The USATF Trail Half Marathon National Championships were in Utah, and the IAU 50k World Championships were in India. Those events top this week’s rundown. Let’s break it down.
Moab Trail Half Marathon – Moab, Utah
The event’s Marathon race usually shines as the premier distance and has previously been the USATF Trail Marathon National Championships, but this year the spotlight was on the half marathon. The 13.1-miler was this year’s USATF Trail Half Marathon National Championships and gave away a $6,600 prize purse that sent $800 to each winner.
Women
Bailey Kowalczyk rolled the women’s field, beating everyone by almost five minutes. Kowalczyk finished in 1:36:42. Three weeks ago she was second at the Kodiak by UTMB 50k.
Just over three minutes separated the next four finishers. Rachel Rudel was second in 1:41:20, and Alicia Vargo ran 1:42:32 for third. After some four years away from racing, Vargo’s had a red hot stretch of racing to finish 2023.
Bailey Kowalczyk, the 2023 Moab Trail Half Marathon winner. Photo: Aktiva Sport Photography
The full top 10 was:
1 – Bailey Kowalczyk – 1:36:42
2 – Rachel Rudel – 1:41:20
3 – Alicia Vargo – 1:42:32
4 – Stevie Kremer – 1:43:22
5 – Alexa Aragon – 1:43:42
6 – Hannah Rowe – 1:44:35
7 – Keelah Barger – 1:45:05
8 – Anna Mae Flynn – 1:45:50
9 – Sarah Guhl – 1:46:28
10 – Katie Follett – 1:46:44
Men
Meikael Beaudoin-Rousseau ran down early leader Andy Wacker near mile 9, and won in 1:21:36. Wacker didn’t give up much ground and was second in 1:22:13. After that, Grant Colligan got on the podium in 1:23:35.
Meikael Beaudoin-Rousseau, the 2023 Moab Trail Half Marathon winner. Photo: Aktiva Sport Photography
The top 10 was:
1 – Meikael Beaudoin-Rousseau – 1:21:36
2 – Andy Wacker – 1:22:13
3 – Grant Colligan – 1:23:35
4 – Cole Campbell – 1:24:58
5 – Garrett Corcoran – 1:26:37
6 – Jerrell Mock – 1:27:08
7 – Phil Royer – 1:27:43
8 – Bayden Menton – 1:30:01
9 – Daniel Button – 1:30:11
10 – Kieran Nay – 1:30:57
The race also acted as the first annual U.S. Collegiate Trail Championships, which were won by Solomyn Collen and Cole Campbell, both of Western Colorado University, in 2:31:36 and 1:24:58.
IAU 50k World Championships – Hyderabad, India
Hyderabad’s a big city with a population of 10.8 million, and inside this metro area runners raced on a five-kilometer loop.
Women
A small championships field of 29 women from 12 countries raced, and less than two minutes separated the front three. Carla Molinaro (U.K.) won in 3:18:23. Molinaro’s a 2:46 marathoner who was third at this year’s Comrades Marathon.
Andrea Pomaranski (U.S.) chased to second place in 3:19:07, and Sarah Webster (U.K.) was third in 3:20:07.
The U.K. placed four runners inside the top five to win team gold.
The 2023 IAU 50k World Championships women’s podium (l-to-r): 3. Sarah Webster, 1. Carla Molinaro, and 2. Andrea Pomaranski. Photo courtesy of the International Association of Ultrarunners.
Men
Whereas the U.K. dominated the women’s run, Spain did the same in the men’s race. Spain placed four runners inside the top five, and swept the men’s podium.
Chakib Lachgar, Alejandro Jimenez, and Jesus Angel Olmos finished in 2:48:20, 2:49:30, and 2:50:12. Lachgar holds a 2:11 marathon best from February of this year. Jimenez ran a 2:10 marathon in late 2022.
The 2023 IAU 50k World Championships men’s podium (l-to-r): 3. Jesus Angel Olmos, 1. Chakib Lachgar, and 2. Alejandro Jimenez. Photo courtesy of the International Association of Ultrarunners.
Puerto Vallarta Mexico by UTMB – Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Geneviève Asselin-Demers (Canada) and Cristofer Clemente (Spain) won the 100k race in 12:07 and 10:03.
The 50k run was perhaps the event’s most competitive distance, particularly among the men. For the women, Caitlin Schindel (Canada) was way out front and clear of everyone else in 5:40. Klaire Rhodes (U.S.) and Nayeli De La Torre (Mexico) were distant second- and third-placers in 6:13 and 6:39.
The men’s race came down to crunch time. Only three seconds separated men’s 50k leaders Juan Belman Ortiz (Mexico) and David Norris (U.S.). Both finished in 5:06 with Belman Ortiz in front. Mario Mendoza (U.S.) was third in 5:30.
Kullamannen by UTMB – Mölle, Sweden
I was curious what Kullamannen meant, and so Googled it to learn, “He is the immortal knight who has always taken the side of the weak toward their oppressors.” That’s interesting.
Some 624 runners started the 100-mile race, and Johanna Antila (Finland) and Jakob Åberg (Sweden) finished first. The pair ran 17:39 and 14:59 on the mostly flat course. Åberg dipped under the 15-hour mark by 56 seconds.
One step down, the roughly 64-mile race was won by Sylvia Nordskar (Norway) and Oscar Claesson (Sweden) in 9:21 and 7:42. Claesson won by a just over a minute, barely edging out Simen Østensen (Norway).
Yngvild Kaspersen (Norway) took the 50k crown jewels in 3:59, 29 seconds under the 4-hour line. Judith Wyder (Switzerland) was second in 4:09. The first seven men all ran under four hours, and less than two minutes separated the first four. Stian Dahl Sommerseth (Norway) led the stampede in 3:51.
Additional Races and Runs
Jenny Hoffman Sets U.S. Transcontinental Running Record – New York City, New York
On November 2, Jenny Hoffman completed her record setting run across the U.S. in 47 days, 12 hours, and 35 minutes. This broke the record set by Sandra Villines in 2017, of 55 days, 16 hours and 23 minutes. The effort began on September 16 at the San Francisco, California, city hall, and finished at the New York City, New York, city hall. Record details. News story.
Silver Falls 50k – Silverton, Oregon
Emily Perttu and Aaron Molstad won the 50k race inside its namesake state park in 5:28 and 4:25. Full results.
Rio Del Lago 100 Mile – Granite Bay, California
Rachel Entrekin and Greg Miller were champs in 19:16 and 17:22. Full results.
Antelope Island 50k – Syracuse, Utah
Lotti Brinks broke a decade-old course record in the women’s race at 3:55, and Hawk Call won for the men in 3:39. Full results.
Moab Trail Marathon – Moab, Utah
Alongside the earlier covered half marathon, Kristina Trygstad-Saari and Kyle Lund won the event’s marathon race in 3:51 and 3:24. Full results.
Austin Rattler Run 50k – Smithville, Texas
Rachel Tomajczyk and race-local Erik Stanley finished first in 3:28 and 3:20. Full results.
TARC Stone Cat 50 Mile – Ipswich, Massachusetts
The Trail Animals Running Club race through Willowdale State Forest saw Jessica Finocchiaro and Ryan Williams finish first in 11:08 and 7:54. Full results.
Jessica Finocchiaro, on her way to winning the 2023 TARC Stone Cat 50 Mile. Photo: Chris Wristen
Ryan Williams, racing to victory in the 2023 TARC Stone Cat 50 Mile. Photo: Chris Wristen
Eastern Divide 50k – Pembroke, Virginia
A small field of 46 finishers was led by Taylor Cherry and Alex Gold in 4:48 and 3:48. Full results.
Mountain Masochist 50 Mile – Montbello, Virginia
The race celebrated its 40th year, and crowned Meg Landymore and Seth Wall as this year’s winners in 8:41 and 8:03. Full results.
Pinhoti 100 Mile – Sylacauga, Alabama
Madalyn Nones and Andrew Higgins won the point-to-point run through the Talladega National Forest in 22:15 and 18:52. Full results.
Call for Comments
I looked for a New York minute, but didn’t spot any names familiar to this column in the elite fields of the New York Marathon results. Did you find any, or know of anyone that we should highlight in the comments below?
