When Hans Troyer’s coach told him the Tussey Mountainback’s 50-mile loop course would play to his strengths, the Newnan, Georgia, runner took the advice to heart. Troyer wasted no time in setting a strong pace en route to blasting past the 11-year-old course record by more than 12 minutes and winning the 2024 USATF 50-Mile Road Championship at the Tussey Mountainback in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania.
Troyer and Will Conner ran together for the first 31 miles.
“We traded the lead a few times during that stretch, but it seemed like he liked to lead, as he would pass me by more often than I passed him,” recalled Troyer. “After just a few miles, we knew it was going to be a two-man race, and that made our showdown legendary.”
Troyer has won several ultramarathons and had struggled in a race leading up to this one, so he also knew to be careful.
“The entire race felt pretty smooth. I didn’t really hit any rough patches and if anything, I held back from mile 35-45 just to make sure I didn’t do anything stupid. I must give credit to Will, though. He set such an honest pace early that I certainly would not have done it if I was alone.”
Troyer also praised the scenic terrain of the 50-mile loop.
“I loved the course. It was the perfect amount of hills and speed. That time of year is beautiful, and I’m thrilled my coach told me to race it. I’m a sucker for good views, and I was not disappointed.”
Hans Troyer, 50-mile national champion, shattered the 50-mile course record. Photo by Haylee Hemphill
Given the peppy pace kept by Troyer and Conner, Conner also eclipsed the former course record time.
“My hamstrings were what gave up on me, as they felt like they were on the verge of cramping for most of the last part of the race,” recalled Conner, “and that’s what kept me from trying to cover Hans’s move. Ultimately, once Hans broke away from me, it became a course management game, since I knew I still had a shot to break the CR as well. It was really helpful having aid stations and my crew every 4-5 miles. That’s way more frequent than most of the ultras I run. Also, Hans’s crew continued to be incredibly encouraging to me, cheering me on even after Hans had broken away, which really speaks to what’s so special about this sport.”
Luana Pesco-Koplowitz claimed the women’s championship title.
Stepping into her first 50-mile effort, Susannah Harris was the first female non-championship finisher.
“I decided to register for the Tussey Mountainback because I was looking for a single-loop 50-mile race,” recalled Harris. “I did some research and found the race online. After reading great reviews and forums, I decided to sign up.”
“I am typically a solo runner and ran most of the race alone,” said Harris. “I enjoyed chatting with a few folks here and there, especially at the beginning of the race, but ultimately kept to myself. I spent a significant portion of the race talking to and singing to myself, maintaining a positive mindset and creating encouragement to keep moving forward.”
The first annual Tussey Mountainback 100-Miler saw top men’s and women’s finishes within 26 minutes of each other. Chris Dellana took the men’s title, and Karina Gates claimed the women’s title.
Having completed the Tussey Mountainback’s 50-mile race four times previously, Gates knew the route well that the 100-miler runners would cover twice for this race. This was Gates’s seventh 100-mile race.
“When I saw there was a 100-mile option this year,” recalled Gates, “it didn’t take much consideration for me to sign up for it. I had not had any desire to run a 100 since Vermont in 2021, but I was familiar with the course and was fairly confident I could finish within the time limit and maybe even set a 100-mile PR. It seemed like a fitting race to mark my 10-year anniversary of ultrarunning.”
The fact that this race began late on Saturday, just before dark, suited Gates just fine. “I really liked the 6:30 p.m. start, as I like to get the overnight out of the way first.”
Gates’s performance spoke well for the slow and steady approach that many runners adopt for long races.
“I ran the first two miles with Tom (Kuhns) and Chris, but they were moving faster than I was up the hills, and I did not catch back up to them again until around mile 75. We flip-flopped places a couple of times in the last 25 miles, and I ran about 10 miles with Tom before he pulled ahead on the final descent. I had set a lofty goal of sub-24 hours, so I was absolutely thrilled to finish in 23:46, and pretty proud of the fact that all three of us finished in under 24 hours.”
“I like the course a lot,” added Gates, “and it’s well-suited for my ultrarunning strategy to walk the hills, jog the flats and run the downs.”
Gates shook off the overnight’s chill on the second loop, buoyed by seeing other runners from the relay event and other distances.
“I perked up. I felt strong through most of the day, and the support from the volunteers and other runners was awesome. I came into the aid station around mile 70, and the volunteers told me the other two 100-mile runners had come in just ahead of me, so that was motivating for me to try and catch them.”
The 50k overall winner was Brian Thiede and the women’s victory was claimed by Emily Zebel.
Serious maturity was also on display.
In their 18th consecutive year, The Old Men of the Mountains relay team – all age 65 or older – covered the 50-mile loop with spirit and smiles. The team’s captain, George Etzweiler, 104, took on the course’s fifth segment, a gently rolling 3.5-mile section, taking four pre-planned 6-minute breaks along the way. Race Director Mike Casper caught up with Etzweiler several days after the race and asked about Etzweiler’s plans going forward. With a gleam in his eye, Etzweiler had a quick answer. “I can’t wait to get back out there with my friends.” Sadly, George Etzweiler died on March 16, 2025, two days after his 105th birthday, having inspired countless runners, old and young, with his wit, wisdom and perseverance.
Complete race results can be found here.