Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, October 21. Zach Bitter of Marinette, Wisconsin and Connie Gardner of Medina, Ohio won the Tussey Mountainback 50, which served as the USATF National Championship. Bitter finished just outside Michael Wardian’s course record, taking the lead for good at the halfway point. Eastern Michigan University cross-country runner Austin Hendrix finished second in his first ultra.
Gardner, the defending champion, pulled away from Traci Falbo in the last five miles for the women’s win.
Men
1. Zach Bitter, 26, Marinette, WI, 5:35:51
2. Austin Hendrix, 22, Ypsilanti, MI, 5:51:07
3. Michael Arnstein, New York, NY, 5:57:21
4. Brian Rusiecki, 33, Westfield, MA, 6:01:46
5. Joshua Finger, 38, Spring City, PA, 6:11:56
Women
1. Connie Garnder, 48, Medina, OH, 7:07:42
2. Traci Falbo, 40, Charlestown, IN, 7:09:18
3. Riva Johnson, 49, Carlisle, PA, 7:29:40
4. Kathleen Cusick, 37, Knoxville, TN, 7:53:46
5. Sonja Hinish, 26, Arlington, VA, 7:56:41
Photo: Zach Bitter heading down the final stretch (photo by Eric Smith, Centre Daily Times)