On September 16, the ultra gods were smiling on our resident pooka, Harvey, and the 650 registered 50- and 100-mile runners, including some of the fastest 100-mile runners in the world. Spectacular weather greeted the runners who were lined up for the 2023 Run Rabbit Run 50- and 100-Mile Endurance Runs, now in their 16th and 11th years, respectively. By the time the Hares took off at noon on race day, four hours after the Tortoises started their race, temperatures in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, were in the low 70s, with clear skies.
Virginia’s Tara Dower, the second-place female in 2022, ran down the early leader (and two-time winner, course record holder and former UltraRunner of the Year) Michele Yates (who withdrew due to an injury) to defeat California’s Kristi Knecht, 40, the top master’s finisher. Dower ran 20:32 and finished in first place which included a $15,000 prize purse. She also teamed with Jimmy Elam to win the $5,000 Run Rabbit Run Team Challenge, bringing her total winnings to $17,500, which is likely one of the largest amounts to be won in a 100-mile trail ultra.
Photo: Paul Nelson
Knecht ran to second place in 20:53, and picked up the $8,500 purse, plus an additional $1,000 as top master’s finisher, for a total prize of $9,500. Canada’s Karen Holland was third in 22:14 and won $5,000. Prize money for men and women went seven deep, with $1,000 for the top master’s finishers, and three deep for the Team Challenge.
On the men’s side, 2021 winner Dave Stevens, 40, of Canada, dueled with Utah’s Jimmy Elam to take the win in 17:22 in an exciting race, running elbow to elbow with Elam for much of the time. He earned $15,000, plus an extra $1,000 as top master’s runner, for a total of $16,000. Elam ran for second in 17:45, winning $8,500 plus an additional $2,500 as part of the Team Challenge, for a total of $11,000. Ohio’s Arlen Glick was third in 18:43. He earned $5,000. This year, Jamil Coury and Mountain Outpost provided livestream coverage of the entire event, from start to finish.
Photo: Paul Nelson
The Run Rabbit Run 100 features separate starts for the Hares (elite runners) and Tortoises (registered runners) with the Tortoises getting a 4-hour head start. In the Tortoise division, Colorado’s Bo Shelby ran 21:33 and Colorado’s Stephanie Rose ran 25:37 to take the top spots. We hope they come back to run as Hares next year. Texan Joe Schmal, sixth overall, was also top master’s finisher, while Washington’s Monica Ochs, 54, was the top master’s female. In the 50-miler, Colorado’s John Dragon ran a fire-breathing 8:08 for the win, while Becca Bramley ran 9:07 to capture the women’s crown. Heather Van Sickle of California was top female master’s finisher and Timothy Smith was top male master’s finisher.
In other notable efforts, Colorado’s Steve Rossi, 72, became Run Rabbit, Run’s oldest 100-mile finisher in history. He ran a stellar 35:15.
The Run Rabbit Run 100 has established itself as one of the premier ultra events in the world. Runners from 46 states and 11 countries competed this year, both as highly competitive Hares running for the highest purse in ultrarunning (over $75,000 this year), as well as the Tortoises, while the 50-miler has a well-deserved reputation as one of the country’s top ultras. The races are also charity events, with over $50,000 of the proceeds going to various charities in 2023.
Results  100 Miles (Hares) | 100 Miles (Tortoises) | 50 Miles