The Ultra Minute 🏔️ January 31, 2025
The Chipotle Challenge nears its epic conclusion, the Arc of Attrition crowns its newest champions, ski mountaineering athletes push back against changes, Black Canyon race week approaches, and more
The Chipotle Challenge—The Ultra We Didn’t Know We Needed Comes Down to the Wire
The ultrarunning community has been glued to the unfolding battle between Jamil Coury and Kevin Russ in Tempe, Arizona, where the two endurance athletes have spent the last month hammering out miles in a relentless back-and-forth on an unassuming 0.22-mile Chipotle Strava segment. The challenge? Log the most reps in January to win free Chipotle for a year. But it’s become about far more than burritos—this is a test of endurance, strategy, and sheer will, and it has captivated runners and fans alike.
Mileage has escalated dramatically. A week ago, 30-mile days were big. Then 50s became the norm. On Wednesday, Kevin logged a staggering 70 miles, pushing ahead of Jamil by about 15 miles as of Wednesday night. As of their last Strava updates on Wednesday, according to @andrew.vs.running, Jamil had logged 596 total miles to Kevin’s 611, with Jamil spending 115 hours on course to Kevin’s 136. Their average paces have been 11:34/mile and 13:21/mile, respectively. Both runners have been on course continuously since Thursday morning, and with the event ending tonight at midnight local time (MT), neither has posted an update since—meaning this final push is happening in the dark, with neither knowing the other's exact mileage until they upload their workouts at the end of the challenge tonight.
According to photographer and thru-hiker Sean Haworth, who has been documenting the challenge, Jamil and Kevin walked through the night. Kevin managed to sleep for a few hours, but to his knowledge, Jamil did not. This final day of the challenge also happens to be Jamil’s 40th birthday, and his parents came out to celebrate—bringing balloons and breakfast burritos for both runners. Jamil’s brother, Nick Coury, also walked with him for about an hour this morning.
Jamil, who owns Aravaipa Running and has long been a fixture in the ultrarunning world, has also brought his once slightly dormant YouTube channel roaring back to life, documenting the saga with gripping vlogs. Until Wednesday, he was editing and uploading daily, spending about two hours off-segment to produce each video while also balancing his work and parenting responsibilities. Now, as the final hours tick down, he’s traded YouTube edits for livestreams, offering a real-time look at the madness. He’s even consulted with Courtney Dauwalter for advice on handling the pain cave.
There’s also been buzz in Jamil’s livestreams about whether this format could evolve into something bigger. He’s expressed interest in potentially putting on a similar event through Aravaipa and has noted how it harkens back to the pedestrianism races of the 1800s, when multi-day endurance events captivated crowds in venues like Madison Square Garden. Given how this challenge has resonated, it wouldn’t be surprising to see future iterations emerge. The simplicity of it—running back and forth on a short stretch of sidewalk, surrounded by everyday life—has clearly struck a chord. Jamil himself has reflected on how much he appreciates the accessibility of the "arena" for this showdown.
At its core, this clearly isn’t about the burritos. And I don’t think it’s about winning, either. It’s about the experience itself—the camaraderie, the absurdity, the challenge. Both runners have leaned into that fully, and the ultrarunning world can’t get enough.
More from the Chipotle Challenge:
Photographer Sean Haworth has been on segment this week capturing the event and posting regular updates to his story. He’s a good person to follow to keep up with the action as it unfolds today.
Catch up on all the vlogs in this playlist on Jamil’s YouTube channel, Run Steep Get High, and subscribe to be notified of any livestreams he might do today as the challenge comes to an end.
Follow Jamil and Kevin on Instagram, as both have been posting regular updates to their story.
Andrew Redden has been posting regular updates on Threads, including bar charts comparing Jamil and Kevin’s daily mileage.
Jeff Garmire interviewed Jamil and Kevin yesterday while they were on segment for The Free Outside Podcast. Listen on Apple Podcasts or watch on YouTube.
Learn more about the challenge and view the live city leaderboard here.
Noor van der Veen and Lewis Ryan Triumph at the Arc of Attrition 100-Mile, Tom Evans and Eleanor Davis win the 50-Mile
The Arc of Attrition, known for its grueling terrain along Cornwall’s southwestern coast, made a spectacular debut in the UTMB World Series this past weekend. Named for the way its route "arcs" around the Cornish coastline, the event featured muddy trails and iconic views of the Atlantic, living up to its reputation by claiming nearly half the field (257 of 515) in the 100-mile distance alone.
The 100-mile race was the heart of the event, with its 99.4 miles and nearly 14,000 feet of climbing. Dutch runner Noor van der Veen crossed the line in 22:30:44 to take the women’s title and finish seventh overall. Reflecting on her strategy, Van der Veen shared, “I wanted to take everything I’ve learned so far and see where it would take me—so I set out on a pace that was at the upper end of comfortable and just went for it.”
On the men’s side, Lewis Ryan powered to victory in 19:22:35. His win marked a dream moment, as he shared, “To walk (or hobble) away with the win and the second-fastest time for the course has blown my expectations out of the water.”
Sarah Page also delivered an outstanding performance, finishing second in the women’s field with a time of 24:17:28. Reflecting on her experience, she wrote, “Despite everything the storm threw at us the night before, it went better than I could have ever hoped or imagined. I had the best crew, and the supporters around the course were just awesome.”
The 50-mile race brought fireworks, with Tom Evans and Eleanor Davis shattering course records. Evans won the men’s race in 6:54:40 despite slick terrain and heavy competition early on. “The race was tough with wet and muddy conditions, but racing at home is always special to me,” his new sponsor, Asics, quoted him as saying post-race.
Hugh Chatfield, who finished second in the men’s race in 7:01:13, shared insights into his tactical battle with Evans and Keith Wigley. “I led much of the way to the midpoint, breaking a group of five down to three and then I pushed the pace, giving Tom and I a gap, but then we arrived ahead of our drop bags at St. Ives.” Tom chose to improvise, grabbing food from the aid station, and pushing on, while Hugh waited a few minutes for his bag. In his post-race post he questioned his decision and wondered what could have been had he left St. Ives with Tom.
Eleanor Davis, who is coached by Tom Evans, lost her watch 10 miles in after it got snagged on a gate latch, forcing her to improvise as she estimated her gel intake based on feel and memory—and it worked. She downed 17 gels over 8 hours, finishing in a record-breaking 7:55:48 and 6th overall. Reflecting on the experience, Davis wrote, “Racing on home soil was so special. The first half of the course is rugged and remote, and the support from runners, crews, and spectators was incredible—it really put the wind in my sails.”
Last year’s champion, Poppy Collingwood, finished second in 9:21:10, roughly a minute and a half faster than her winning performance the year before. Just behind her, American Amanda Basham, coming off a tough month of sickness that cycled through her family, battled through fatigue to secure third place in 9:42:40. A mother of two, Basham shared how she focused on staying present and enjoying the experience despite the pain: “I hurt the entire time but honestly had a lot of fun and stayed positive through the pain. I even yelled out ‘I came for this. It’s supposed to be hard,’ like a crazy person.”
In the shortest distance of the weekend, the 25-mile race, Spain’s Sara Alonso claimed the women’s win in 3:04:55, while Kristian Jones of the UK led the men’s field with a 2:41:25 finish.
News and Links
Ski Mountaineering Athletes Protest Olympic Changes – At last weekend’s ISMF World Cup in Andorra, William Bon Mardion protested at the start line, standing still as others took off, frustrated by the sport’s shift toward artificial, on-resort race formats ahead of its 2026 Olympic debut. Kilian Jornet criticized the move away from mountain skills and creativity in a blog post but stressed that real change requires engaging with federations and athlete groups, not just protesting. His wife, Emelie Forsberg, was more blunt in an Instagram post, calling the Olympic version of skimo “a shame for the name.” Corrine Malcolm commented on Forsberg’s post, noting how Olympic inclusion changed climbing and mountain biking and questioning whether trail running could face a similar fate.
Support LA Wildfire Relief—Buy a Shirt –
founder is selling Glendale-themed t-shirts to raise funds for those affected by the Los Angeles wildfires, with 100% of proceeds going to relief efforts like the Pasadena Humane Society. I picked one up today. Get yours here.Sawna & Eamon Start Fresh in Burbank – Three weeks after losing their home in the LA wildfires, ultrarunners Sawna and Eamon are adjusting to a temporary space in Burbank, finding solace in Griffith Park’s trails. We first shared their story in our January 10th issue.
Trail Photography Fundraiser at SFRC – Tony DiPasquale (@tonywithasony) is hosting a gallery show and fundraiser tomorrow night at SFRC in Tam Junction. The event will showcase some of his favorite photos from 2024, with a silent auction supporting the Dipsea Generations film project. If you’re in the Bay Area, get the details and RSVP here.
Black Canyon Needs Livestream Volunteers – Want a front-row seat to the action at Black Canyon Ultras? Mountain Outpost is looking for volunteers to help with their livestream on Feb. 8-9. No fancy gear needed. Sign up here.
Mathieu Blanchard Takes on the Yukon Arctic Ultra – Mathieu Blanchard is heading into his toughest challenge yet: the 640 km Yukon Arctic Ultra, where temperatures can drop to -50°C and only 3% of participants finish. The race kicks off Feb. 2—follow his journey here and learn more about the race here.
Rajpaul Pannu Aims for 100-Mile American Record – One year after running 11:58:01 in his 100-mile debut at Jackpot, Rajpaul Pannu announced he’s returning with bigger ambitions: breaking Zach Bitter’s 11:19:13 American record. He won’t be alone—Dakota Jones, who announced his own attempt at the distance, is also in. The race, set for Feb. 14, doubles as the USATF 100-Mile Road Championship, and at time of writing the field includes past Ultra Minute mentions Nathan Brown, Devon Yanko, and Sierra DeGroff. If you’re curious, the world record is Aleksandr Sorokin’s 10:51:39.
Stian Angermund Speaks on Doping Case & Return to Sport – After more than a year of fighting doping allegations, two-time world champion Stian Angermund sat down with Freetrail for his first long-form interview on the subject. He shares his full timeline, the toll of the case, and his plans for a return. It’s an emotional listen, and one I should have linked to last week. Apple Podcasts | YouTube
Podcast Highlights
On a recent Boulder Boys Show, Tabor and Eli Hemming join the crew to talk about life on their ranch, making rare trips into “the big city” of Boulder, and their upcoming races. They discuss Francesco Puppi’s Nike departure (with Eli remarking, “that’s always been Nike, though”), preview Black Canyon—where both Eli and Seth Ruhling are among the favorites—and touch on the return of Stian Angermund. Since then, they’ve also released a Black Canyon preview episode, which I haven’t had a chance to listen to yet. Apple Podcasts | YouTube
On the latest Women of Distance Podcast, Emkay Sullivan talks about her NYC Marathon win, her Boston Marathon debut, and her growing ultra ambitions. After placing second at Canyons 100k and turning down a Western States ticket, she’s hoping to claim one at Black Canyon next weekend. Last year’s race was meant to be her first 100k, but an early ankle injury forced her to drop. They’re also releasing a Black Canyon 100k women’s preview episode Monday. Apple Podcasts
The Trail Network Podcast is back with all four hosts—Rachel, Leah, Hilary, and Katie—catching up on life, training, and hot takes for 2025. It was great to hear Hilary back after the LA wildfires, and Katie Asmuth, coming back from injury, shares her excitement for her “re-entry” to racing the Black Canyon 100k. Hilary also opens up about her struggle with consistently producing YouTube videos for her channel, with the crew encouraging her to put something together at Black Canyon. Apple Podcasts | YouTube
I recently discovered The Ultra Running Experience Podcast while doing a deep dive on Hans Troyer (more on that next week), and this episode is a good way to get up to speed on Hans’ story. Host Charlie Freed breaks down Hans’ 2024 season—winning Bandera 100k, placing top 10 at Black Canyon 100k, ending up in the hospital for 12 days with kidney failure, only to come back and set a course record at the USATF 50-mile championships. Apple Podcasts
That’s it for this week! Longtime readers may have noticed I didn’t include any “Reads of the Week” and that’s because I’ve been too captivated by the Chipotle Challenge, and I need to get outside to play with my sons. My oldest (3.5 years old) won a kite at the grocery store last night and proceeded to jump around in jubilation, pronouncing, “I’m the winner, I’m the winner!” Needless to say, today he is very excited to get out and fly it, so “Reads of the Week” will return next week, along with some pre Black Canyon hype.
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See y’all on the trail,
Ken
It's so funny. I was so tempted to do the Chipotle challenge and talked about it on a podcast (negatively). I'm still halfway between should've and glad I didn't.
Thanks for the shout-out!
As someone who is hooked on following Jamil and the experience unfolding there, I would add the context of the world right now to explain “why we need it.“ It is just a wonderful, soothing antidote and uplifting picture of the human spirit during the relentlessly bad and frightening news, capped off by this week’s plane crash. Also, as someone who has seen the ultra scene change dramatically over the last two decades, I’m also hooked on the homegrown dirtbag feel of it. Who would have expected a corporate-created challenge in an urban setting, on a quarter mile of sidewalk, to feel that way? But it does. And I love it.