Running News Daily

2022 Hardrock 100 Women’s Race

The 2022 Hardrock 100 start list included 27 women, the most the race has ever had. As anticipated, Courtney Dauwalter (pre-race interview) scored a decisive victory, setting a new clockwise and overall women’s course record. Diana Finkel previously held the clockwise record of 28:32 (2010) and overall record of 27:18:24 (2009). Further back in the field, the top ten of the field was much more closely packed this year than we’ve seen previously at Hardrock, including last year’s second- and third-place finishers Darcy Piceu (pre-race interview) and Meghan Hicks, late entrant off the waitlist Hannah Green, and 450k Tor des Glaciers winner Stephanie Case (pre-race interview). Here’s how the race unfolded.

Dauwalter was off to an early lead, but started conservatively enough without trying to gap the course record pace immediately. She got through the Chapman aid station at mile 18 with 4:16 on the clock. Darcy Piceu and Maggie Guterl (pre-race interview) followed in second and third, some 37 minutes back, in jovial humor, waiting for each other at the aid station. They were followed 10 minutes later by Hannah Green in fourth, with Stephanie Case another two minutes back in fifth.

Through Telluride at mile 28, Dauwalter had extended her lead on second place, Guterl, to 67 minutes, with Piceu coming in a close third and leaving the aid station alongside Guterl. Hannah Green followed in fourth, with Stephanie Case in fifth, who was already recovering from some early stomach issues.

Past mile 33 at Kroger’s Canteen, as Dauwalter barreled ahead, the chasing women had paired off and were working together — with Piceu and Guterl still in second and third and all smiles, while Hannah Green and Stephanie Case had joined forces 22 minutes back from that duo.

Dauwalter arrived at the Engineer aid station, just past the halfway point, in sixth-place overall with 12:10 on the clock, still looking strong and in control. The effort was starting to show by Sherman at mile 73, but she was still eating well and focused.

Stephanie Case, who had crept up the women’s field, arrived into Sherman as second woman. Hannah Green followed in third at mile 73 — looking tired, but calm and collected as she had done all race — with Darcy Piceu and Meghan Hicks nipping at her heels in fourth and fifth.

By this point, Duawalter was more than five hours clear of her nearest women’s competitor, and thoughts were starting to turn to Diana Finkel’s longstanding course records. After a relatively conservative beginning, Dauwalter finally took the lid off of course record pace by mile 93 at Cunningham Gulch, coming in with 24:16 on the clock. She seemed to grow in strength and resolve as the finish line approached, and eventually stormed home in a time of 26:44:38, to add Hardrock 100 to her litany of wins, course records, and other ultrarunning achievements.Case ran strong to the ending, finish her first Hardrock 100 in second place in 32:52:46. The town of Silverton came out to celebrate local resident Hannah Green’s third-place finish in a time of 34:26:39, taking nearly two full hours offer her time from 2017.For the first time in her nine starts, Darcy Picue finished lower than second, but she worked through endless to finish fourth in 35:08:06.

(07/17/2022) Views: 414 ⚡AMP
by Bryon Powell and Sarah Brady I run far

2022 Hardrock 100 Men’s Race

The men’s race at the 2022 Hardrock 100 finished pretty much in line with expectations – with an epic showdown between two of the greatest talents ever seen in the sport – Kilian Jornet (pre-race interview) and François D’Haene (pre-race interview). But there was plenty more action along the way, with bold moves from Dakota Jones (pre-race interview), and some strong running further back the field. Here’s how this year’s clockwise action played out.

From the start, the runners made a fairly predictable formation at the front of the field. Dakota Jones, Francois D’Haene, and Kilian Jornet led the charge, running together, with Jones joking with one of our reporters that they had agreed to finish in the aforementioned order. A very happy looking Dani Jung followed close back from the leaders in fourth at the KT aid station at mile 11.5, with John Kelly three minutes later in fifth. There was a gap of ten minutes or more from this front pack to Jeff Browning and Luke Nelson, who looked to be taking it very easy in sixth and seventh.The front trio remained within a few strides of each other the whole way into Ouray at mile 44, and although looking relaxed, they were already twelve minutes up on course record pace. Jung still followed in fourth, but the gap had widened to almost half an hour. He still looked very fresh and appeared to be taking the high road and running his own race, rather than getting caught up in anything outside of his comfort zone. The next three positions — Kelly, Browning, and Nelson — also remained unchanged with Kelly appearing more sombre than the others, but still making a fast turnaround in the aid station.

Jones was the one to make the move that cracked the front trio, and he came into the Engineer aid station at roughly the halfway point 11 minutes clear of Jornet and D’Haene, who remained together. Jung held on steadfastly in fourth, and former Hardrock champion Browning had moved up to take fifth from a struggling John Kelly.Jones continued to lead the way through Grizzly Gulch, two-thirds of the way into the race, but the Euro duo of Jornet and D’Haene had begun to close. By Sherman at mile 73, the two had joined forces, entering and leaving the aid station together eight minutes ahead of Jones.

They continued to run within seconds of each other, but by Cunningham Gulch at mile 93, there was a notable shift in tone as the race had begun in earnest. Jornet was the first to leave the aid station with D’Haene following seconds later. D’Haene looked strong and can never be underestimated in the finish, but after the headtorches began to flicker on the final descent through Arrastra Gulch, it was Jornet who emerged first from the darkness, having put five minutes on his friend and opponent in the roughly four-mile stretch.

Jornet powered through to the finish, taking his fifth victory in five Hardrock starts, and a clockwise and overall course record in a time of 21:36:34. D’Haene followed and touched the rock at 21:51:21, which was also under the original clockwise record from Jornet’s 2014 run.Further back, despite losing hold of first place, Dakota Jones never stopped pushing and took third in a strong 23:06:19, making his pre-race goal of breaking 24 hours.

An emotional Dani Jung came home in fourth, a position he held essentially all race, in a time of 25:53:47. This is just the beginning of Jung’s season, with UTMB and Diagonale des Fous still to come, and it will be interesting to watch him build on this performance.Jeff Browning was next home, finishing his sixth Hardrock in a time of 26:17:47, saying at the finish “It doesn’t get any easier.”

(07/17/2022) Views: 383 ⚡AMP
by Bryon Powell and Sarah Brady I run far

Strong field will be competing in 2022 Hardrock 100, with a lottery narrows field to 145

The Hardrock 100 ultramarathon held its lottery on Saturday to select runners to fill out its field of 145.

The race had 1,916 runners apply from 46 states and 50 foreign countries this year, which is slightly down from the roughly 2,200 applicants in 2019. The ages of the applicants ranged from 19 to 73, and the largest group was 40 to 49 years old, or 43% of the total.

New this year is a gender-equity provision, guaranteeing the percentage of women in the field at least equals the percentage of women who applied. So, since 345 women applied, representing 18% , 27 women were selected to participate.

“I thought the gender equity worked out well,” said race director Dale Garland. “The lottery is designed for gender equity and also to make it accessible to new runners and people who have been here before. Both are important.”

Because of COVID-19, international runners who were chosen for the previous year’s event but were unable to travel in 2021 gained an automatic entry for the 2022 race, which includes 16 men and two women.

Automatic entry goes to last year’s winners – Sabrina Stanley, a two-time champ, and Francois D’Haene, who set a course record last year. D’Haene also won the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc last year in Chamonix, France.

Garland also got to choose six entries, which are kept secret. He said, however, that his picks this year are elite runners, some runners who have provided service for the event and two with good storylines.

After that, 119 runners were selected in the lottery. To be eligible for the lottery, the athletes had to complete one of 30 qualifiers around the world that are all at least 100 miles long.

“I’m really happy with it,” Garland said this year’s field of athletes. “There’s some interesting competitive story lines, some competitive longevity story lines, and we’re seeing some people who have run in 10 or 15 Hardrocks.

Killian Jornet, a four-time Hardrock champion, will race again this year. Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz, who finished second at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc last year, also is expected to compete for the title.

In the women’s race, Courtney Dauwalter, an Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc winner in 2019 and 2021, will challenge Stanley. “It will be an interesting dynamic to have those two run,” Garland said.

Darcy Piceu, an eight-time Hardrock finisher with three wins, also will be in contention, as will Meghan Hicks, a top-three finisher from last year who lives in Silverton, like Stanley.

Neal Matosky of Durango and Durango High School graduate Dakota Jones also will compete.

“I wouldn’t be surprised to see (Jones) in the top 10,” Garland said.

The race takes place July 15-17. It will start at 6 a.m. on July 15, and the runners will have 48 hours to complete the race. It will start at Silverton and go to Telluride first this year, then Ouray, close to Lake City and finish in Silverton. The first race was held in 1992 and this will be the 27th running of the event. Snow and fires caused a few to be canceled.

Volunteers are needed for the event. For information, visit hardrock100.com.

(12/10/2021) Views: 635 ⚡AMP
by Cody Olivas

Hardrock 100 canceled for second time in as many years

Avalanche debris in 2019, COVID-19 in 2020 wipe out famed ultra-marathon

The Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run can’t catch a break.

After unveiling a loaded field of U.S. and international runners selected through the lottery in December 2018, the Hardrock 100 ultra-marathon that starts and finishes in Silverton was canceled in 2019 after a winter of heavy snow left avalanche debris and dangerous high water along its 100.5-mile loop through the heart of the southern San Juan Mountains.

A year later with the same field of registered runners as 2019 set to compete, the Hardrock 100 board of directors once again had to cancel one of the world’s most iconic mountain ultra-marathons. This time, it is because of the global COVID-19 pandemic with public health orders in place prohibiting large gatherings such as the Hardrock, which has a field of 145 runners. Though it is a small field of athletes, hundreds more are involved in the form of pacers, crew members, media and run volunteers.

The Hardrock 100 continued to delay its decision until Saturday while similar events in the U.S., such as the Western States Endurance Run in California, canceled much earlier. Western States 100 made its decision March 27.

“This is a tough decision,” said Hardrock 100 director and co-founder Dale Garland in a phone interview with The Durango Herald. “I hated making it. It is not one where just sat down one day and decided to pull the plug. We realize we have an impact on the sport and the economics of the area, and it’s something done with a lot of consideration. I’m really sad, and I have heartache about it.”

The latest Hardrock 100 cancellation is another blow to Silverton, which suffered economically from the affects of less tourism because of the 416 Fire near Durango in 2018. Already in 2020, Silverton has seen the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, which brings more than 3,000 people to Silverton on Memorial Day weekend, canceled because of COVID-19. Many businesses in Silverton remain closed with only essential visitors allowed into the small mountain town of fewer than 700 residents. In 2019, DeAnna Gallegos, the director of the Silverton Area Chamber of Commerce, said the Hardrock 100 helped deliver $1 million to the local economy.

Past experience pays off

The cancellation is the fourth in Hardrock 100 history dating back to 1992. The previous cancellations were all because of natural causes. Along with the dense avalanche debris scattered across the course in 2019, the event was called off in 1995 because of too much snow and in 2002 because of extreme fire danger in the San Juan National Forest.

It was because of that first cancellation in 1995 that Hardrock is able to financially survive a cancellation, even with two in a row. After 1995, the board of directors established a reserve bank account to set aside funds in the case of another lost year.

“We just needed to make a decision by June 1, if we could,” Garland said. “Part of that is to honor people’s flight plans, vacation rentals and all those things. Also, we felt if we made a decision by June 1 we could still buy everything we needed. We hadn’t spent a whole lot of money with equipment, merchandise, awards or anything like that. So, we’re in pretty good shape and didn’t have to hit the reserve account very hard.”

A loaded field awaits fate

The run, which traverses across the rugged San Juan Mountains with 66,050 feet of elevation change at an average elevation of more than 11,000 feet, including the 14,048-foot summit of Handies Peak outside Lake City and seven mountain passes at higher than 13,000 feet, has become a legend among the world’s best ultra runners. Athletes must complete previous qualifying 100-mile races to even enter the lottery, which had a record 2,487 applicants for the 2019 race.

While U.S. stars such as Courtney Dauwalter, Dylan Bowman, Jeff Browning, Jason Schlarb, Sabrina Stanley, Darcy Piceu and Darla Askew were among those expected to run in 2019 and then in 2020, French stars Francois D’Haene and Xavier Thévenard were also highly-anticipated competitors who had gained a lottery spot.

It was expected to be the most talented field in the history of the event, and it has now been put on hold twice.

No announcement was immediately made regarding registration for the 2021 race and if it would once again carry over from the 2019 lottery or if there would be a new lottery.

“It’s up in the air,” Garland said. “That is a board decision, and it’s split. That’s why it hasn’t been decided yet. It’s been two years, so do we keep rolling people over or give 145 new people a shot at it? They’ve been waiting two years for a new lottery, as well. It’s a philosophical difference not resolved yet. We will keep people updated as soon as those decisions are made.”

Garland said making the event larger to accommodate the addition of new runners to the existing pool of 145 already selected would require discussions with the Bureau of Land Management and forest service, as that would exceed what the event’s permit is allowed. He did not indicate that there was a plan to try to increase the size of the event.

Alternative formats didn’t fit Hardrock’s image

Garland and the run committee considered alternative plans to the traditional Hardrock 100 this year. Some suggested it be conducted virtually. There was discussion of holding the event as usual but with staggered starts and without gatherings such as Camp Hardrock, the pre-race briefing and the awards banquet which would have brought all the runners together at the same time.

“I don’t think you can replicate the Hardrock experience virtually,” Garland said. “We entertained the idea, but no, we couldn’t do that. Then we looked to see if we could do it without all the experiences that make Hardrock what it is and build our community. At some point it was like, ‘What are we trying to create?’ Especially for a first time runner, we didn’t want that to be their experience.

“We also thought about doing a regional Hardrock and limiting it to the Four Corners states. But we couldn’t come to a philosophical agreement that we wanted to do something like that, either.”

While Garland said canceling the event stings, he is confident it can move forward and remain a special event. In a year in which the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc in France and other U.S. events such as Western States and the Leadville 100 have been canceled, he believes the running community will understand.

“What does it say when we can’t do it two years in a row?” Garland said. “That’s why we wanted to wait and see as it got really close if things were going to change or not or if we could make it work. We kept trying to move forward, but we couldn’t do it.”

(05/24/2020) Views: 976 ⚡AMP

Cancellation of 2019 Hardrock 100 because the trail is not in good shape because of heavy snow during the winter doesn’t deter ultra community

There may not be a 2019 running of the Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run through the San Juan Mountains, but there will be plenty of trail running events that will provide ultra-running enthusiasts a chance to interact with some of the world’s best athletes.

A week of activities kicked off Sunday in Durango, as running stars Anna Frost, François D’haene, Dakota Jones and Hardrock 100 director Dale Garland will gather at the Durango Outdoor Exchange for a public meet and greet and run.

“I think everyone loves talking about Hardrock and running,” said Frost, a two-time Hardrock 100 champion originally from New Zealand who now also calls Durango home. “It’s a great opportunity for us to have these world-class athletes right here in Durango as well as having the race director of Hardrock here.”

D’haene was one the favorites to win this year’s Hardrock 100 but will have to wait until next year to run for his first chance to kiss the rock, as this year’s run was canceled after a winter of heavy snow that resulted in avalanche debris making many sections of the 100.5-mile loop from Silverton to Telluride, Ouray and Lake City and back to Silverton impassable. There was also big concern about high water with a late runoff from the melting snow.

France’s D’haene, a four-time Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc champion and UTMB course record holder, had planned to spend time running in the San Juan Mountains to prepare for this year’s Hardrock, and he still traveled to Southwest Colorado despite the race cancellation that was announced June 10.

“François D’haene, in my mind, is probably the best runner on the planet in terms of consistency and skill at ultra-running,” Frost said. “He has so much experience. He had a baby boy and was coming for Hardrock and decided to still come anyway. He’s pretty dedicated to his commitment to coming for Hardrock.”

Garland has yet to meet D’haene in person and is eager for him to join the Hardrock community this weekend.

“It does mean a lot when somebody of his stature and with his prestige in the ultra-running community says, you know what, it’s worth it for me to not blow this thing off and rearrange my schedule, I’m still going to enjoy the San Juan Mountains and still gonna be part of the Hardrock community,” Garland said.

Durango’s Jones also will be in attendance along with representatives from Salomon running. Frost said there will be several gear giveaways as well as a donation box to benefit the Silverton community and help mitigate the economic impact of there not being a race this year.

“I know Salomon is doing a special work day on Monday, so they are giving back and being part of the community, which I think is really cool,” Garland said.

(07/15/2019) Views: 1,479 ⚡AMP

The 2019 Hardrock 100 has been cancelled due to historic snowfall effecting more than 40 percent of the course

Due to historic snowfall, avalanches, avalanche debris, an inability to reach certain aid stations and uncertain conditions on more than 40% of the course, the 2019 Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run has been canceled. This decision, while difficult, adheres to the Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run’s overall commitment to land stewardship and the safety of the Hardrock community.

The Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run committee’s decision to cancel the 2019 Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run was based on a thorough and complete evaluation of all available information and utilized a number of key resources to support its decision.

Firsthand course trail reconnaissance combined with assembled trail reports, key and valuable input from the Bureau of Land Management and the US Forestry Service and the Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run committee and Board of Directors all served to guide the decision-making process.

All runners who are entered in the 2019 Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run as of June 10th, 2019 will have the option of either rolling over their entry into the 2020 Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run or withdrawing their entry slot and receiving a full refund of their entry fee.

Entrants must notify the Run Director, Dale Garland, by email (dale@hardrock100.com) by July 12th, 2019 if they wish to withdraw; otherwise they will be considered to have elected to roll over their entry into the 2020 Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run.

“After an extensive process, it became clear that the uncertainty associated with the condition of the course and the issues that the uncertainty caused among our organizational components meant we could not organize and administer a safe and meaningful 2019 Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run that was consistent with the standards and values Hardrock has become known for,” said Run Director, Dale Garland.

“While snow and snow water equivalent levels looked to be dropping to manageable levels, other issues such as unprecedented avalanche debris, unstable snow bridges and high-water levels all contributed to us reaching the tough final decision that we did.”

The start date for the 2020 Hardrock will be July 17, 2020.

(06/10/2019) Views: 1,612 ⚡AMP

Jeff Browning just got into the 2018 Hardrock 100 ultra-marathon two weeks ago

Two weeks ago, Jeff Browning wasn’t even officially in the Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run. Until the final 10 miles, he didn’t even know he had a chance to win. Browning, a 46-year-old from North Logan, Utah, won the 2018 Hardrock 100 ultra-marathon on Saturday when he was the first man to kiss the finisher’s rock outside Silverton Gymnasium. He conquered the 100.5-mile clockwise route from Silverton to Telluride, Ouray, Lake City and back to Silverton in 26 hours, 20 minutes, 22 seconds. Until July 9, Browning was on the wait list to get into the 145-runner field. He ran well behind Xavier Thévenard, a 30-year-old from France, throughout the race, but Thévenard was disqualified for a rule violation and out of the race at the Cunningham aid station 91 miles into the race. (07/24/2018) Views: 1,359 ⚡AMP

France’s Xavier Thévenard disqualified at Hardrock 100 with less than 10 miles to go

Race leader Xavier Thévenard of France was disqualified from the Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run early Saturday morning. He was less than 10 miles from the finish line in Silverton. The 30-year-old broke Rule 5 of the Hardrock 100’s Executive Rule Summary that reads: “No stashing of supplies along the course and no accepting aid except within 400 yards of a designated aid station.” The Hardrock 100 is a 100.5-mile ultramarathon through the San Juan Mountains in Southwest Colorado. This is the 25th running of the event that features 66,000 feet of elevation change. After admitting to the violation, Thévenard was given the option to finish the race in Silverton as an unofficial finisher, but he opted to drop out and was not seen in Silverton as other finishers came in Saturday. Oregon’s Jeff Browning, 46, was crowned the winner in a time of 26 hours, 20 minutes, 20 seconds. He called it a “bittersweet” win because of what happened to Thévenard. Thévenard is the first runner to ever be disqualified from a Hardrock 100. (07/21/2018) Views: 1,667 ⚡AMP

All eyes on Xavier Thévenard for Hardrock 100

Xavier Thévenard, a 30-year-old from France, headlines a men’s field that has changed drastically since the lottery was first drawn in December. Montana’s Mike Foote, a two-time Hardrock runner-up, withdrew from the race a little more than a week out from the start, making Thévenard the favorite if his body and mind hold up during the grueling 100.5-mile race through the San Juan Mountains. “It was tough when I got the email from Kilian a couple weeks ago,” Hardrock 100 race director Dale Garland said. “What it did to the men’s field was kind of blew it up in terms of being in the front.” While Foote and Jornet won’t race, Jeff Browning, a 46-year-old from Oregon, was a late addition from the wait list. He will join Troy Howard, a 45-year-old from Golden, as the top contenders to Thévenard. Thévenard finished third at Hardrock in 2016 in a time of 23 hours, 57 minutes, 10 seconds. That was the year Jornet and Durango’s Jason Schlarb finished as co-champions in a hand-in-hand finish. Since then, Thévenard hasn’t slowed down a bit. He was fourth at Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) in 2017 and is coming off a fifth-place finish at the 45-mile Transculvania race in May. (07/20/2018) Views: 1,527 ⚡AMP

Canadian trail ultrarunner Adam Campbell has withdrawn from the Hardrock 100

Eleven days before the race, Canadian trail ultrarunner Adam Campbell has withdrawn from this year’s Hardrock 100. The celebrated runner had a near-fatal mountain fall in 2016, breaking his back and pelvis and suffering numerous other injuries. This spring, less than two years later, Campbell finished third at the Lijiang Skyview Adventure in China. Campbell says he pulled out for various reasons having to do with a combination of his busy travel schedule, he is leading run clinics in Chamonix and Squamish, the resultant lack of training, and family obligations. “I respect the race too much to do it undertrained,” says Campbell. Campbell’s withdrawal yesterday made it possible for Jeff Browning of Bend, Oregon to move from the waitlist to the start list. Browning was fifth at Western States late last month, and could be a serious contender at Hardrock, certainly in terms of the “double,” for which he holds the record, set in 2016. (07/11/2018) Views: 1,401 ⚡AMP