The second running of The Rut 50k went down this weekend with some of the world’s best trail runners facing off on the slopes of Lone Peak in Big Sky, Montana under awesome autumnal skies. By the time the scree had settled, Emelie Forsberg (pre-race and post-race interviews) and Kilian Jornet (pre-race and post-race interviews) were the winners, both becoming the Ultra Skymarathon Series champions in the process.
As usual, we’ll be updating this article with links to The Rut 50k-related articles, photo galleries, and race reports.
Thanks to Salomon for sponsoring iRunFar’s coverage of the race.
Ps. To get all the latest ultra news from iRunFar.com, subscribe via RSS or email.
2014 The Rut 50k Men’s Race
The two race favorites–Sage Canaday (pre-race and post-race interviews) and Kilian Jornet–delivered as promised. In the early going, Sage went out hard, putting a few minutes on the field over the relatively fast first third of the course. However, when he hit the first technical climb on talus, Kilian quickly closed the gap, passed Sage, and never looked back. While there were easier miles to be had late in the course, Sage’s hard early effort left him unable to make up any ground on victor Kilian.
Sage Canaday and Kilian Jornet after The Rut. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Many went out hard, including a bunch of fast local runners. Manuel Merillas (post-race interview) ran to his own strengths, which had him in the top 10 in the race’s first third, but toward the back of that group. At mile 12, he was in seventh, but then the real climbing started and he was in fourth by mile 18. After the long climb to the Lone Peak summit, he remained in fourth behind Kilian, Sage, and Tom Owens. By the marathon mark, Merillas had made his decisive move past Owens into third place, which is where he’d finish.
Manuel Merillas in fourth while ascending Lone Peak. Photo: iRunFar/Travis Trampe
2014 The Rut 50k Men’s Results
- Kilian Jornet (Salomon) — 5:09:31 (pre-race and post-race interviews)
- Sage Canaday (Hoka One One) — 5:20:26 (pre-race and post-race interviews)
- Manuel Merillas (Mammut) — 5:29:17 (post-race interview)
- Tom Owens (Salomon) — 5:33:43
- Paul Hamilton (The North Face) — 5:44:17 (pre-race interview)
- Rickey Gates (Salomon) — 5:50:46
- Dan Kraft (Nike) — 5:50:50
- Catlow Shipek — 5:53:31
- Fulvio Dapit (La Sportiva) — 5:54:40
- Nick Elson — 5:56:09
2014 The Rut 50k Women’s Race
While one couldn’t be sure on the order ahead of time, the women’s podium, and, indeed, the top four or five runners ended up much as might be expected. The women of Salomon went out in front and never let up en route to filling the podium. Somewhat surprisingly, Emelie Forsberg started building a convincing lead almost from the gun, doing so on flatter, less-technical terrain than she prefers. Once she hit the technical terrain mid-race, Emelie got excited and kept on rolling to the win.
Emelie Forsberg leading on the climb up Lone Peak. Photo: iRunFar/Travis Trampe
Anna Frost (pre-race and post-race interviews) and Kasie Enman (post-race interview) ran together until just after the first aid station when Anna urged fleet-footed Kasie to take advantage of her speed. While Kasie would never reel Emelie back in, she did run her way to a strong, consistent second-place finish. Frost said she didn’t have “much race in [her]” on Saturday, but she had plenty enough to round out the podium.
Anna Frost and Kasie Enman running together in second 7.5 miles into the race. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Ellie Greenwood (pre-race interview) didn’t bolt to the front in the early going as might have been expected. Rolling into mile 7 in fourth place and already significantly off the lead, it would have seemed that the yet-to-come technical terrain might sink Ellie’s ship. Indeed, in the later miles Hillary Allen would challenge her, but Ellie used her speed and determination to rocket down the final mountain to take fourth ahead of Hillary.
Ellie Greenwood scaling Lone Peak. Photo: iRunFar/Travis Trampe
2014 The Rut 50k Women’s Results
- Emelie Forsberg (Salomon) — 6:32:40 (pre-race and post-race interviews)
- Kasie Enman (Salomon) — 6:38:04 (post-race interview)
- Anna Frost (Salomon) — 6:49:22 (pre-race and post-race interviews)
- Ellie Greenwood (Montrail) — 6:57:33 (pre-race interview)
- Hillary Allen (Runners Roost) — 7:00:31
- Kristina Pattison — 7:06:32
- Rebecca Much –7:10:29
- Alessandra Carlini (Salomon) — 7:26:29
- Meaghen Brown — 7:51:45
- KT Miller — 7:54:00
2014 The Rut 50k Articles, Race Reports, and More
Articles and Photo Galleries
- Epic Montana’s Video Episodes: One and Two
- Myke Hermsmeyer’s photos (Bonus: Myke’s Hammer Nutrition album and Montana Trail Crew album)
- Salomon Running’s photos
Matt Trappe’s photos[broken link removed]Tom Robertson’s photos[broken link removed]
Race Reports
- Sage Canaday (2nd man)
- Ellie Greenwood (4th woman)
- Hillary Allen (5th woman)
- Kristina Pattison (6th woman)
- Catlow Shipek (8th man)
- Jeremy Wolf (14th man)
Last Updated:2/20/18
