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If you’ve ever found yourself at a group run with Kate Leary, chances are you left with more than just a few miles under your belt. With her warm smile, infectious energy, and genuine interest in the people around her, Kate has a way of turning an ordinary run into a meaningful connection. Run Wild Missoula is full of incredible members who help make our running and walking community what it is, and Kate is certainly one of them.
What is an interest you have that may surprise people?
I am an avid reader. Every solo long run I am listening to an audio book.
Creating welcoming spaces and building relationships comes naturally to Kate, both on and off the run. She has spent the past 20 years working in education and currently serves as a Student and Teacher Success Specialist at Montana Digital Academy. Before stepping into this role a little over a year ago, she taught adult education at the Lifelong Learning Center. She’s enjoyed the transition to working with middle and high school students, especially as it connects to her own life. “It’s close to my heart right now because one of my daughters, Gwen, is a middle schooler.”
Kate and her husband have two daughters, Gwen and Gia. And while life with two growing girls certainly keeps her busy, it’s also filled with plenty of laughter. “For the most part I am pretty lucky, they are good kids with good heads on their shoulders. They make me laugh a lot.”
Family has played a big role in shaping Kate’s relationship with running, including a stretch of years when finding time for herself wasn’t always easy. “Between 2012 and the end of COVID it was tricky to run consistently because I was pregnant, raising young girls, and getting my masters. In 2022 I could actually commit to running more. I was joining in on group runs and activities. It was nice to be back running regularly.”
What is a book you recommend and why?
The Names by Florence Knapp. It will make you think about life trajectory and the decisions we make.
But Kate’s running story actually began long before that, back in 2007, when she signed up for the inaugural Missoula Half Marathon. At the time, she considered herself a casual runner, usually sticking to a familiar two- or three-mile loop through the Lower Rattlesnake and Greenough Park. Then a classmate at the University of Montana suggested they train for the new half marathon together. There was just one little twist: her classmate moved away that summer, and the two lost touch. But Kate had already paid her registration fee, so she figured she might as well go for it! “I’m so glad I did. If she never mentioned it, who knows if I would’ve been inspired to do it, or how much longer I would’ve waited to actually run a half.” As it turns out, 2007 was a pretty memorable year for Kate in more ways than one. That same summer, she met her now-husband, Joe. Just a couple of weeks into dating, he showed up to cheer her on at the half marathon. He’s been on the sidelines supporting her at races ever since.
What’s your personal mantra?
I radiate Nemo. Just keep swimming!
Originally from Helena, Kate moved to Missoula in 2004 to attend UM and never looked back. More than two decades later, she still loves calling Missoula home. When she’s not running, she enjoys traveling and catching live music. “I feel like if you’re going to live anywhere in Montana this is the place to be.”
Although Kate officially became a Run Wild Missoula member in 2022, she’s been participating in local races and activities with her family since that first half marathon. And what started with a leap into an unfamiliar distance has grown into quite the running journey. Since returning to consistent running, Kate has completed the Missoula Marathon twice, in 2023 and 2024, and took on the New York City Marathon in 2025. Each experience has brought its own challenges and rewards, but for Kate, some of the most meaningful moments have happened during the miles shared with others.
What’s your spirit animal?
Owl. They are so beautiful and mysterious. They also seem introverted like me.
She joined the Missoula Marathon Training Class for the first time in 2023 while preparing for her first marathon, and the experience left a lasting impression. “The training class has been most valuable to me if you’re talking about relationship building. You get to know people so intimately, and run with different people. And there’s something about starting and finishing something with a group that’s really inspiring.” That sense of connection is what keeps Kate coming back. After attending college in Missoula, many of her close friends eventually moved away. Through Run Wild Missoula, she’s found a new circle of people she can count on seeing week after week, “People care about each other. The community feels so natural, easy, and healthy.”
If your running shoes could talk, what would they say?
I think they want to travel, so they’d say “Get me out of Missoula, girl!”
For Kate, running has become about much more than fitness or finish lines. It’s a chance to show up for herself while also showing up for others. “We’ve all been in that situation where we’ve been a newbie, and feeling like you might be out of place, and it means a lot when somebody talks to you or visits with you.” She remembers returning to running in 2022 and feeling a little out of place herself, describing that version of herself as an “awkward old mom” who just wanted to do something for herself. What she found was a community of lovely, kind people who made it easy to keep coming back.
“Run Wild is such a great conduit for any runner and their running goal, whether it’s someone training for their first 5K, coming back after injury, or running their 10th marathon. There’s something for everyone. It’s given me a ton of friendships.”
Favorite pump up song?
Walking on Broken Glass
One thing Kate wishes runners would ask each other more often is simple: “What keeps you coming back? How’d you get here?” She recognizes that everyone’s running journey looks different, and that the stories behind the miles are often just as important as the miles themselves. “It can be easy for a new runner to get discouraged or feel out of place. It would be great if people who are further along in their running journey could openly share how long it took them to get where they are, and the hardships they’ve faced.” In a world where we often see only the highlight reels of races, personal records, and big accomplishments, Kate is interested in the stories that don’t always make it into the spotlight. The setbacks, the restarts, the small victories, and everything in between.
Biggest fear?
Dying before the bucket list is complete.
Of course, Kate has some pretty exciting highlights of her own! Most recently, she completed her first 50K at the City to Sky Trail Races. And the inspiration behind signing up? A couple of marathon lottery rejections! After missing out on spots in both the Chicago and Berlin Marathons, Kate decided to take on a different kind of challenge closer to home. “If I can’t go somewhere big I figured I’ll do something awesome locally.”
Her message to fellow members, especially those who might be hesitant to show up or are finding their way back to running, is one worth sharing: “You belong here. Even if you’re not in the running season right now, you might be in a few months, so just keep at it. Stay open minded.”
Kate is a wonderful reminder that what makes our community special isn’t how fast we run or how far we go. It’s the people we meet along the way, the conversations we have, and the ways we make each other feel welcome. Next time you see Kate at a group run or out on the trails, be sure to say hello, congratulate her on that 50K, and maybe ask her what keeps her coming back. Chances are, you’ll leave with a new friend.