Amy Palmiero-Winters, 37, Hicksville, NY. An ultrarunner for less than a year, and the first amputee ever to be named to a USA national team, Palmiero Winters in 2009 won the "Race to the Future" on New Year's Eve, beating all able-bodied male and female finishers. Covering 130.04 miles in the 24-hour race, her performance qualified her for this national team. Palmiero-Winters also won the women's division at her first ultra, the Heartland 100 Mile in October, earning USATF Athlete of the Week honors. She is a single mother of two who works as a youth fitness director, coach and motivational speaker. After a 1997 motorcycle accident and 27 surgeries, Palmiero Winters had her left leg amputated below the knee. She has subsequently become a single-leg below-the-knee amputee world record holder in over a dozen events (including the marathon and the Ironman distance triathlon). Most recently, she was selected as the AAU Sullivan Award winner as the outstanding American amateur athlete for 2009.

Amy Palmiero-Winters’ Website

Amy's 2009 Sullivan Award

USA Today Feature Story on Amy

NY Times Feature Story on Amy