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The UltraRunning Magazine race calendar featured 46 great events across the United States and Canada this weekend. In this week’s Ultra Weekend Recap, we check in on results from Wisconsin, Virginia, Canada, Oregon and California.
We start in Belleville, Wisconsin, for the Badger Trail Races (100-mile, 100k, 50-mile and 50k). Because the race featured four ultra distances, we’ve only listed the winners, but you can find the full results from all the events here. In the Badger 100-mile, Steve Byhre took the overall win in 20:31:19, with Julie Uychiat finishing first female and fifth overall in 23:31:45. In the 100k distance, Rachel Ragona ran a blistering time of 9:11:48 to set a new female course record and take the overall win by more than 3 hours. Ian Krynski (12:31:39) finished first male and third overall. In Sunday’s 50-mile, Alex Hanson finished first overall in 8:26:32, and Jennifer Hayes claimed first female and second overall in 8:59:44. Finally in the 50k, Elizabeth Hermans won the women’s race in 4:59:58 (fifth overall) and Aaron Fearing won the men’s contest in 4:21:09.
Heading east, we travel to King George, Virginia, for the 16th running of the flat and fast Dahlgren Heritage Rail Trail 50k. In an extremely tight women’s race, Ellen Wexler (4:55:43) edged out Jessica Labella (4:55:58) by a mere 15 seconds for the win. Denise Freeman finished just behind her in third (4:57:11). The three women finished 10-12th in the overall standings. In the men’s race, Zachary Angel won wire-to-wire, cruising to victory in 3:43:37. David Watson claimed second (4:25:53), and Michael O’Rourke finished just 12 seconds later in third (4:26:05). In total, 122 runners completed the race. Full results here.
Our next stop takes us to Grand Cache, Alberta, where the northern lights showed up to cheer on runners in the Canadian Death Race. In the 118k female event, Kim Cameron raced out to an early lead and never looked back, winning in 15:25:23 and finishing third overall. Katie Curry finished second (16:36:03 and 10th overall) and Amy Tuininga placed third (17:31:17). In the men’s race, Matthew Schneider was victorious in 14:01:34, taking the overall win by well over an hour. Tristan Hoekstra claimed second (15:20:06) and Riley Magee finished third. Full results here.
Out west, we head to the San Gabriel Mountains for one of the original 100-milers in the US, the Angeles Crest 100-Mile Endurance Run, where three men cracked the sub-20-hour barrier. First place went to Michael Eastburn in 18:49, the fifth-fastest time since the race was first run in 1986. Clark Messman finished second (19:11:18), and Rene Dorantes claimed third (19:54:49). On the women’s side, Megan Eckert won in 22:05:52 (seventh overall and fifth-fastest course time), Sarah McMahon finished second (26:25:55), and Yumi Vielpeau placed third (27:49:13). Full results here.
Molly Schmelzle races to the win at the Waldo 100k. Photo: UltraRunning Magazine
Finally, we journey to Oregon for the Waldo 100k. Despite wildfire smoke threatening to cancel the race earlier in the week, race day saw much-improved air quality and 112 runners toeing the line at the Willamette Pass Ski Area. In the men’s event, Casey Weinman took an early lead and never looked back winning in 10:18:31. Maxwell Atkins placed second (10:54:52), and Eric Colton made a late push to snag third (10:56:04). On the women’s side, Molly Schmelzle was victorious in 12:04:48 (eighth overall). Brianna Grigsby finished second (12:13:53 and ninth overall), and Mandi Goudie rounded out the podium in third (12:23:02). Full results here.
Other results from this weekend include Hood Hundred (Mt Hood, OR), A Louisianna Summer Night (Lafayette, LA), Ragged 75 Stage Race and 50k (Danbury, NH), Dark Divide Trail Races (Randle, WA), Rodeo Valley Trail Run (Sausalito, CA), and Drew’s Angel Creek (Fairbanks, AK).