David Riddle with former course JFK course record holder Eric Clifton. Photo courtesy of Cassie Scallon.
In today’s 49th running of the JFK 50 mile, David Riddle broke Eric Clifton‘s 17-year-old course record of 5:46:22 with a time of 5:40:44. Riddle’s record setting performance is made all the more impressive by the fact that before today Clifton had been the only person in the race’s storied history to break 5:50. Riddle wasn’t alone in running an awesome performance. On the tow path, Michael Wardian was a man on a mission running 6 minute mile splits or better to build a 4 minute lead by mile 34.4. From there, Riddle reeled him in, but Wardian still ran the second fastest time in JFK history in 5:43:23. Jeffrey Buechler, who’d gone for it only to blow up the past two years, came off the Appalachian Trail in first. This year he held on for a huge breakthrough, finishing third in 5:53:24. Unofficially, the team of Michael Wardian, Jake Reed, Andy Henshaw, Sean Meissner, and Matt Woods broke the JFK 50 team record (as scored by summing a team’s three fastest runners’ times).
On the women’s side, Cassie Scallon, unknown to many, ran away from Meghan Arbogast when they hit the trail section only 3.6 miles into the race and never looked back. Scallon won JFK in the third fastest women’s time in race history – 6:31:37. Arbogast fell as far as 7 minutes back before closing late in the race. She finished in 6:35, the fourth fastest women’s time on the course. Arbogast broke the women’s 50+ course record by over 85 minutes and bested the 40+ record by 7 minutes. Elissa Ballas was third in 7:01.
We’ve now published a set of extensive interviews with David Riddle, Cassie Scallon, Michael Wardian, and Meghan Arbogast.
Top JFK 50 Men’s Results
David Riddle winning the 2011 JFK 50.
- David Riddle – Course Record – 5:40:44 (Eric Clifton, 1994, 5:46:22)
- Michael Wardian – 5:43:24 (also under old Course Record)
- Jeffrey Buechler – 5:53:25
- Kalib Wilkinson – 6:05:05
- Michael Arnstein – 6:07:54
- Zach Bitter – 6:11:59
- Jon Lawler – 6:13:50
- Matt Lavine – 6:15:22
- Jake Reed – 6:16:39
- Ethan Coffey – 6:21:55
[We’ve noted the performances of a few additional well-known men in a comment below. We’ve been updating it.]
Top JFK 50 Women’s Results
Cassie Scallon winning the 2011 JFK 50.
- Cassie Scallon – 6:31:22 (3rd fastest time in race history)
- Meghan Arbogast – 6:35:16 (4th fastest time in race history)
- Elissa Ballas – 7:01:39
- Karen Benway – 7:07:35
- Ragan Petrie – 7:08:00
- Valerie Clinard – 7:17:57
- Jacquelyn Jackman – 7:19:53
- Bethany Patterson – 7:27:36
- Jacqueline Palmer – 7:30:17
- Valerie Matena – 7:43:50
