Back in the Mix
Will Murray storms Javelina to punch his Western return, Tara Dower torches the course record, and The Ultra Minute is back with fresh legs for Golden Ticket season.
Issue 53
Hey y’all, it’s been a while. Our third kid arrived in March, and when my wife went back to work at the end of August, I shifted into full-time dad mode. Since then, finding time to write has been, let’s just say… tricky. I started a few issues, stalled, and eventually realized I needed to rethink how I make TUM work long term (or at least while I’m balancing a few little dudes).
The good news is our youngest is finally sleeping through the night and I’m bringing TUM back, just in a lighter and more sustainable form. That might mean biweekly issues, shorter formats, or publishing around the biggest races (not sure exactly.. I’ll be experimenting). I’m also testing some new ways to source and organize news so I can spend more of my time actually writing.
So on that note, going forward, if you’ve got something the trail community should know about (ie. an athlete update, event, or other story worth sharing) send me a note at ken@theultraminute.com. And if you’re a brand or race director, please add me to your press list.
There couldn’t be a better week to return. Javelina Jundred was electric, with scorching times, deep fields, and that trademark desert energy. It’s the kind of race that reminds me why I love following this sport and has me fired up for the Golden Ticket season ahead and the long build toward Western States.
For paid subscribers, I’ll be extending everyone’s subscription by two months to cover the break. Thanks for reading, sharing, and sticking with TUM through the chaos. Writing this newsletter continues to be one of the most rewarding things I do, and I’m excited to be back.
Javelina Jundred: Murray’s Redemption, Dower’s Record
Will Murray turned Javelina from party to proving ground, ripping a 12:10:12 to win the 100-mile and nuke the 2023 course record. David Roche (12:18:06) and Canyon Woodward (12:19:59) weren’t far behind (three men under the old mark on the same day). Tara Dower set the women’s standard in 13:31:47, nearly a half hour faster than the previous record. For a race known for costumes and cacti, this was also a serious speed statement.
Murray made his move on lap three and never looked back. It was a comeback months in the making: the same runner who stunned with second at Black Canyon in February, then saw his Western States debut slip away to a freak combo of atrial fibrillation and a fractured ankle. He spent race week in Olympic Valley wearing a boot, watching, studying, itching to be out there. To return now and win like this feels less like a breakout and more like a promise kept. Roche, the defending champ, pushed early and kept it honest; Woodward closed hard late to compress the podium into nine minutes.
After banking a Long Trail FKT in August and bailing early at Mammoth last month with 80 miles in the legs, Tara Dower somehow showed up fresh enough to torch the desert and finish seventh overall. The result resets what “fast” looks like at Javelina and solidifies her as a front-runner for Western.
A note on Golden Tickets: Men’s spots go to Murray and Woodward. Roche passed his down to Woodward, who is one of his athletes, but apparently still intends to race again for a Golden Ticket of his own (ballers ball?). Women’s spots go to Dower and Addie Bracy. Runner-up Beth McKenzie is not eligible for WS due to a prior ostarine sanction; WSER’s policy bars athletes who’ve served bans of three months or longer unless otherwise approved.
Open Fuel had a day. Murray won in their kit, co-owner Zach Hauer finished sixth, and Addie Bracy took third. That’s serious visibility for a small nutrition brand on a day when performance did the talking.
Finally, a personal note: the last time I saw Murray, he was in a boot in Olympic Valley, first-time spectator, making the most of his last minute injury, taking notes, mind already on how to earn his way back. “I just want to see how fast they look, how bad they’re suffering in the last third of the race,” he told me as he hobbled down the Escarpment.
Four months later, he’s earned his return shot. The next time he’s in Olympic Valley, it won’t be as a spectator.
More from Javelina
Singletrack’s instant-reaction episode on “the fastest Javelina ever,” wherein Finn and Brett hypothesize why this year’s race was so fast. Best theory they had (imo) is 2024 wasn’t record-setting because of the heat. If it had been cooler we would have seen faster times last year, making this year’s times not seem so dramatically fast relative to the CRs. Singletrack also already dropped a post-race interview with Tara Dower.
WSER’s Golden Ticket ledger showing Murray (accepted), Roche (declined), Woodward (accepted); WSER’s anti-doping/eligibility update referenced above. Interestingly, I just realized Black Canyon and Tarawera (Golden Ticket races) will both occur on the same day next year.
Roche on the decision to pass the Golden Ticket: “Quick timeline of the golden ticket decision” — why he passed his spot to Canyon Woodward and what’s next. (Patreon)
John Sugden’s loop-by-loop “Carnage / Rally Charts” are a great way to quickly visualize what happened. (Substack)
Our WS backstory on Will: “A Few Thoughts and Observations After Hours On-Location in Olympic Valley.” (The Ultra Minute)
Follow Will Murray’s (new) Instagram account. Until now he hasn’t been on socials (except Strava).
Shout out to 4th place, Chris Andrews, who I met at Western States this summer. There, he told me how inspired he was watching the runners, and that “it really lit a fire under me to do everything I can to show up next year,” even going so far as to tell me he planned to run 12:40s at Javelina. He did just that (12:48:39), which last year would have been good enough for 2nd. I imagine we’ll be seeing more of him.
Also quick shout to Courtney Rouse, a local (fellow Texas Hill Country runner) hero who ran a super strong back half of the race to finish F8 in 16:09:40 (as visualized in those John Sugden charts linked above).
Additional Results
Javelina 100K: Jordan Maddocks 08:29:40; Katie Asmuth 08:32:18 (2nd overall). Men—Maddocks, Eric Miya 08:35:11, Cal Calamia 08:51:41; Women—Asmuth, Corinne Shalvoy 08:52:10, Leandra Zimmermann 09:16:36. (Full results)
Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra: Phil Gore won with 114 laps (475.0 miles); Sarah Perry topped the women with 95 laps, a new women’s world record. (Official results)
Cactus Rose 100: Philip Arneson 25:08:35; Madeline Green 34:06:03 — held at Camp Eagle after a venue change from Hill Country State Natural Area (same venue change as Bandera early this year). (Full results)
News & Links
Prosecutors offered Michelino Sunseri a plea deal in the Grand Teton switchback case; the judge will decide within 30 days. Sounds similar to the offer Michelino’s team suggested to prosecutors a year ago. (link)
Grayson Murphy published a two-part Worlds recap: part 1 reveals she learned she was ~7–8 weeks pregnant days before racing; part 2 details getting medical clearance, starting anyway, a DNF around 19 miles, and what that means for contracts and next season.
Caleb Olson’s “Going Pro” isn’t a personal announcement—it’s a practical guide to sponsorship (“what I wish I knew before signing my first contract”), covering how to get noticed, evaluate brand fit, negotiate tiers/bonuses/obligations, and know your market value.
Keeping on the sponsorship theme, On Long Run Labs, Anton Krupicka and Kelsey Quinn talk moving athlete deals beyond logos to story-driven collaborations. (link)
And last week Kelly Halpin (Rad Boulder), who is one of the most prolific agents in the sport, joined Finn on the Singletrack Podcast for an open conversation about salaries and what brands are looking for. (link)
Daybreak Racing announced Bachelor Ascent for Sept. 12, 2026 at Mt. Bachelor—50K/28K/16K plus a vertical 5K; registration opens Feb. 1, 2026. (link)
Ryan Montgomery had left-ankle surgery (ATFL repair plus clean-up) at The Steadman Clinic; he’s ahead of schedule and eyeing a run/walk soon. (link)
Aravaipa Running teased Into The Aspen Backcountry, a short doc on Jeff Colt reviving Aspen’s backcountry race tradition—drops Thu 10/30 at noon MT. (link)
And Point2 Media’s “Death Race Twenty-Five: No Doubt” premieres the following day (Oct 31), covering Ethan Peters’ record bid at the Canadian Death Race. (link)
Anna Louden made it official with Tantrums, joining the indie pack maker’s team. (link)
Kevin Russ (photographer/runner/Jamil’s 2025 Burrito Challenge rival) released a 2026 Western landscapes wall calendar. (link)
That’s it for this week, y’all. Thanks again for your continued support of TUM, and please, if you have news you’d like to see shared with the community, email it to me at ken@theultraminute.com. I’m hoping with your help sourcing news I can spend a little less time online myself ;)
Ken
We are so back!!