathon, Jeannie Rice, 75, Runs 3:33 at Boston Marathon, and Tour de France, with an eye toward both the professional race and the engaging stories readers love.
