For the second time in three years, a woman finished first overall at the Umstead 100-mile Endurance Run. And when the 30-hour cutoff horn sounded, the race had the second-largest number of finishers in its 29-year history. Like many other things in life, the journey to the finish had several twists and turns, but with 400 volunteers and about the same number of crew members, the race’s 280 starters had a small army of support.
In 2024, there were several planned changes to help improve the experience for runners, crew and volunteers. The start time was moved to dawn so that runners would have a less stressful pre-race morning without headlamps. An unexpected change was the state’s Department of Transportation removing a key bridge within the park about two months prior to the event. A new course that maintained the eight-lap format was mapped, measured and USATF-certified with about four weeks to go. Early feedback we received indicates that about two-thirds of the runners this year preferred the out-and-back format compared to the traditional keyhole/lollipop configuration. Even those who did not like the new format were gracious in their understanding of the need to deal with the bridge closure. Ultrarunners are a cool group of people.
The new, temporary course allowed everyone to see where they stood throughout the race. Up front, there were several lead changes in the first 50 miles as an early front-runner had to stop at mile 32. Brian Marshburn and Brian Sherfy took turns leading the race. Around 50 miles, Tara Dower and Jim Sweeney, who had been running together for much of the race, moved into the lead positions. The pair continued to work together until sometime after 75 miles when Dower pushed hard to create a gap on Sweeney. Dower was able to grow her lead to approximately 25 minutes by the time she reached the finish.
Dower further wrote herself into the race’s history with this year’s great finish. She had been the third female finisher in 2022 when the race not only had a woman finish first overall, but also had three females finish in the overall top six. As if that wasn’t enough, Dower came into this year with great belief in her ability. By pushing hard, she was finished in 14:58.
Jim Sweeney already has an impressive Umstead 100 history. He won the race in 2013 and has run 14:07 on the 100-mile course. With his first-place male finish in 15:23, Sweeney has now completed the 100-miler eight times in eight attempts, always among the top three men. Jim’s father, Stephen, entered and completed the race’s 50-mile option in plenty of time to witness Jim’s victory.
Jim Sweeney finished first male and completed his eighth Umstead finish. Photo Dennis Geiser
Tara Dower runs to an overall win. Photo Dennis Geiser
Keith Gruchacz (7:56) and Amy Scott (9:14) were champions in the 50-miler. Scott is already a member of the 500-mile club with five 100-mile finishes beginning in 2012.
Those who reached milestones this year were Keshia Heggie-Street and Stephen Robbins who each joined the 500-mile club. Earning a 1,000-mile buckle, Ray Krolewicz finished the 100-miler with a luxurious 16 minutes to spare. Running 23:37, Mike Smith continues to push boundaries notching his 23rd Umstead 100-mile finish.
While the course retained its structure of 12.5-mile laps run eight times for a 100-mile finish, the re-routing created new dynamics that runners had to deal with. The short, steep hills on the back half of the course were eliminated. Many returning runners were expecting significantly faster times as a result. While the total elevation change was reduced, it still amounted to over 7,000 feet of climbing over 100 miles. Raleigh is not flat. The out-and-back configuration also eliminated the dark-of-night isolation in the woods that can negatively impact some runners. Conversely, the temporary course has a sneaky-hard aspect: the hills are not as steep, but they are longer. Difficulty in pacing and/or figuring out where to walk on those long, slow hills ended the race early for a few runners.
The event was held during fantastic weather conditions: dry with temperatures in the upper 30s to near 60 degrees. The canopy corridor along the course near the start / finish area continues to grow, adding to the vibrancy of the Umstead weekend. Among the most notable groups in the canopy village was the 34-member TUFF club who had set up 17 canopies near the top of the hill leading out of race headquarters.
The Umstead community continues to provide inspiration for first-time 100-mile runners and veterans, alike. The course has changed, weather can be great or horrible and getting into the race can be stressful, but through it all, we are grateful to spend a weekend together for a run in the park.