I love to bring any kind of diversity I can into this column, and this week we’re doing it with a mix that includes the USATF 50k Road National Championships, the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, and ski mountaineering’s Pierra Menta two-person race.
USATF 50k Road National Championships – East Islip, New York
The championships event was again held on a 10-loop course at Heckscher State Park, with a $3,000 cash purse that sent $500 to each winner.
Women
Andrea Pomaranski, a 2:33 marathoner, led the whole way and crushed it with a 3:07 finish that just missed the master’s world record. The mark bettered Emily Harrison’s 3:15 event record, and Pomaranski pocketed a $1,000 cash bonus for that. Her 5-kilometer laps went as fast as 18:20 (Lap 2) and none slower than 19:15 (Lap 9). Pomaranski’s win also puts her on the U.S. team that will race the IAU 50k World Championships in India in November 2023.
Second-place Brittany Charboneau also went under the old race record with a 3:13 finish, and Melissa Tanner was third in 3:21.
Andrea Pomaranski, the 2023 USATF 50k Road Championships women’s winner. Photo courtesy of Greater Long Island Running Club.
Men
2020 race winner Kallin Khan overtook early leader Charles Smogoleski near midway and went for a 2:52 first-place finish. Khan’s earlier win came in a time of 2:57.
Smogoleski stayed close for a 2:55 runner-up finish. He ran 2:26 at the February 2023 Mercedes Marathon as part of his training. Mike Katsefaras was closing hard, too, for a third-place 2:55, only 39 seconds back of Smogoleski.
Kallin Khan, the 2023 USATF 50k Road Championships men’s winner. Photo courtesy of Greater Long Island Running Club.
Pierra Menta – Arêches-Beaufort, France
Dating back to 1986, the big ski event goes as a two-person team contest, typically for four days. This year’s third stage was canceled due to poor weather.
Women
There isn’t a ski mountaineering leaderboard without Axelle Mollaret (France) at the top. Here she teamed with Emily Harrop (France) to finish as the first-place team in a combined 6:38.
Candace and Léna Bonnel (France) were second in 7:10, and Martina Valmassoi (Italy) and Elena Nicolini (Italy) were the third-place team in 7:30.
Men
Davide Magnini (Italy) and Michele Boscacci (Italy) teamed as the men’s winners in 5:40, and it was close. French pairs Xavier Gachet and William Bon Mardion, and Samuel Equy and Matheo Jacquemoud, were second and third. Gachet and Mardion were just behind in 5:42, and Equy and Jacquemoud took third in 5:43. Only eight seconds split these two podium teams.
Barry 40 Mile Track Race – Barry, United Kingdom
While not an oft-raced distance, 40 miles was on the docket in Barry, Wales, for the 37th time this past weekend. At the event, Ollie Garrod of the South London Harriers set the world best for 40 miles on a track at 3:45:07, besting legendary Don Ritchie’s mark of 3:48:35 set back in 1982. Garrod won the event the previous two years, running 4:01:53 in 2022 and 4:00:53 in 2021.
On the women’s side Jen Coleman won for the second-straight year, this year in a time of 5:18:12. Full results.
Additional Races and Runs
Ultra Trail Amizmiz – Marrakech, Morocco
Host country runners Hassna Hamdouch and Jamal Ait Ifraden won the two-day stage race totaling 105k in 17:33 and 12:44, and 74k leaders Aziza El Amrany and Hammou Moudouji finished in 9:51 and 8:21. Full results.
NN CPC Loop Den Haag Half Marathon – The Hague, Netherlands
Nienke Brinkman (The Netherlands, lives in Switzerland) went super fast and won in 1:07:44. For perspective, Emily Sisson’s U.S. record is 1:06:52. Brinkman’s working towards next month’s Boston Marathon. Full results.
Dirty Duo – North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Snow pushed a planned-for 50k down to 32k in distance. Andrea Lawson and Benjamin Hughes were race winners in 3:20 and 2:42. Full results.
Deception Pass Marathon – Oak Harbor, Washington
Cassie Smith won the women’s race in 4:10, while Rich Lockwood set a new course record in 3:08. Full results.
Siuslaw Dunes 50k – Florence, Oregon
Daybreak Racing saw race local Lindsey Ulrich and Peter Kesting win in 5:19 and 4:14. Full results.
NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships – Albuquerque, New Mexico
Last fall Lauren Gregory was racing on the U.S. team at the World Mountain Running Championships, but now she’s finishing up her collegiate career at the University of Arkansas. On Friday, Gregory ran 4:39:46 in the indoor mile preliminary round. She anchored her team’s distance medley relay to a second-place finish that same night too, and then came back with a 4:34:24 second-place finish in the indoor mile final. Full results.
Chanoko 50k – Rocklin, California
Michelle Hall and Jacob Huston ran the fastest with 5:35 and 3:42 marks. Full results.
Michelle Hall, the 2023 Chanoko 50k women’s winner. Photo: Bill Driskill
Jacob Huston, the 2023 Chanoko 50k men’s winner. Photo: Bill Driskill
Griffith Park Trail Marathon – Los Angeles, California
Rachel Weber and Joe Angelo finished first in 5:16 and 4:14. Full results.
Old West Trail Runs – Julian, California
Jessica Schnier clocked 4:27 for the women’s win and a new course record, and men’s winner Tanner Hallihan was just ahead in 4:23. Full results.
Catalina Island Marathon – Avalon, California
Katya Meyers and Trevor Pai were race winners in 4:06 and 3:27. Full results.
Mesquite Canyon – Waddell, Arizona
Aravaipa Running’s latest event crowned Deserae Clarke and Jeff Browning as 50-mile winners in 11:29 and 8:47, and Courtne McIntosh and Nicolas Caruso were 50k best in 6:23 and 4:31. Full results.
Antelope Canyon Ultras – Page, Arizona
The posted results show just three 100-mile finishers and a bunch of drops, probably due to heavy rain that left some of the course muddy and in cold weather. Wataru Iino (Japan) was the first man in 21:47, and there were no female finishers. Amber Throop and Amos Desjardins were tops in the 50 miler in 10:27 and 9:10, and Megan Drake and Scott Jaime won the 55k in 4:58 and 5:06, respectively. Full results.
Run Through Time Marathon – Salida, Colorado
Imogen Ainsworth led the women’s group toward a 3:55 finish. Lauren Puretz and Kim Dobson were second and third in 3:56 and 4:02. Men’s winner Morgan Elliott came through in 3:03, and Taylor Stack and Jeshurun Small followed in 3:07 and 3:12, respectively. Full results.
Prickly Pear 50k – San Antonio, Texas
Shannon Beutler and Jared Rothlauf took the top spots in 4:55 and 3:39. Full results.
Shannon Beutler (right), the top woman at the 2023 Prickly Pear 50k, with Sharron Fisherman, Road Runners Club of America Texas State Representative. Photo: Prickly Pear 50k
Jared Rothlauf, the 2023 Prickly Pear 50k men’s champion. Photo: Prickly Pear 50k
Land Between the Lakes 50 Mile – Grand Rivers, Kentucky
Savannah Rose and Conner Parsons were best on the water world course in 8:27 and 6:54, and Stephanie Hill and Walker Yane won the 60k in 5:38 and 4:44. Full results.
Super Bull Trail Championship 50k – Wooster, Ohio
The race’s seventh running saw Christine Partain and Bruce Baker go 5:07 and 4:07 for the wins. Full results.
Call for Comments
Land Between the Lakes, Antelope Canyon, and Catalina Island, there are some pretty spots in this week’s group! Which of these spots have you run in? What other events can you share with us from this weekend?
