Melody Fairchild
Assistant Camp Director
Melody Fairchild is widely regarded as the greatest female high school distance runner in U.S. history. She twice won Footlocker Nationals, including a course record 16:39 her senior year (a record which still stands). As a University of Oregon Duck, Melody won a national championship in the indoor 3000 and was an All-American in Cross Country. As a professional runner, Melody made the US World Championship T/F team in 1997, running 15:30 for 5K and at age 38 in 2012, was a scoring member of Team USA’s Gold Medal performance at the World Mountain Running Championships in Italy. At the age of 51, she loves to spice up Masters Competitions wherever she can. Melody is the founder and director of Boulder Mountain Warriors youth running club in her hometown, Boulder, Co. Her teams perennially place among the top 3 at the USATF Region 10 Championships and her Warriors redefine their Possible on the big stage, at XC Nationals. She has a stunning ability to reach into the spiritual side of running with words both powerful and eloquent.
First year at Steens: 2001
Current Location: Boulder, CO
Occupation: Coach, Running Club Director, Mother
High School: Boulder HS, CO
College: University of Oregon
Degree: B.A. English
Athletic/Academic Honors: UO, Colorado Sports HOF; Footlocker HOF/course record holder; ’91 Bronze, Wld. XC Champs.; ’97 World Champs T/F 5K (15:30); ’12 Wld. Champs Mtn. Running Team, Gold; 8 X Colo. State Champ; 1st girl to break 10 min. for 2 miles (9:55:00); 5 X National Masters Champion
Career/Professional/Coaching Highlights: Celebrating 11 years of owning and operating Boulder Mtn. Warriors for boys and girls ages 7-14. Leads workshops in the Feldenkrais Method for neuromuscular retraining, serves the local school district as a substitute teacher and as a judge for Natl. History Day. Won a storytelling contest in and earned a spot at the Boulder Story Slam in 2022. Storytelling/speaking at Steens Mountain Running Camp!
Favorite Part of Steens Camp? Feeling every day, the hunger in the hearts of our Campers, for a transformational experience whole on the mountain. Then, watching them, as they authentically connect around the campfire, redefine their possible on the Big Day and discover their value as a teammate during Cross Canyon. Watching them transform self doubt into bone-deep self-trust, fear of risk taking into an insatiable desire to risk it all for the chance to grow, and confusion about how to remember who they are, into trust that they belong in the Steens Family, when they complete an awesome week of camp.