Mexico, Morocco, and Montana are up in this week’s column. There were fast finishes at the Canal Corridor 100 Mile and the Chicago Marathon too, among other highlights.
You can also check out our greater race coverage from earlier in the weekend:
Mountain Running World Cup Finals Vertical Kilometer – Chiavenna, Italy
The Kilometro Verticale Lagùnc was the year’s 11th of 12 Mountain Running World Cup contests, with the world cup put on by the World Mountain Running Association. The race was a full vertical kilometer (VK), going up 1,000 meters over just 3.3k in distance.
Scout Adkin (U.K.) rocketed up in 37:57 to lead the women. Philaries Jeruto Kisang (Kenya) was second in 38:35 and Paola Stampanoni (Switzerland) surprised with a third-place 39:13 finish.
The 2024 Kilometro Verticale Lagùnc women’s podium (left-to-right): 2. Philaries Jeruto Kisang, 1. Scout Adkin, and 3. Paola Stampanoni. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
Second to last to start in the time trial format, Andrea Elia (Italy) was the winner in the men’s race in 31:09. Henri Aymonod (Italy) started behind Elia and chased him to the top toward a second-place 31:15 finish, and pre-race favorite Patrick Kipngeno (Kenya) was third in 31:50.
Italy’s Andrea Elia, the 2024 Kilometro Verticale Lagunc champion, which was part of the Mountain Running World Cup Finals. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
Mountain Running World Cup Finals Trail Race – Chiavenna, Italy
The 23k race was the year’s last Mountain Running World Cup contest.
Joyce Muthoni Njeru (Kenya) led much of the women’s race and won in 1:47:45. Philaries Kisang Jeruto (Kenya) was second for the second straight day, running 1:48:51, and Vertical K race winner Scout Adkin (U.K.) was third in 1:48:58.
Joyce Muthoni Njeru of Kenya celebrates a win at the 2024 Val Bregaglia Trail. In a very close Mountain Running World Cup, she took second behind world cup winner Scout Adkin. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
The race for the world cup series crown couldn’t have been closer. Muthoni Njeru led the overall series entering the weekend, but was only fifth in the VK. After the trail race, Adkin led Muthoni Njeru by a single point to win the world cup overall series. Adkin earned €5,000 for the world cup win.
A dark horse won the VK race and with 5k to go in the men’s trail race, it looked like we’d see a surprise winner too. Théodore Klein (France) didn’t quite close as well as Patrick Kipngeno (Kenya) and Paul Machoka (Kenya), though, and Kipngeno rallied late to win the race in 1:34:03. Machoka overtook late-race leader Klein too to finish second in 1:34:22, and Klein earned a bronze for his heroics in 1:34:53.
In the world cup series crown, Kipngeno won handily, while Josphat Kiprotich (Kenya) moved up in the standings to second courtesy of a great weekend of racing and Philemon Kiriago (Kenya) moved down to third place for the series podium.
Kenya’s Patrick Kipngeno wins the 2024 Val Bregaglia Trail, in doing so securing his victory at the 2024 Mountain Running World Cup. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
Reto Vulcano – Atzitzintla, Mexico
The 39k mountain climb goes most of the way up Pico de Orizaba with a finish near 15,000 feet above sea level.
Carmen Ramiro Allende (Mexico), Karina Carsolio (Mexico), and Reyna Isela Rivera Carrillo (Mexico) swept the women’s podium for the host country with 4:50, 4:54, and 5:15 finishes. Ida Nilsson (Sweden, lives in Norway) was fourth in 5:20.
Men’s winner Daniel Antonioli (Italy) hit the high point finish in 4:09. Jonathan Castillo (Colombia) and Caleb Olson (U.S.) were up next in 4:17 and 4:34, respectively.
Kodiak Ultra Marathons by UTMB – Big Bear Lake, California
It was close up front in the 100-mile race. Kristina Chang edged out Coral Buitenhuis (Canada) for the women’s win in 21:15. Buitenhuis was second in 21:29, and Kate Butcher was third in 22:14. The men raced even closer. Only seven minutes separated Sam Wood, Mike Lavery, and Cordis Hall. Wood won in 18:24, ahead of Lavery’s 18:27, and Hall’s 18:31.
Kristina Chang, 2024 Kodiak Ultramarathons by UTMB 100 Mile champion. Photo: Howie Stern/Kodiak Ultramarathons by UTMB
The top three women in the 100k all came in under 10 hours, and the top three men all under nine hours. Michelle Buncke escaped Priscilla Forgie (Canada) and Lindsay Allison for the first-place prize. Buncke finished in 9:21, and Forgie and Allison ran 9:45 and 9:50.
The men’s podium looked like the women’s. The winner was off the front, and second and third were in a duel. For the men, Nick Hirdt went 8:25 for the win, and Gordon Gianniny and Hector Rodriguez (Mexico) followed in 8:38 and 8:41, respectively.
It was close in the 50k, too. Helen Mino Faukner beat Klaire Rhodes for the women’s title. Mino Faukner ran 4:13 to second-place Rhodes’s 4:18. Kristin Johnson was third in 4:28. Ryan Becker championed the men’s group in 3:30. Jordan Clay (U.K.) and Dylan Humberger were second and third in 3:35 and 3:50, respectively.
Sam Wood, 2024 Kodiak Ultramarathons by UTMB 100 Mile champion. Photo: Howie Stern/Kodiak Ultramarathons by UTMB
Additional Races and Runs
Ultra Gobi 400k – Gobi Desert, China
The race ran for 250 desert miles. The 54 runners that started the race had to navigate the course themselves, and manage their rest against a clock that didn’t stop. This wasn’t a stage race. In addition to the desert terrain, added challenges included wild jackals on course.
Jun-Yue Zheng (China) won the women’s race in 79:43, finishing fourth overall. iRunFar’s own Bryon Powell (U.S.) won the men’s race in 68:59, overtaking longtime race leaders Bing Gu (China) and Sange Sherpa (Nepal, lives in France) with some 50k to go. Powell’s time was a new course record.
Jun-Yue Zheng on her way to winning the 2024 Ultra Gobi 400k. Photo: Ultra Gobi
Bryon Powell, the 2024 Ultra Gobi 400k men’s winner. Photo: Ultra Gobi
Atlas Quest – Oukaïmeden, Morocco
The 105k race gains 8,000 meters of elevation (26,247 feet) through the Atlas Mountains. Claire Bannwarth (France) and Lambert Santelli (France) were race champs in 22:33 and 16:47. Full results.
Ultra Trail Lago d’Orta – Omegna, Italy
The 75k race was an Italian trail national championships. Race winners Martina Chialvo (Italy) and Francesco Puppi (Italy) conquered the mountain course in 8:01 and 6:31. Full results.
Defiance 50k – Port Defiance, Washington
Teresa Makowski and Ben DeMeerLeer won the race in 4:53 and 4:09. Full results.
Angel’s Rest 50k – Cascade Locks, Oregon
It was the first year for the 50k on a course that went by Multnomah Falls and to the top of Larch Mountain. Ashley Figel and Christopher Jones set the inaugural course records in 5:09 and 4:26. Full results.
Ashley Figel, the 2024 Angel’s Rest 50k women’s winner. Photo: Alpine Running/James Holk
Christopher Jones, the 2024 Angel’s Rest 50k men’s winner. Photo: Alpine Running/James Holk
Ruth Anderson 50k – San Francisco, California
Mallory Servais and David Cisewski scored race wins in 3:53 and 3:13. Also of note, Sharlet Gilbert, aged 73, set a 50k American 70 to 74 age-group record in a time of 5:00. Gilbert already holds the 50-mile American 70 to 74 age-group record. Full results.
Sharlet Gilbert on her way to setting a 50k American 70 to 74 age group record at the 2024 Ruth Anderson 50k. Photo: Anil Rao
Le Grizz 50 Mile – Polebridge, Montana
Evie Tate was the women’s and overall winner in 6:33 and Paul Paschal won the men’s race in 6:37. Full results.
Cave Creek Thriller 50k – Cave Creek, Arizona
The Aravaipa Running race celebrated Natalie Horn and Nick Coury as race winners in 4:59 and 4:23. Full results.
Chicago Marathon – Chicago, Illinois
Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya) scored an unbelievable new world record in the women’s race in 2:09:56. The 50k world record holder CJ Albertson ran 2:08:17 to finish seventh in the men’s race and as top American. What other trail runners and ultrarunners do you see in the results? Full results.
Indiana Trail 100 Mile – Albion, Indiana
Brenda Johnson and Evan Perigo won the 100 miler in 21:02 and 15:54, and 50-mile frontrunners Lindsey Welty and Kevin Rook ran 8:07 and 7:38. Full results.
Canal Corridor 100 Mile – Akron, Ohio
The Canal Corridor course is flat and fast. Allison Rosen and Matt Parker sped to 15:57 and 14:01 winning times. Full results.
Call for Comments
What else looked good to you over the weekend?
