The post This Week In Running: December 9, 2024 appeared first on iRunFar.
There were a number of U.S. races this weekend, but the top action was in faraway India, New Zealand, and Thailand. It’s always fun to see trail runners on the fast California International Marathon course, too.
You can also check out our race coverage from earlier in the week:
IAU 100k World Championships – Bangalore, India
Women
Hot and humid weather added to the challenge on the 20-lap course, and with a last name fitting for the day, Floriane Hot (France) again finished on top. Hot won the race’s 2022 edition and slayed this year’s event with a 7:08 finish. That’s four minutes slower than her 2022 win in Germany.
Hot, age 33, gained the ultimate lead on the race’s 16th lap when overtaking Sarah Webster (U.K.). A lap later, the 17th of 20, Hot’s countrywoman Marie-Ange Brumelot overtook Webster too to finish second in 7:12. Webster faded to third in 7:19.
The top U.S. finisher was 50-mile world record-holder Courtney Olsen in 10th at 7:48.
The women’s top five were:
- Floriane Hot (France) – 7:08:43
- Marie-Ange Brumelot (France) – 7:12:22
- Sarah Webster (Great Britain) – 7:19:18
- Miho Nakata (Japan) – 7:25:52
- Melissah Gibson (Great Britain) – 7:35:27
Men
Just over halfway, Jumpei Yamaguchi (Japan) was alone at the front of the race, and he trounced the field the rest of the way. Yamaguchi was over 13 minutes better than everyone else with a 6:12 finish. He was second at the race’s 2022 championships. The men’s podium was particularly spread out, with Antonio Jesús Aguilar (Spain) in second in 6:25 and 2022 winner Haruki Okayama (Japan) further back in third at 6:37.
Chikara Omine was the U.S. leader in sixth at 6:40.
The men’s top five were:
- Jumpei Yamaguchi (Japan) – 6:12:03
- Antonio Jesús Aguilar (Spain) – 6:25:54
- Haruki Okayama (Japan) – 6:37:54
- Toru Somiya (Japan) – 6:39:58
- Felix Pont (Spain) – 6:40:19
Kepler Challenge – Te Anau, New Zealand
Kepler Challenge
It’s summer in the Southern Hemisphere, and the Kepler Challenge is one of New Zealand’s biggest races. The course follows the Kepler Track for 60 kilometers (37 miles) through super-scenic Fiordland National Park.
Women’s winner Katie Morgan (New Zealand) got to seventh overall with a 5:48 finish. Frances Redmond (New Zealand) and Beth McKenzie (U.S.) were next on the podium in 6:04 and 6:09. [From 2016 to 2018, Beth McKenzie (née Gerdes) served a two-year doping sanction after testing positive at the 2016 Ironman Australia for ostarine, a prohibited selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM).]
Daniel Balchin (New Zealand) led Thomas Barnes (U.K.) and Benje Patterson (New Zealand) in the men’s race. The three finished in 5:03, 5:16, and 5:23.
Luxmore Grunt
The event’s short course option goes for 27k (17 miles) and all the top men and women were from New Zealand. The women ran it close. Only 11 seconds separated women’s one-two Penny Mouat and Miriam Clark. Mouat got the win in 2:30 and Clark was second in the same time. Stephanie Wilson was close too with 2:33 on the clock for third.
Jonathan Jackson won for the men in 1:55 with Liam Dooley and Timothy Jorgensen second and third in 1:57 and 2:05, respectively.
Chiang Mai Thailand by UTMB – Chiang Mai, Thailand
It was the event’s fifth year, but with a name change from Doi Inthanon Thailand by UTMB and with a relocation to the newly opened Chiang Mai Provincial Administrative Organization Park.
Trans-Int 160
The event’s long course went nearly 107 miles and with 29,461 feet of climbing. Second at the Ultra-Trail Cape Town 100k just two weeks ago, Antonina Iushina (Neutral Athlete) was working on short recovery and got it done with a first-place 24:23. Chinese runners Lin Chen and Anna Li came next in 24:55 and 26:04.
Chinese men swept the men’s podium with Can-Hua Luo, Ji Duo, and Jia-Ji Zhao going 20:25, 20:47, and 22:22 at the front.
Elephant 100
Three big climbs spiked the course profile as the race stretched 58 miles and with 14,468 feet of elevation gain. Ekaterina Mityaeva (Neutral Athlete) avenged a drop at the Ultra-Trail Cape Town 100k and won the women’s race in 11:30. Careth Arnold (U.S.) and Natalia Mastrota (Italy) were second and third in 12:12 and 12:40.
Chinese runners again led the men with Hui Bai and Meng-Kai Bate leading in 10:04 and 10:17, but Luke Grenfell-Shaw (U.K.) prevented another podium sweep with a third-place 10:20.
Hmong 50
The big 50k race had over 2,000 finishers. The women’s race ran as a 2024 CCC rematch. In that race, Martyna Młynarczyk (Poland) was a surprise second and Hậu Hà (Vietnam) was fourth. Hà took some revenge here and outran Młynarczyk for the win. Hà finished in 5:08 and Młynarczyk was second in 5:12. Third-place Takako Takamura (Japan) was right there too in 5:14.
Ruy Ueda (Japan) scored victory in the men’s run in 4:21, and Guang-Fu Meng (China) and Bang-Lin Fan (China) ran 4:23 and 4:25 for second and third.
California International Marathon – Sacramento, California
The point-to-point, net downhill race is always a good spot for fast times, and we’ll mention the trail runners and ultrarunners we see in the results here.
Women
Tabor Hemming made her road debut for the distance and was 21st in 2:36:59.
The 2024 Gorge Waterfalls 100k runner-up Ailsa MacDonald (Canada) ran 2:43:16 for 43rd place.
Men
The 50k world record-holder CJ Albertson has had a giant year of road marathons. He won this race last year and was second this year in 2:10:06. It was his fifth marathon of the year.
David Nilsson (Sweden) ran a number of shorter trail races in 2022 and 2023 in Sweden and further back once held the Crown King Scramble 50k course record. He was eighth here in 2:14:09.
The 2024 Cirque Series winner Mason Coppi was 22nd in 2:16:48.
Former U.S. Mountain Running Team member Patrick Smyth ran 2:19:29 for 39th.
Additional Races and Runs
Anza Borrego Cuyamaca 50 Mile – Julian, California
Women’s winner Paloma Ortiz finished in 9:22 and Oscar Ponteri set a new men’s course record in 6:57. Full results.
McDowell Mountain Frenzy – Fountain Hills, Arizona
Kristina Randrup and Ryan Becker won the 50 miler in 8:26 and 7:11, and Devon Yanko and Justin Grunewald were fastest in the 50k in 4:14 and 3:33. Full results.
Brazos Bend 100 Mile – Needville, Texas
The course is 99.9% flat and Lindsey Dwyer and Thierry Joffrain rolled to 15:42 and 15:40 winning times. Full results.
Hitchcock Experience – Honey Creek, Iowa
Kaci Lickteig was the women’s and overall 50-mile winner in 9:38. Men’s leader Nate Canton was only 52 seconds back in 9:39. Jodi Semonell and Jefferey Pratt won the 100 miler in 24:16 and 21:42. Full results.
Quiet Silence 50k – Lake Mills, Wisconsin
Race winners Katie Kornaus and Ben Hoseus clocked 4:47 and 3:56 50k finish times. Full results.
Crooked Creek Ultra Trail – Shepherdsville, Kentucky
Jessica Johnson and Chris Ulrich won the 100 miler in 27:12 and 24:47, and Virginia Bibb-Golden and Ryan Jones championed the 50 miler in 13:33 and 10:36. Full results.
Dismal Swamp – Chesapeake, Virginia
The 50k course here is fast. Alexandra Niles and Roger Hopper took it out in 3:29 and 3:01. Full results.
Shakori 40 Ultra – Pittsboro, North Carolina
April Bailey and Joshua Dwight won the 40 miler in 6:37 and 5:20, respectively. Full results.
Cloudland Canyon – Rising Fawn, Georgia
The races are inside Cloudland Canyon State Park. The 50-mile winners Lauren Wager and Lukas Burrer won in 9:12 and 8:35, and Colleen O’Neil and Timothy Ronan were best over 50k in 6:18 and 4:45. Full results.
Call for Comments
- What’s left to look forward to in 2024?
- Did you see other trail runners and ultrarunners in the California International Marathon results?
