Hillary Gerardi ’04

From the Hilltopper Trails to the Alpine Peaks, World Record Runner Hillary Gerardi ’04 Returns Home

When Hillary Gerardi ’04 stepped onto the chapel stage recently, she wasn’t just returning to St. Johnsbury Academy as an alumna, she was coming home. The space felt instantly familiar. She spotted her old Chapel seat and glanced up at the Calvin Coolidge quote she once read every morning. More than the room itself, it was the buzz of a new school day, the same warmth, curiosity, and sense of community that felt unchanged and deeply grounding.

Now based in the French Alps, Hillary has built an elite career in sky running, a demanding sport that combines high altitude mountain climbing with long distance racing. In 2023, she earned international recognition by setting the women’s world record for the fastest known time to summit and descend Mont Blanc, ascending via the longer, more technical North Ridge and descending the Grand Plateau in just 7 hours and 25 minutes. She traces her confidence on exposed terrain back to her early experiences closer to home. Through hiking and winter mountaineering with the Academy’s Wilderness Club, Hillary developed a love for the rugged trails of the Northeast, especially the White Mountains and the Northern Presidential Range. She believes the steep, rocky, root filled terrain of Vermont and northern New England offers exceptional preparation for alpine running abroad.

During Hillary’s chapel talk, she quickly caught the student body’s attention as she shared videos of herself racing along knife-edge ridges and through alpine snowfields. Brianna ’27 was fascinated, “I was watching a professional who had broken world records and who once went to this school, my school.”
Jeremiah ’25 felt the same shift. “I was amazed to meet someone who runs ultramarathons, something I didn’t think was possible,” he said. “She was incredibly relatable, and her personality really brought everyone in.”

Students left inspired. “She reminded me that even when my body feels exhausted, there’s still more to give,” Brianna said. “She never gave up.”
Despite her global success, Hillary’s humility stood out. “It was great to have Hillary speak with our students and student athletes about her experiences at SJA and Middlebury College,” said Athletic Director Chris Despins ’88. “You could see how amazed they were that someone from a small town followed her passion and became a world record holder.” “For someone at the top of her sport, she’s incredibly down to earth,” Lydia added. “It meant a lot that she came back to inspire us.”

As Hillary returns to the peaks of France, likely with maple syrup tucked alongside her gear, she leaves behind a campus energized by possibility, reminded that journeys beginning in the Northeast Kingdom can rise to the very top of the world.