Last weekend, after seven previous attempts, Seattle, Washington, ultrarunner Joe McConaughy finally achieved the goal that had eluded him for eight years. He won a Golden Ticket to the Western States 100 at Arizona’s 2025 Black Canyon 100k.
McConaughy’s quest for a Golden Ticket began in the spring of 2017, at the Gorge Waterfalls 100k, which was a Golden Ticket race at the time. After training hard through the winter, Joe came to Gorge Waterfalls determined and fit. After going out hard, he faded to fifth place behind Jim Walmsley, Ben Koss, Tyler Green, and Ben Stern. Undeterred, he jumped into the Lake Sonoma 50 Mile the very next week and finished a disappointing sixth.
The start of the 2025 Black Canyon 100k. Photo: World Trail Majors
After focusing on other pursuits for the remainder of 2017, McConaughy resumed his hunt for a Golden Ticket at the Sean O’Brien 100k in February of 2018. His 9:15 finish under the warm Southern California sun that day was only good enough for third place, seven minutes behind Charlie Ware, who snagged the race’s second Golden Ticket spot.
After three attempts within a year, McConaughy took a break from his Golden Ticket chase to run some low-key races on the U.S. East Coast, and pursue some fastest known time efforts. “I knew I still had the fire to try to go for the Golden Ticket, I just needed a break to do other things,” McConaughy told me, when I asked him about his decision to step away from the highly competitive Golden Ticket series.
In 2021, the Golden Ticket series evolved to include two 100-mile races — UTMB and the Javelina 100 Mile — and Joe saw Javelina as a perfect opportunity to return to his Golden Ticket quest, as he tended to do better in longer races. Alas, the field had other ideas that day, as a trio of flatland specialists — Arlen Glick, Ryan Montogomery, and Cole Watson — swept the podium ahead of McConaughy’s fourth-place finish.
January of 2022 saw the hotly contested Bandera 100k go down to the wire, where McConaughy once again finished just outside of Golden Ticket position, in third place, less than three minutes behind second-place Tyler Fox, who claimed the second Golden Ticket.
For the remainder of 2022, McConaughy shifted his focus to longer efforts, winning the Cocodona 250 Mile in May. And then after two DNFs (did not finish) at Golden Ticket races in 2023, Bandera and Javelina, McConaughy was left wondering if a Golden Ticket just wasn’t meant to be.
Joe McConaughy after taking third at the 2025 Black Canyon 100k, and securing a Golden Ticket to the 2025 Western States 100. Photo courtesy of Joe McConaughy
Until, that is, the 2025 Black Canyon 100k. McConaughy held back through the first half of the race, only moving into the top 10 at the halfway point. Showing the patience and discipline of a true ultra veteran, McConaughy slipped into the third and final Golden Ticket spot with just a few miles left, and proceeded to finish third in 7:31:37.
After collapsing to the ground, McConaughy was approached by Western States 100 race director Craig Thornley, who traditionally presents runners with their Golden Tickets at the Black Canyon finish line. When I asked Joe how long he took to accept the Golden Ticket from Thornley, he said, “Oh, it was about three seconds!”
Prior to winning the ticket, McConaughy was planning to return to the Barkley Marathons and Cocodona this spring. But now, with the Western States 100 on the horizon, he has decided to keep his focus on the big dance. He said, “After trying so hard for so many years, I owe it to myself to put my best foot forward at the Western States 100, so no Barkley or Cocodona for me this year.”
In a true lesson in patience and perseverance, McConaughy has certainly shown the ultrarunning world the enduring value of just showing up — because when you do, good things just might happen.
Bottoms up!
AJW’s Beer of the Week
This week’s beer of the week comes from Redhook Brewing Company in Seattle, Washington. One of the northwest’s oldest breweries, Redhook’s Montlake Gameday Gold Lager is a deliciously crisp lager with a fruity taste and a malty finish. Perfect with a burger and fries, or just on its own, Montlake is a balanced and highly drinkable golden lager.
Call for Comments
- Have you followed Joe McConaughy’s enduring quest for a Western States 100 Golden Ticket?
- Have you also tried repeatedly to get into the Western States 10o? Did you get a spot eventually?
