This Week In Running: July 22, 2024 (2024)

Big mountains around the world feature this week. There were stunning races at Mont Blanc in France, the Eiger in Switzerland, and Colorado’s Sawatch Range, among other high spots.

Follow along as the results rundown skips around the globe.

La Montee Du Nid D’Aigle – St. Gervais, France

The World Mountain Running Association World Cup is on a heater. It was their third race in as many weeks and fifth race of the year. This race, translated as The Ascent to the Eagle’s Nest, was meant to run up to the mountaineering start of a Mont Blanc climb. However, work to extend the Mont Blanc Tramway kept this year’s race from that historical finish.

The race went 20 kilometers with 1,850 meters of elevation gain, or 12.4 miles and 6,070 feet.

Women

The women’s podium was a repeat of last week’s Montemuro Vertical Run.Scout Adkin(U.K.) won again, andGloria Chebet(Kenya) andPhilaries Kisang(Kenya) were again second and third. Adkin’s superior climbing turned into a 2:08 finish. Chebet ran up in 2:12 and Kisang in 2:14.

Men

Kenyan runners swept the men’s podium.Richard Omaya AtuyaoutpacedJosphat KiprotichandMichael Selelo Saoli on the uphill course. The three were just about a minute apart, with 1:46, 1:47, and 1:48 finish times.

After winning last year’s Sierre-Zinal,Philemon Ombogo Kiriago(Kenya) hasn’t raced like that since. He was fifth here in 1:52.

Full results.

The next WMRA World Cup race is Giir di Mont on July 28 in Italy — just next weekend!

Speedgoat Mountain Races by UTMB – Snowbird Resort, Utah

The 28k race, 20 miles with 6,561 feet of climbing, went on Friday, and the more well-known 50k followed on Saturday with 11,318 feet of elevation gain.

28k

Just over a minute was all that separated the front two women.Robyn Leshedged outSarah Carterfor the win, with the pair running 3:34 and 3:35, respectively. Third-place Jaycie Thomsenwas a ways back in 3:54.

Second at last week’s U.S. Mountain Running Championships, Hawk Callwas victorious in 3:13. The Friday race date worked for Call. He doubled back the next day on Saturday and won the Spartan Utah Beast obstacle course race and $2,500. Second- and third-place Cole BesserandBlaise Millerfinished in 3:19 and 3:22.

50k

iRunFar earlier recapped the 50k race in greater depth.

Women

Jazmine Lowther(Canada) is on the road back from a long-term injury. She took the women’s crown in 6:15. Lowther rocketed up the ranks in 2022 after winning the Canyons by UTMB 100k, and this might’ve been her first ultra finish since the February 2023 Transgrancanaria 128k.

Mali NoyesandKodi Klevenmade it close. Noyes was second in 6:22, and Kleven was third in 6:24. Both are multi-time Speedgoat 50k finishers, with Noyes having been second also last year and Kleven moving up to a podium finish this year.

Men

Put some respect onDavid Sinclair’sname. He won the men’s race in 4:57 and blew the doors off the field. That’s way up on Christian Allen’s5:23 2023 winning time and better thanAdam Peterman’s5:04 2021 course record. Sinclair has some history here, too. He won the 2022 race in 5:09, was second in 2021 in 5:18, and won in 2018 in 5:27. Earlier this year, Sinclair was second at the Silver State 50k and won the Broken Arrow Skyrace 46k in late June.

Sam Hendry(Canada) andScott Pattersonwere second and third in 5:24 and 5:32. Former course record holder Peterman continues to find his way back from injury. He was sixth in 5:46.

Full results.

Eiger Ultra Trail – Grindelwald, Switzerland

E101

Eva Maria Sperger (Germany) ran into trouble late, and Hannah Allgood (U.S.) took the lead only four kilometers from the finish. Allgood won in 13:09. The course went for 63 miles and 21,981 feet of climbing. Sperger held on to second in 13:36, and Sandra Sevillano (Spain) was third in 14:45.

Only the first three men finished under 12 hours and were quite spread out. Andreas Reiterer(Italy) was all right in first at 11:05. Ramon ManetschandAleix Toda, both of Switzerland, were second and third in 11:17 and 11:52.It was at least Reiterer’s seventh ultra distance race of the year.

E51

Americans swept the top spots of the 32-mile race with 10,170 feet of climbing.Sophia Laukli(U.S., living in Norway) won a close one againstHolly Page(U.K.) andKim Schreiber(Germany). The three leaders ran 5:51, 5:56, and 6:01, respectively.

The men’s race was more stretched out, and Jeshurun Small(U.S.) squeaked under the five-hour mark. Small, the men’s winner, finished in 4:59:43.Paul Mathou(France) and Sindre Buraas(Norway) were second and third in 5:07 and 5:12.

Full results.

High Lonesome 100 Mile – Salida, Colorado

The seventh-year race has some big views of Colorado’s Sawatch Range and packs in 23,500 feet of climbing.

Both races had frontrunner duels that went late.

Women

McKendree Hickorywas the race’s daylong leader, but by mile 85, Laura Hansenhad closed to within four minutes of her. Hickory found another gear to finish the race and stretched it out by the finish. Hickory was victorious in 22:19. That’s way up onAnnie Hughes’sformer 23:40 course record from 2022. It was only Hickory’s second 100 miler after a sixth-place run at last year’s Javelina 100 Mile.

Hansen held on to finish second in 23:06, also better than the old course best, and Sarah Ostaszewski was third in 24:56.

Men

Chris Hammes followed Alex Nicholsthrough the middle of the race and gained the ultimate lead near mile 83. Hammes went on to win the race in 20:16 and Nichols was second in 21:06. Hammes’s time ranks second best at the race behindJimmy Elam’s2023 19:42 course record. His is maybe a less familiar name at the top of the ranks, but Hammes was the top American at UTMB in 2018, and he’s next registered for the September 2024 Run Rabbit Run 100 Mile.

Elan Lieberran 21:45 for third.

Full results.

Additional Races and Runs

XTERRA European Trail Run Championships – Arinsal, Andorra

The event’s 36k and 24k races were part of the XTERRA Trail Run World Series and paid out €5,200 in prize money.Roser Español (Spain) and Martí Lázaro (Spain) won the challenging long course inside the Comapedrosa Natural Park in 6:42 and 4:45, andLaura Orgue (Spain) andFabián Venero(Spain) led the half marathon course in 4:14 and 3:08. The races were technical mountain runs with nothing flat. Full results.

Cascade Crest 100 Mile – Easton, Washington

Katherina Laan won the women’s race in 23:34, and Jesse Langbecame a five-time winner in the men’s race. Lang earlier won in 2022, 2018, 2016, and 2015, with a run of 19:08 this year. Remarkably, Lang was only seven seconds off of his 2022 winning time. Full results.

Wy’east Trailfest 50k – Government Camp, Oregon

Sawyer Magnettran 5:59 to beat the women’s field and the six-hour mark by 10 seconds. Men’s winner Matt Seidelovertook late race leaderNick Hirdton the final downhill to win in 5:08. Hirdt was second in 5:10. Sunday’s 28k race was part of the Golden Trail National Series for the U.S. and Canada. Jade Belzbergled the women in 2:41, and Carolina Alcorta and Mariah Bredal came next in 2:44 and 2:45. Liam Meirow was a minute better than Darren Thomas in the men’s race at 2:13 to Thomas’s 2:14, and Max King was third in 2:16.Full results.

Tahoe Rim Trail – Carson City, Nevada

Maria Guywon her 100-mile debut in 24:06, and the 2021 men’s winner Grant Hotaling did it again, but a lot faster. Hotaling won this year’s race in 18:31, and that was over two hours better than what he ran to win in 2021. The 56-mile winners were Rachael Banton in 12:20 and Ben Tedorein 9:09, and 50k best Jenny JacoxandAmaury Avatarran 6:28 and 5:53. Full results (when available).

Power of Four Trail Run 50k – Aspen, Colorado

The course links up Aspen’s four ski areas. Race winnersAnne FlowerandEthan Kirkdid it in 6:09 and 5:26, respectively.Tabor HemmingandJacob Deweywon the event’s 25k race in 2:13 and 1:52.Full results.

Barr Trail Mountain Race – Manitou Springs, Colorado

The 12.6-mile race runs halfway up Pikes Peak and then back down. Ashley Brasovan won the women’s race in 1:54. For the men, bothJoseph GrayandJonathan Azizshow finish times of 1:33:10, but Gray is listed first and Aziz second. Was it a tie, or did Gray get the lean?Full results.

Ouray 100 Mile – Thistledown, Colorado

Covering more than 40,000 feet of elevation gain over the course of 100 miles, Elizabeth Butlerand Seth Orme took home dominant wins at the Ouray 100 Mile with times of 35:28:46 and 29:25:54, respectively, with Orme’s run a course record. The relatively mild weather year for the race only saw intermittent rain and thunderstorms in the San Juan Mountains, a far cry from the sometimes torrential weather that has shut down the highways in the area with mudslides during the event in the past.

Other performances of note include Howard Worton finishing in 50:37:37 after missing last year’s cutoff by over six hours but having no choice but to get himself back and Simone Austin finishing in 49:59:57 after DNFing on the climb-heavy course the prior four years. Tracking.

Vol State 500k – Dorena Landing, Missouri

The 314-mile point-to-point run started on July 11 and finally finished on July 21, running from Missouri through Tennessee to Georgia.Shawna WentlandtandChris Varnadoe were this year’s first finishers in four days, 10 hours, 40 minutes (4:10:40), and three days, 11 hours, 29 minutes (3:11:29).Tracking.

Jigger Johnson – Waterville Valley, New Hampshire

The Aravaipa Running race is named for a legendary trapper throughout the American East, and the race courses traverse the White Mountains. The 108-mile contest totaled a challenging 32,000 feet of elevation gain, and the race was won by Katja FinkandKeith Nadeauin 37:47 and 30:27. The 50 miler was almost as daunting with 16,000 feet of climbing and four 4,000-foot summits. Larisa Dannis MacFadden andMead Binhammerled the 50 milers in 15:05 and 13:10. Full results.

Vermont 100 Mile – West Windsor, Vermont

The race was pandemic canceled in 2020 and 2021 and weather canceled in 2023, and so this was the only the second time in the last five years for the Vermont 100 Mile.

Sarah Gage won the 100-mile women’s race as well as the race overall in 17:19:45, while Spencer Imbach led the men’s field in 17:24. As an event put on by Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports, the 100-mile saw Ben Simanski win the male visually impaired category in 24:50, while Jon Maaroiri won the male mobility impaired category in 29:09. (There were no corresponding women’s finishers in those categories.) Meanwhile, John Geesler finished his 29th Vermont 100 Mile.

Call for Comments

The Badwater 135 Mile takes off today, Monday, July 22. Will you follow along?