The Ultra Minute 🏔️ December 18, 2024
Women dominate at Desert Solstice, Candice Burt and Kaci Lickteig return to racing with wins, Liz Myers caps off a standout year, Broken Arrow joins Golden Trail World Series, and more
Women Dominate at Desert Solstice
The Desert Solstice 24-Hour Track Invitational in Phoenix belonged to the women, with impressive performances and a tight race at the top that kept things exciting through 24 hours of racing.
France’s Stéphanie Gicquel won the 24-hour race outright, covering 154.8 miles, just shy of her national record. Behind her, Lauren Jones ran 153.9 miles—a PR for 100 miles and enough for second place, securing her spot on the U.S. 24-hour team. “I decided to go after something that seemed completely out of reach,” Jones shared. “All the training, and planning, and worrying paid off—the day turned out better than I could have ever imagined.”
Megan Eckert rounded out the women’s podium with 153.4 miles, landing seventh on the all-time U.S. women’s list. Reflecting on her race, Eckert called it “like walking a tightrope… too fast or too slow and all your goals vanish.” She added, “I couldn’t have had a better day out there.”
On the men’s side, Don Reichelt led with 154.1 miles, finishing second overall and securing his spot as third on the U.S. qualifying list for next year’s World Championships. “This one moves me up to #3 on the U.S. team qualifying list,” Reichelt shared. “One step closer to locking up a spot on the US team.”
Notably, women claimed seven of the top 10 spots in the 24-hour standings. For more about Desert Solstice, check out Aravaipa’s Laps & Legends YouTube series.
Additional Results
and Kaci Lickteig made impressive returns to racing this past weekend, each taking a win as they build toward HURT Hawaii next month. Burt, recovering from fractures and foot surgery earlier this year, finished first female and seventh overall at the Colossal Vail 50/50, calling it “emotional in the best way” after a tough summer.
Meanwhile, Lickteig, rehabbing a partial hamstring tear, tested her recovery at the Hitchcock Experience 101k—a half marathon followed by a 50-miler—and came away with the win. “Learning to trust the body after an injury is hard,” she shared, “but I wasn’t ready to let go of my dream.”
Tara Dower finished second overall and first woman at the Seashore 50k in 3:45:17, marking her first race back since her Appalachian Trail FKT three months ago. “I wasn’t sure how my body would respond,” she shared, “but I’m really happy with the result.” Mike Kapetanakis, running the race for the ninth time, took the overall win in 3:39:58.
Liz Myers capped off a standout year with a course record at the Across Florida 200, finishing the 200-mile journey in 69:07:51. “Still wrapping my head around it all!” she shared, giving credit to her crew and pacers for their support.
Myers started the year with her first 50-mile race—and win—at the Forgotten Florida 50 Mile, followed by another win at Croom Zoom 50k and her first 100-mile finish at Javelina Jundred in October. She closed out 2024 by taking on her first 200-miler and setting a new course record in the process. It’ll be exciting to see what she takes on in 2025.
News & Links
Old Fort Endurance Festival raises $959K – Last weekend’s inaugural event in Western North Carolina featured 6, 12, and 24-hour MTB and run categories to support rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Helene. Even Anton Krupicka showed he’s still a “beginner” sometimes, riding his first-ever mountain bike race (and getting humbled on the descents), while Hailey Moore claimed the 12-hour win. The Old Fort Strong Fund has now reached $959,547, closing in on its $1M goal by year-end. Donations are still being accepted—let’s help get them there. Donate here.
Katie Schide makes it official – After declining her Western States entry last week, Katie Schide confirmed she’s officially headed to Hardrock next year. In her words, she’s looking forward to “a little less running and a lot more walking” in the San Juans.
Broken Arrow joins Golden Trail World Series – The Broken Arrow Skyrace 23k will be part of the 2025 Golden Trail World Series, joining iconic events like Zegama and Sierre-Zinal. Replacing Mammoth Trail Fest and Headlands 27k, the race will take place on June 22 as part of a reshuffled calendar that moves the U.S. stops from September to June. Announcement | Race website
Finalists announced for UltraSignup’s Keep Trail Running Weird Awards – The finalists are in for UltraSignup’s celebration of the trail running community. Categories like “Best Pacer” and “Trail Weirdo” highlight the sport’s most memorable characters. Voting is open now, with winners announced December 31. Vote now.
David Miller’s year-end photo series – Photographer David Miller, fresh off releasing his Barkley Marathons photo book ($33), is sharing a favorite shot each day through year’s end, all captured with his Leica Q2 Monochrom. The series opens with a TDS runner perfectly tucked into a strip of shade cast by a parked Citroën:
Podcast & YouTube Highlights
2024 Year in Review - With it being wrap-up season, several shows are diving deep into the year’s biggest moments as well as what’s ahead:
The Freetrail Podcast – Dylan Bowman and Corrine Malcolm share their picks for Trail Runner of the Year, top performances, FKTs, and predictions for 2025. Listen here.
Crack a Brew with AJW – Andy Jones-Wilkins and Finn Melanson reflect on ultrarunner of the year, surprises, and the best trail running film of 2024. Listen here.
Ultra Uncovered: 2024 Unwrapped – Corinne, Russell, and Graham break down UROY/TROY/POY picks, personal highlights, and the trail memes that defined 2024. Listen here.
The Trailhead by UltraSignup – Zoë Rom and Buzz Burrell unpack trail running’s biggest trends, performances, and bold predictions for 2025, with insights from UltraSignup’s Matt Abbott. Listen here.
Other Highlights
The Trail Network Podcast: Hardrock Dreams Realized – Leah Yingling and Hilary Yang react to the news that both of them were selected for the 2025 Hardrock 100. They reflect on the bittersweet nature of lottery day and what the iconic race means to them. Listen here.
The Free Outside Podcast: The Month of Jeff – Hosted by Jeff Garmire, The Free Outside Podcast is featuring only guests named Jeff this December. From Jeff Mogavero's heat strategies and Taylor Swift workouts to Jeff Colt's golden ticket adventures and burrito mastery, the lineup also features comedian and ultrarunner Jeffrey Binney, ultrarunning legend Jeff Browning on longevity and gear evolution, and filmmaker Jeff Pelletier on fast-packing and storytelling. Who knows which Jeff will show up next? Apple Podcasts | YouTube
Adidas TERREX: Perspectives Episode 2 – Following last week’s look at the crew, adidas TERREX shifts focus to the athletes themselves in part two of their short film series. This episode dives into the physical, mental, and emotional highs and lows of UTMB, OCC, and CCC, featuring runners like Eli and Tabor Hemming and Toni McCann:
Upcoming Livestreams
Dec. 28–Jan. 3: Across The Years - Ring in the New Year with six days of multi-day ultrarunning, including special coverage of the Last Person Standing event. Coverage kicks off at 8:00 AM MT on Dec. 28. Watch here.
Reads of the Week
- ’s profile of Katie Schide, The Latest Trail Blazer, offers a captivating glimpse into the life of one of trail running’s most iconic athletes. From her small-town beginnings in Maine to her remote home in the French Alps, Katie’s story is as much about her connection to the mountains as it is about her dominance on the trails. The piece highlights her historic 2024 season, with wins at Western States and UTMB, and her place in The North Face’s storied legacy of female trail runners. Read it here.
- ’s post, Wobbly Legs and a Shower Just Out of Reach, is an unflinchingly funny and painfully accurate reflection on the aftermath of running ultras. From the car ride home to the absurd struggle of putting on socks the next morning, Baker captures the hilarity and humanity of post-race life in a way that will leave you in tears—both from laughing and nodding along:
”Then comes the night. Oh, you thought you’d sleep like a baby after an ultra? Cute. Your body has other plans. Restless legs start kicking like they’re still on mile 48. Your bed is now a Slip ’N Slide of sweat. And the dreams? Let’s just say your brain is running an ultra of its own, featuring race gels, dancing trail markers, and maybe a talking bear for good measure.And let’s not forget the temperature confusion. You’re shivering under every blanket in the house, but you’re also so hot you could fry an egg on your forehead. Nobody warned me about this. Nobody.”
Read it here.
That’s all for this week! As the year winds down, I’m looking forward to some downtime with my family over the holidays—and I hope you find a moment to do the same, whether you’re wrapping up your final long runs or simply savoring some well-earned winter recovery. Forward this to a friend who’d enjoy a dose of ultrarunning news, and hit subscribe if you’re not on the list yet.
See y’all on the trails,
Ken
P.S. Did I miss something big? Or do you have an announcement the ultrarunning world should hear? Drop it in the comments below and let us know!
A fabulous trail and ultra digest. I really look forward to these!
Liz Myers is an absolute LEGEND!!!!! Every single goal she sets, she crushes! Love her podcast The Tribe of Runners!