The American Ultrarunning Association (AUA) was founded in 1990. Initially AUA served as the USA representative organization to the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU). In addition, it was a member organization of (USATF) USA Track & Field (the only national member organization representing ultrarunning), the national governing body for long distance running. The dual mission of AUA was to represent the interests and concerns of the U.S. ultra marathon community (athletes & race directors) to the U.S. National Federation and to the IAU.
An additional early contribution of AUA was to propose and advocate for changes and adjustments to the USATF Rules of Competition and By-Laws in order to accommodate the unique and esoteric aspects of ultra racing within the existing rules and regulations of Track & Field. Some examples include: lap-counting and rest-breaks for round-the-clock races; changing running direction around the track for long track ultras. AUA also succeeded in expanding the USATF list of ultra events for which official records are kept and official USA National Championships are held.
AUA advocated for the USATF approval and selection of USA National Teams to the Ultra World Championship events which were in the process of being developed by the IAU. Approval for national teams was not quickly forthcoming. It took many years before these teams were approved. In the meantime, AUA either conducted National Ultra Championships under the umbrella of USATF, or assisted ultra race directors in doing so by providing administrative/technical support and in some cases by securing and distributing sponsorship funds to offer athlete travel assistance and/or prize money. For more than a decade prior to—and even carrying into—the 21st century, AUA also established qualifying and selection standards, and secured sponsorship funds, for American National Teams to those World Ultra Championship events for which USATF did not yet do so. Eventually, by the end of the first decade of the 21st century, USATF took full ownership and responsibility for these ultra national teams.
By this time USATF had established the MUT (Mountain/Ultra/Trail) Council as a subdivision of its Long Distance Running Division. AUA continued to work closely with the MUT Council to achieve full recognition and financial support for a successful annual program of National Ultra Championships and National Ultra teams. Eventually, by the beginning of the second decade of the 21st century, the administrative, technical, and fundraising services of AUA were no longer needed, in the light of USATF’s assuming ownership and support of a cohesive National Ultra Program.
As this evolution was coming to fruition within the National Governing Body, AUA instituted (in 2004) the American Ultrarunning Hall of Fame.