Courtney Dauwalter drinks a beer after taking second place in the Tahoe 200 ultramarathon, in Homewood, Calif., Sept. 9, 2018. Dauwalter's prowess has crystallized the debate about whether psychological fortitude can trump men's innate strength advantages in endurance sports.(Max Whittaker/The New York Times)

Friends carry the Tahoe 200 winner, Kyle Curtin, as he shakes uncontrollably after finishing the race, in Homewood, Calif., Sept. 9, 2018. Courtney Dauwalter's prowess has crystallized the debate about whether psychological fortitude can trump men's innate strength advantages in endurance sports. "Courtney was definitely the person to beat," Curtin said. "I ran the time I did because I was trying to catch her the entire race." (Max Whittaker/The New York Times)

Courtney Dewaulter applies rewetting drops to avoid corneal edema caused by lack of sleep and the presence of dust on the trails, at the Loon Lake, Calif., aid station at mile 182 of the Tahoe 200 ultramarathon, Sept. 9, 2018. Dauwalter's prowess has crystallized the debate about whether psychological fortitude can trump men's innate strength advantages in endurance sports. (Max Whittaker/The New York Times)

Courtney Dauwalter shows of her "dirt-tan" line after finishing second in the Tahoe 200 ultramarathon, in Homewood, Calif., Sept. 9, 2018. Dauwalter's prowess has crystallized the debate about whether psychological fortitude can trump men's innate strength advantages in endurance sports.(Max Whittaker/The New York Times)

At 3:45 a.m., Courtney Dauwalter sleeps for a couple of minutes at the Loon Lake, Calif., aid station at mile 182 of the Tahoe 200 ultramarathon, Sept. 9, 2018. Dauwalter's prowess has crystallized the debate about whether psychological fortitude can trump men's innate strength advantages in endurance sports. (Max Whittaker/The New York Times)

Courtney Dewaulter hikes uphill with her pacer, Mike Wilkinson, at about 155 miles into the Tahoe 200 ultramarathon in Strawberry, Calif., Sept. 8, 2018. Dauwalter's prowess has crystallized the debate about whether psychological fortitude can trump men's innate strength advantages in endurance sports. (Max Whittaker/The New York Times)

Lake Tahoe at sunrise from mile 104 of the Tahoe 200 ultramarathon in South Lake Tahoe, Nev., Sept. 8, 2018. For now, elite ultrarunning is one of the few sports in which women appear able to hold their own with men. (Max Whittaker/The New York Times)

Courtney Dewaulter brushes her teeth at the Spooner Summit, Nev., aid station at Mile 82 of the Tahoe 200 ultramarathon, Sept. 8, 2018. Dauwalter's prowess has crystallized the debate about whether psychological fortitude can trump men's innate strength advantages in endurance sports. (Max Whittaker/The New York Times)

In this long-exposure photograph, Courtney Dauwalter passes Mile 163 of the Tahoe 200 ultramarathon, in El Dorado National Forest in California, Sept. 8, 2018. Dauwalter's prowess has crystallized the debate about whether psychological fortitude can trump men's innate strength advantages in endurance sports. (Max Whittaker/The New York Times)

Courtney Dewaulter at about mile 45 of the Tahoe 200 ultramarathon, in Tahoe City, Calif., Sept. 7, 2018. Dauwalter's prowess has crystallized the debate about whether psychological fortitude can trump men's innate strength advantages in endurance sports. (Max Whittaker/The New York Times)

Courtney Dewaulter pins on her number before the start of the Tahoe 200 ultramarathon in Homewood, Calif., Sept. 7, 2018. Dauwalter's prowess has crystallized the debate about whether psychological fortitude can trump men's innate strength advantages in endurance sports. (Max Whittaker/The New York Times)

Pink flags help runners stick to the race course of the Tahoe 200 ultramarathon in Incline Village, Nev., Sept. 7, 2018. For now, elite ultrarunning is one of the few sports in which women appear able to hold their own with men. (Max Whittaker/The New York Times)

Racers head uphill at the start of the Tahoe 200 ultramarathon in Homewood, Calif., Sept. 7, 2018. For now, elite ultrarunning is one of the few sports in which women appear able to hold their own with men. (Max Whittaker/The New York Times)

Courtney Dewaulter races through the night about 60 miles into the Tahoe 200 ultramarathon in Incline Village, Nev., Sept. 7, 2018. Dauwalter's prowess has crystallized the debate about whether psychological fortitude can trump men's innate strength advantages in endurance sports. (Max Whittaker/The New York Times)