The first weekend of racing in 2024 delivered a slew of fast times and course records in 50k events across the country. Headlining our Ultra Weekend Recap are results from the San Tan Scramble 50k in Arizona, the No Hands 50k in California and the Frozen Gnome 50k in Illinois.
At the San Tan Scramble 50k in Queen Creek, Arizona, women dominated the race taking three of the four top spots on Saturday, January 6. Allison Baca from Golden, Colorado, won the race in a new women’s course record time of 4 hours, 13 minutes and 42 seconds. Runner-up was Canmore’s Arden Young, also under the old course record in 4 hours, 20 minutes and 14 seconds. Third woman and fourth overall was Lindsay Weigel out of Concord, New Hampshire, in a still blistering time of 4 hours, 34 minutes and 11, on a course that collected over 4,000 feet of climbing. For the men, Matt Hamilton of Glendale, Arizona, won in 4 hours, 25 minutes and 10 seconds. Second was Cameron Winters from Durango, Colorado, in 4 hours, 40 minutes and 16 seconds. Rounding out the podium was Nick Smotek of Flagstaff, Arizona, in 5 hours, 6 minutes and 40 seconds. Full results are here.
In Auburn, California, at the No Hands 50k, Drew Macomber from Agwin, California, won and set a new course record by 13 minutes in 4 hours, 26 minutes and 40 seconds. Clinton Keller of Tracy, California, came in second in 5 hours, 11 minutes and 42 seconds. In third was Austin Newblom hailing from McKingleyville, California, with a time of 5 hours, 22 minutes and 24 seconds. Abigail Swift from nearby Sacramento, California, won in the second-fastest time the course has seen in 5 hours, 26 minutes and 44 seconds. Rachel Reid of Larkspur, California, came in second place with a time of 6 hours, 34 minutes and 50 seconds, and third went to Oakland’s Kristen Laurent in 6 hours, 38 minutes and 15 seconds. Results when available here.
Under chilly temperatures in Crystal Lake, Illinois, the Frozen Gnome 50k still saw some fast times. Rachel Reyes out of Joliet, Illinois, won the women’s contest in 5 hours, 28 minutes and 20 seconds, the sixth-fastest time ever. Brianna Bower out of Montgomery, Illinois, was hot on her heels posting the eight-fastest time ever in 5 hours, 28 minutes and 54 seconds. Chicago’s Rachel Burke rounded out the podium in 5 hours, 41 minutes and 29 seconds. Reese Slobodianuk from Barrington, Illinois, ran 4 hours, 21 minutes and 9 seconds for a dominating win. Jacob Klaustermeier of Lakewood, Illinois, finished in second in 4 hours, 54 minutes and 24 seconds. Third place was secured by Connor Chapdelaine out of Naperville, Illinois, in 5 hours, 5 minutes and 23 seconds. Check out the results here.
Our collection of results also includes the Just Survive 125 in Hobe Sound, Florida, the Croom Zoom 50k in Brooksville, Florida, the MHRRC Recover From the Holidays 50k in Staatsburg, New York, the Sandy Bottom 8-Hour in Hampton, Virginia, and the Del Dios Trail Race 50k in Escondido, California.
What’d we miss? Let us know in a comment down below.