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Leading the way in our Ultra Weekend Recap is a Pacific Northwest 50k favorite in Bellingham, a notoriously challenging race in Tennessee, a 50k in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Northern California and a whole lot more.
Kicking things off just outside Bellingham, Washington, at Fairhaven Park, was the 29th Chuckanut 50k on Saturday, March 18. Adam Merry from Golden, Colorado, came from behind in the final few miles to take the title in 3 hours, 33 minutes and 26 seconds. He was followed by Seth Ruhling of Longmont, Colorado, in 3 hours, 34 minutes and 46 seconds, and Kris Brown out of Missoula, Montana, who moved up from 10th place at the first checkpoint to complete the podium in 3 hours, 37 minutes and 51 seconds. In the women’s race, Clare Gallagher from Boulder, Colorado, won in a lightning fast time of 4 hours, 7 minutes and 34 seconds. She was followed by Kathryn Drew of North Vancouver, British Columbia, in 4 hours, 10 minutes and 54 seconds, and Andrea Lee in 4 hours, 15 minutes and 41 seconds. Full results here.
In Frozen Head State Park in Morgan County, Tennessee, the Barkley Marathons went down in historic fashion, seeing three runners finish the five loop course. French runner Aurélien Sanchez was first, followed by American John Kelly and Belgian Karel Sabbe. They all completed the roughly 100-mile course within the 60-hour time limit on Thursday, March 16. Jasmin Paris of Great Britain led for the women, officially completing a “fun run” with three laps and finishing her fourth loop, but over the time limit and thus, ending her race.
At the Folsom Lake Sweetwater Trail Run 50k in Folsom, California, Caroline Barichievich from South Lake Tahoe, California, won in 5 hours, 38 minutes and 5 seconds. Runner-up was Jessica Wacker from Cameron Park, California, in 5 hours, 50 minutes and 39 seconds, and Beth Lang out of El Dorado Hills, California, finished in third in 6 hours, 9 minutes and 19 seconds. Aaron Summerhays of Camino, California, set a new course record in 4 hours, 50 minutes and 53 seconds, while Nick Gonzalez from Auburn, California, finished in second in 4 hours, 53 minutes and 20 seconds, and Russ Metteer of Roseville, California, rounded out the podium in 5 hours, 6 minutes and 45 seconds. Full results here.
Our Race Results page has other events from the weekend including the Terrapin Mountain 50k in Big Island, Virginia, the Hunt Trail Race 50k in Cody, Wyoming, the Picnic Island Ultra 6/10-hour races in Jupiter, Florida, the Get Lucky 50/50 in Canal Fulton, Ohio, the Howard Aslinger Memorial Endurance Run 12/24-hour events in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and more.
Did you race somewhere this weekend to close out winter? Leave a comment and link below. If you’re excited to start spring racing this upcoming weekend, leave that information too so we can shout you out in our What’s Up In Ultra column on Wednesday.