As we head into the week of Thanksgiving, highlights in our Ultra Weekend Recap include some speedy times at the country’s oldest 50-miler, two new course records at a large 50k in Utah, results from an inaugural 100k in North Carolina and more.
When all was said and done at the 61st JFK 50 in Williamsport, Maryland, on Saturday, Seth Ruhling from Boulder, Colorado, came away with his second win in two tries on the famed course with the fifth-fastest performance in the race’s history in a time of 5 hours, 28 minutes and 38 seconds. Precisely 10 minutes back was Calum Neff of Katy, Texas, in 5 hours, 38 minutes and 38 seconds. Rounding out the podium was Ryan Sullivan of Grand Junction, Colorado, in 5 hours, 40 minutes and 44 seconds. In the women’s race, Jennifer Lichter from Missoula, Montana, made her debut at the distance and won with the sixth-fastest performance ever in 6 hours, 23 minutes and 31 seconds. Runner-up Robyn Mildren of Baltimore, Maryland, came across the line in 6 hours, 27 minutes and 58 seconds, and Valérie Arsenault out of Québec, Canada, claimed third in 6 hours, 35 minutes and 55 seconds. A total of 933 runners finished the race.
At the Dead Horse Ultra 50k in Moab, Utah, Anne Flower of Colorado Springs, Colorado, won and set a new course record in 3 hours, 49 minutes and 7 seconds. Giselle Slotboom from Holladay, Utah, also broke 4 hours, finishing in 3 hours, 58 minutes and 9 seconds. Third place went to Genevieve Lillis of Basalt, Colorado, in 4 hours, 5 minutes and 51 seconds. Both the first and second-place males went under the previous course record. Cole Campbell out of Gunnison, Colorado, won in 3 hours, 4 minutes and 45 seconds, and Matthew Vira from Twin Lakes, Colorado, was next in 3 hours, 16 minutes and 45 seconds. Brooks Macdonald of Lafayette, Colorado, came in third in 3 hours, 20 minutes and 15 seconds. Check out the full 50k results here and the accompanying 50-mile results here.
Pisgah Forest, North Carolina, hosted the inaugural Looking Glass 100k on Saturday. The race was held previously as a 50-mile event in 2019. Marisa Romeo from Asheville, North Carolina, won for the women in 13 hours, 19 minutes and 29 seconds. The runner-up was Shannon Colley of Mills River, North Carolina, in a time of 16 hours, 6 minutes and 34 seconds, and third place went to Jana Grindheim hailing from Durham, North Carolina, in 16 hours, 12 minutes and 26 seconds. Marcus Welker of Hendersonville, North Carolina, won for the men in 11 hours, 59 minutes and 19 seconds, Tim Nooney from Arden, North Carolina, came in second in 12 hours, 17 minutes and 48 seconds, and Brad Orr of Greenville, South Carolina, rounded out the podium in 12 hours, 35 minutes and 44 seconds. Full results here.
Peruse even more race results from the Wild Florida Trail Run 50k in White Springs, Florida, the Lake Haigler 12-Hour in Fort Mill, South Carolina, the Dizzy Fifties 50k in Huntsville, Alabama, and the Duncan Ridge Trail 50k in Blairsville, Georgia.
If you lined up at an event that we missed, let us know how it went below. If you’re racing this upcoming weekend, perhaps at the 40th Quad Dipsea or otherwise, tell us about it for Wednesday’s What’s Up In Ultra.