The North Face announced ultra-runner Timothy Olson, 29, of Ashland, OR has joined its global athlete team. The North Face has a team of more than 75 professional global athletes, which includes runners, snowboarders, skiers, rock climbers and mountaineers.

Timothy has the passion exploration that we all share at The North Face, said Aaron Carpenter, vice president of marketing for The North Face. The joy he gets from running in the outdoors, and pushing his mental and physical limits is inspiring to the entire The North Face family. We are excited to work with him in accomplishing his goals.

Relatively new to ultra-running, Olson started racing competitively in 2009 and has made his mark on the sport in just a few short years. In June 2012, he earned an impressive course record at the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run finishing with the first ever sub-15 hour time on the course at 14:46. He will be making his debut as a global team athlete for The North Face this coming weekend, January 12, at the Bandera 50k in Bandera, Tex. Olson won the 100k in 2012, which also serves as the USA Track & Field Trail 100k Championship, with a time of 8:28:40.

The North Face has played a huge role in propelling the sport of ultra-running over the last decade. Theyre not afraid to experiment to develop the highest quality of gear so I can travel light and efficiently through technical mountain terrain, Olson said. Im looking forward to the opportunity to see the world. There are many places I would like to explore and The North Face is making these dreams come true.

Olson, a licensed Massage Therapist, will be working closely with The North Face Research, Design and Development team, on performance apparel and footwear. His expertise and experience will add to the rapidly developing collection. When hes not running or working, Olson loves to relax with his wife Krista and their young son Tristan.

The North Face is all about encouraging people of all ages to enjoy and explore the great outdoors, respecting and protecting the land while nourishing their bodies with fresh air and exercise, Olson said. This is very important to me as I hope to inspire others including my newborn son to spend more and more time outdoors, remembering that the wilderness is our playground with endless possibilities to discover and for the imagination to run wild.

The North Face ultra-running Team includes Jez Bragg, Sébastien Chaigneau, Lizzy Hawker, Tsuyoshi Kaburaki, Dean Karnazes, Nikki Kimball, Hall Koerner, Kami Semick, Diane Van Deren, Michael Wardian and Mike Wolfe, and all are excited to have Olson as part of the team.