I’ve been looking for some sunshine and found it in this week’s race schedule. We’re dropping into Thailand, New Zealand, Hawai’i, and elsewhere for the weekly rundown.
We also have the schedule of the 2024 Golden Trail World Series.
Doi Inthanon Thailand by UTMB – Chiang Mai, Thailand
The end-of-year UTMB Asia-Pacific major had three ultra distances, all with a surprising amount of vertical. I guess it makes sense though, the race’s namesake national park is nicknamed the “roof of Thailand” for its mountain peaks.
175k
The event’s longest race stretched 175 kilometers (108 miles) and with 10,030 meters (32,906 feet) of elevation gain through the jungle.
Ji Duo (China) was all alone at the end of the men’s race. His 23:58 finish squeaked under the 24-hour mark and was nearly 90 minutes better than everyone else. Duo was 14th at this year’s UTMB, and this was at least his fourth ultra finish since then. Gediminas Grinius (Lithuania) and Beñat Marmissolle (France) were second and third in 25:25 and 25:44. For perspective on this course’s challenge, or on the challenge of Marmissolle’s individual day, Marmissolle placed second in this year’s Hardrock 100 in 23:50. He was almost two hours slower here.
Chinese runners took the entirety of the women’s podium, and no one was better than 30 hours. Lin Chen, Anna Li, and Yuan-Yuan Wu all finished in 30:05, 30:11, and 30:54 to lead the group.
The race served as a Western States 100 Golden Ticket Series race as well. For the men, Ji Duo and men’s fourth-place finisher Robert Hajnal (Romania) accepted the Golden Tickets, and for the women it was first and second places Lin Chen and Anna Li who accepted theirs.
95k
The roughly 59-mile race gained 5,860 meters (19,225 feet) for a big mountain challenge too. Chinese runners again led the men. The top eight all finished under 11 hours, but Guang-Fu Meng (China) gapped everyone with a 10:09 finish that brought him home 33 minutes before anyone else. Pei-Quan You and Hui Bai were next in a string of close finishes at 10:42 and 10:43.
Hau Ha Thi (Vietnam) dominated the women’s run in 12:09. She was quietly fourth at OCC this year, and won last year’s Doi Inthanon 50k. Ragna Debats (The Netherlands, lives in Spain) was second in 12:43, and Emilie Maroteaux (Réunion Island) ran 13:26 for third.
50k
The shortest of the event’s ultra courses was pretty stout too. There was 2,870 meters (9,416 feet) of elevation gain on this course, and of the nearly 1,400 starters, only three could finish in under five hours.
Revenge game! Tao Luo (China) avenged a drop at last year’s race and won big this year in 4:16 for the men. Meikael Beaudoin-Rousseau (U.S.) chased to a 4:39 second-place finish and Ai-Ai Shi (China) was third in 4:44.
Women’s winner Elisa Desco (Italy) edged Marina Cugnetto (Italy) for the women’s win in 5:17. Cugnetto was barely two minutes back in 5:19, and Rui-Fang Zhou (China) was third in 5:31.
[Editor’s Note: From 2010 to 2012, Elisa Desco served a two-year doping ban from the IAAF after she tested positive for EPO at the 2009 World Mountain Running Championships.]
The WILD Epic Mountain Runs – Arrowtown, New Zealand
The two-day event happened in far southern New Zealand’s South Island. The courses included a mix of faster terrain and mountain ups and downs.
85k V5000
The official course was cut short to just 75k (46 miles) and with 3,900 meters (12,795 feet) of elevation gain due to weather.
Cullen Rhind (New Zealand) was a runaway winner in the men’s race at 8:24. No other man came in under nine hours. Benje Patterson (New Zealand) and Matthew Gummer (New Zealand) were up next in 9:09 and 9:32.
Cullen Rhind, the 2023 The WILD V5000 men’s winner. Photo: Photos4sale
Women’s leader Alison Wilson (U.K., lives in New Zealand) was way out front in 8:59, and that placed her second overall too. iRunFar’s own Eszter Horanyi (U.S.) was second in 10:05 and Hannah Wall (New Zealand) was third in 10:17.
Alison Wilson wins the 2023 The WILD V5000. Photo: Photos4sale
64k V3000
The 40-mile race also went across one big mountain loop. Vajin Armstrong (New Zealand) led Dai Lawson (New Zealand) and Jaco Du Plessis (New Zealand) to the top of the podium. The group finished in 7:05, 7:29, and 7:32, respectively.
Vajin Armstrong, the 2023 The WILD V3000 men’s winner. Photo: Photos4sale
Louise Murray (Ireland, living in N.Z.) edged out Delphine Touzouli (France) for the women’s victory. The two finished in 8:18 and 8:25, and Alexandra Knights (New Zealand) was third in 8:58.
Louise Murray takes the win at the 2023 The WILD V3000. Photo: Photos4sale
Ultra-Trail Kosciuszko by UTMB – Snowy Mountains National Park, Australia
The second-year event ran through Australia’s alpine wonderland, the Snowy Mountains, and featured three different ultra distances. Uniquely and oddly, both the 100-mile and 100k races appear to have had a 4k, no faster than 45 minutes, required walking section across a sharp metal grate. Someone closer to the event can perhaps clarify, but this metal walkway must be across a sensitive terrain area?
100 Mile
The 100-mile race had 231 starters and 160 finishers. The top three men came in under 20 hours, and only two minutes separated the front two. Chris Lenkic (Australia) edged out Takumi Sawayanagi (Japan) for the win. Lenkic finished in 19:23 and Sawayanagi ran 19:25. It was Lenkic’s 100-mile debut. Hayato Nishikata (Japan) was third in 19:46.
Chris Lenkic wins the 2023 Ultra-Trail Kosciuszko by UTMB 100 Mile. Photo: Korupt Vision
Women’s winner Manuela Soccol (Belgium) avenged a drop at last year’s race to earn her first 100-mile finish. She broke the finish tape in pouring rain in 22:24. Last year’s 100k race winner Stephanie Auston (Australia) was second in 23:02 and Claire O’Brien-Smith (Australia) was third in 23:19.
Manuela Soccol, the 2023 Ultra-Trail Kosciuszko by UTMB 100 Mile women’s winner. Photo: Ultra-Trail Kosciuszko by UTMB
100k
Ruy Ueda (Japan) stepped up in distance, his first 100k in five years, and won the men’s race in 9:46. Rhett Gibson (Australia) and Adrian de la Nougerede (U.K.) were second and third in 10:09 and 11:32.
Women’s winner Patricia McKibbin (Australia) led for all of her race and finished in 12:22. She was third here a year ago. Second-place Hannah McRae (Australia) ran 12:46 and Sophie Broome (U.K.) was third in 13:00.
50k
Nearly 1,000 runners took on the 50k course. It was the biggest race of the event’s four distances. (The event had a 27k race in addition to the three ultras.) Tuomas Kari (Finland) and Madison Reynolds (Australia) won in 4:17 and 5:14, respectively.
Hellgate 100k – Fincastle, Virginia
A midnight start adds to the challenge of the 66.6-mile trail through the Blue Ridge Mountains in winter. Weather conditions were reportedly mild this year.
Brian Culmo and Aaron Slabach dueled at the front of the men’s race and were the only sub-11-hour finishers. Culmo finished in 10:10, a new course record, and Slabach trailed in 10:25. Jordan Chang was off the lead pace but on the podium in 11:08. Culmo and Chang were second and third a year ago, and Chang was remarkably third in 2021 too.
Shannon Howell led three women under 14 hours. Howell was the fastest at 13:02, and Jennifer Mawn and Laura Davis finished next in 13:43 and 13:59.
Shannon Howell and Brian Culmo, the 2023 Hellgate 100k winners. Photo courtesy of Hellgate 100k/David Horton.
Additional Races and Runs
Honolulu Marathon – Honolulu, Hawai’i
Andy Wacker and Sage Canaday felt a need for speed on the roads and went to the roads for 2:23 and 2:31 respective marathon finishes. Wacker, who finished fourth overall and as top American, split 1:10 for the first half and Canaday ran a negative split after a 1:16 first half. Full results.
Deception Pass 50k – Oak Harbor, Washington
Mike Sidic and Kat Drew won the Rainshadow Running event in 3:54 and 4:11. Full results.
Frozen Trail Run Fest 50k – Eugene, Oregon
Race winners Ethan Hardacre and Rachel Hawkins covered the 50k course in 4:23 and 4:50. Full results.
Doomsday 50k – Cool, California
Time’s up at the Doomsday 50k. Danny Murphy and Nicolette Del Sarto beat the clock in 5:13 and 6:03. Full results.
Joshua Tree Traverse FKT – California
We haven’t had eyes on fastest known times lately, but the North American winter’s a great time for such efforts. Jade Belzberg ran 4:40 on the 37-mile Joshua Tree Traverse and that was two minutes better than Keely Henninger’s former women’s supported FKT from December 2022.
Tucson 50k – Oro Valley, Arizona
The 50k road race was held as part of the greater Tucson Marathon event and, like the marathon, on a downhill course. Ferdinand Clovis Airault and Tara Kaur rolled to 3:20 and 3:43 winning times. Full results.
Hitchcock Experience Endurance Runs – Honey Creek, Iowa
Nate Cannon and Kaci Lickteig won the 50 miler in 9:49 and 9:28, respectively. Full results.
Bigfoot 50k – Lore City, Ohio
Salt Fork State Park is the place for Bigfoot in Ohio. There have been at least 36 reported sightings since the 1980s, and one as recently as 2020. The 50k race inside the park was a three-lap 10.4-mile loop and J.R. Luyster was 24 minutes better than everyone else in 4:39. Olivia Watson won the women’s race in 5:55. Full results.
Shakori 40 Mile Ultra – Pittsboro, North Carolina
Alex Drozd and Makayla Florez led a small group to the finish in 4:55 and 6:55. Full results.
Tallahassee Ultradistance Classic – Wakulla Springs, Florida
It was the longtime race’s 42nd year. Ryan Woodward and Jenny Early were 50k champs in 4:31 and 5:05. Full results.
USATF Club Cross Country Championships – Tallahassee, Florida
The event perhaps didn’t get the trail runner participation that it has in the past, but we spotted a few familiar names. It’s been a while, but Renee Metivier used to more regularly race on trails. She was the USATF trail marathon national champion back in 2017. At the USATF Club Cross Championships, in the Masters Women’s 6k, Metivier was second in 21:40. Chris Grauch, who has raced for the U.S. at the World Masters Mountain Running Championships, was 12th in the Masters Men’s 10k in 35:02. Liam Meirow had a full year on the trails, and finished 16th in the Open Men’s 10k in 31:59. He raced as part of the Bowerman Track Club team. Full results.
Daytona 100 Ultras – Jacksonville, Florida
It was a big weekend for Florida. The 100-mile winners Marc Burget and Caryn Lubetsky finished in 15:16 and 16:30, and over 50 miles it was Armand Riehl and Myriah Tisch at 8:00 and 9:53. Alexander Thomas and Bethany Bradshaw won the 50k in 4:27 and 5:21. Full results.
2024 Golden Trail World Series
There’s some new races in new places as the Golden Trail World Series expands to eight series races.
- April 20-21 – Kobe Trail – Japan
- April 27 – Four Girls Mountain Trail – China
- May 26 – Zegama-Aizkorri Marathon – Spain
- June 30 – Marathon du Mont Blanc – France
- August 10 – Sierre-Zinal – Switzerland
- August 17 – Tatra Sky Marathon – Poland
- September 14-15 – Headlands – U.S.
- September 22 – Mammoth Trail Fest – U.S.
- October 17-20 – Grand Final – TBD
Call for Comments
- The Pikes Peak Ascent fell out of the Global Trail World Series. Do you feel okay about that?
- What other news do you have to report from the weekend in running?
