As much as we wish it wasn’t true, it’s Monday. May ‘This Week In Running’ and our collection of highlights from the USATF Trail Marathon National Championships, the Mountain Masochist Trail Run 50 Mile, and the Rio Del Lago 100 Mile, and more ease the start of the work week.
Moab Trail Marathon – Moab, Utah
The adventurous Moab Trail Marathon was again the USATF Trail Marathon National Championships. A $3,500 prize purse weirdly sent $499 to its winners and $401 to the runners-up, before leveling out to an even $300 for third place. Race winners also earned a spot on the U.S. team that will compete at the 2018 World Mountain Running Long Distance Championships in Poland in June 2018.
Women
The times didn’t match those of even recent years, in part thanks to a half-mile addition as well as deep sand in places from dry fall conditions, but it was close! Renee Metivier, a 2:27 marathoner back in 2012, ran 4:08 to finish 52 seconds in front of second-place Sandi Nypaver. Metivier also won last year’s USATF Trail Half Marathon National Championships.
Third-place Michelle Hummel ran 4:17.
Renee Metivier, 2017 Moab Trail Marathon champion. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Men
Mario Mendoza has been here before. He won this race in 2015, and came back to earn another national-championship title. Much like the women’s race, Mendoza’s time too was off the record pace of a year ago. He ran 3:13 for a comfortable win over second-place Anthony Costales. Fourth a year ago, Costales improved his place despite adding 12 minutes to last year’s time. He holds a 2:17 marathon best dating to 2014.
Patrick Parsel was third in 3:24.
Mario Mendoza, 2017 Moab Trail Marathon champion. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Mountain Masochist Trail Run 50 Mile – Lynchburg, Virginia
Women
Just seventh a year ago, Krista Offield won this year’s Mountain Masochist Trail Run 50 Mile. In the race’s 35th year, Offield battled throughout with Leah Ling and the two two finished in 8:49 and 8:51, respectively. Third-place Anna Evans was a mere two minutes back of Ling at 8:53.
Offield’s 2017 year includes a number of strong performances in and around the Blue Ridge. She was third at the Promise Land 50k, first at the Terrapin Mountain 50k, and seventh at the Holiday Lake 50k earlier this year.
Men
Just seventh a year ago, Michael Dubova won this year’s Mountain Masochist Trail Run 50 Mile. Nope, that’s not a typo. Men’s winner Dubova matched Offield with an identical position jump. He won in 7:11, some 47 minutes better than in 2016.
Matthew Thompson was second in 7:32 and Tom Naert was third in 7:38.
Full results.
Rio Del Lago 100 Mile – Granite Bay, California
Women
Gabrielle Maudiere led three women under the 21-hour mark at the 17th annual Rio del Lago 100 Mile. Maudiere’s 20:17 finish time ranks eighth on the race’s all-time chart. Second- and third-place Sarah Schubert and Natalee Swan were just minutes apart in 20:42 and 20;45, respectively.
Men
One spot better than women’s winner Maudiere, men’s champ Drew Macomber ran 16:41 to now rank seventh on the race’s historical finish list. And again much like the women’s race, second- and third-place Adam Kimble and Dominick Layfield were mere minutes apart with 17:42 and 17:46 finish times.
Other Races
Pinhoti 100 Mile
In Alabama, Liz Canty and Karl Meltzer won the Pinhoti 100 Mile. Canty won the Talladega National Forest shake and bake in 22:04, and Meltzer ran 18:18. For Speedgoat Karl, it was 100-mile win #39, and perhaps more impressive, his 17th-straight year of winning a 100-mile race. Hat tip to longevity, right here. Full results.
Ultra Tour Mt. Siguniang
Hardrock and UTMB in the rear-view mirror, Jason Schlarb is moving on. He won the Ultra Tour Mt. Siguniang 107k race in China in 14:15. A Tibetan runner was second, ahead of Gediminas Grinius (Lithuania) in third. The race was canceled after his finish with deteriorating weather. Meredith Edwards won the simultaneous 66k, and its 3,200 meters of elevation gain, in 12:21. Full results (when available).
Jason Schlarb, 2017 Ultra Tour Mt. Siguniang 107k champion. Photo courtesy of Jason Schlarb.
Lithia Loop Trail Marathon
Happy 10-year anniversary to the Lithia Loop Trail Marathon in Ashland, Oregon. Natalie Ghelfi and David Laney were race winners in 3:30 and 2:51, respectively. Full results.
New York Marathon
Francesco Puppi (Italy), this year’s World Mountain Running Long Distance Champion, ran 2:25 to finish 17th at the New York Marathon. Michael Wardian finished in 2:46. Full results.
Lake Chabot Trail Run
In northern California, Bob Shebest won the Coastal Trail Runs Lake Chabot Trail Run 50k in 3:47, a new course record. Full results.
World Military Championships
Gina and Steve Slaby took part in the 57th annual cross country World Military Championships in Hungary. Neither scored on the short 4.6k course, but the women finished fifth in the team race, and the men seventh. Full results.
Silver Falls Trail Run 50k
Was it meant to be a tie? Jessie Goodell ran 4:53:13 and Denise Bourassa ran 4:53:14. The two finished as first and second female at Oregon’s Silver Falls Trail Run 50k. Men’s winner Craig Eaton ran 4:13. Full results.
Stone Cat Trail Run
In Massachusetts, Aliza Lapierre won the Stone Cat 50 Mile in 7:16. It was her fourth win here, and she was third overall. Men’s champ Michael Austin finished in 7:01. Full results.
Tougher Mudder Socal
This was the world championships, the Tougher Mudder World Championship specifically. In the women’s race, sometimes-trail-runner-turned-obstacle-course-runner Nicole Mericle won the women’s race in 1:15:22. Longtime La Sportiva Mountain Cup series winner Ryan Woods has sufficiently converted to obstacle course racing. He was second in 1:05:41. Full results.
Other Ultra News – 2018 Ultra-Trail World Tour
It’s out. The 2018 Ultra-Trail World Tour calendar, that is. Gone is the Réunion Island Diagonale des Fous and its sister race, the Trail du Bourbon. Back is the Ultra-Trail Mt. Fuji in Japan. The rest of the calendar, as well as the Series with Bonus, Series, Pro, and Challenger race divisions, run identical to 2017.
- January 27 — Hong Kong 100 Ultramarathon (100k) — Hong Kong (Pro)
- February 10 — Tarawera Ultramarathon (102k) — New Zealand (Pro)
- February 21-25 — Transgrancanaria (125k) — Spain (Series)
- April 6-8 — Patagonia Run (160k) — Argentina (Challenger)
- April 6-8 — 100 Miles of Istria Ultratrail (169k) — Croatia (Challenger)
- April 6-16 — Marathon des Sables (250k) — Morocco (Series with Bonus)
- April 27-29 — Ultra-Trail Mt. Fuji (170k) — Japan (Pro)
- April 28 — Madeira Island Ultra-Trail (115k) — Portugal (Pro)
- May 10-13 — Penyagolosa Trails (109k) — Spain (Challenger)
- May 17 — Ultra-Trail Australia (100k) — Australia (Pro)
- June 16 — Mozart 100 (102k) — Austria (Challenger)
- June 22 — Lavaredo Ultra Trail (120k) — Italy (Series)
- June 23 — Western States 100 Mile (161k) — USA (Series)
- July 13-15 — Eiger Ultra-Trail (101k) — Switzerland (Pro)
- August 27-September 2 — UTMB (170k) — France (Series with Bonus)
- August 27-September 2 — CCC (101k) — France (Series)
- August 27-September 2 — TDS (119k) — France (Pro)
- September 7-8 — Ultra-Trail Harricana (125k) — Canada (Challenger)
- October 20-21 — Cappadocia Ultra-Trail (114k) — Turkey (Challenger)
- October 27-28 — Javelina Jundred (100 miles) — USA (Challenger)
- December 1 — Ultra-Trail Cape Town (100k) — South Africa (Challenger)
Call for Comments
- At age 49, is 50 100-mile wins within reach of Karl Meltzer?
- Francesco Puppi and Michael Wardian, but what other trail and ultrarunners took part in the New York Marathon?
- Will she? Camille Herron is registered for next week’s flat-and-fast Tunnel Hill 100 Mile in Illinois. Other top entrants include Neela D’Souza, Anne Wheatly, and in the 50-mile race, Coree Woltering. Full entrant list.
- Go Fund Me! The juniors in Vermont are putting in some miles and elevation gain to raise money to support their junior mountain running goals.
- And of course, it’s not a ‘Call for Comments’ without a call for comments about races not already included above!
[Editor’s Note: Columnist Justin Mock and editor Meghan Hicks spend many hours per week compiling this article, and often doing so well ahead of races posting their results online–that is, by combing social media. We simply cannot cover all the trail and ultra races that take place each week, so we do our best to provide results of the most competitive races as well as a spectrum of additional events from around the world. Please feel absolutely welcome to leave comments with the results of races not covered in this article, and to leave additional information about the races from which we have shared results. Thank you for your understanding.]
