For the past three years, when the calendar is about to flip to a new year, I have shared my predictions for ultrarunning for the year ahead. Looking at the predictions I made for 2023, 2024, and 2025, it’s clear to see that they’ve been a “you win some, you lose some” affair over the years. While successfully predicting no Barkley Marathons finishers and the resurgence of Jim Walmsley in 2025, as well as the increased influence of UTMB and Ironman on the sport in 2023, I failed in my predictions of the creation of a Cocodona 250 Mile lottery for the 2026 event, the growth of mom and pop events, and elite athlete crossover between sports.
This year, I have decided to change things up a bit, and instead of making predictions, I have decided to make wishes. Much like Aladdin and his three wishes from the genie in the lamp, I am hereby making my wishes known to the ultra gods and hope that they all come true in 2026.
Jim Walmsley wins a hard-fought 2025 OCC. Photo: UTMB
Hardrock 100 Golden Ticket Series
I was struck last month by the special consideration selections (formerly Dale’s picks) at the Hardrock 100 lottery. This was the second time that the names of these specially selected runners were made public, and like last year, all six picks went to elite ultrarunners who would likely be in contention for the win. The Hardrock website states, “The intent of these picks is to correct perceived omissions in the lottery, such as a runner that has tried for many years to enter, who has given exceptional service to the [Hardrock 100], or who the RD [run director] thinks will bring added interest to the run.” What this signaled to me is that while the Hardrock organizers insist their event is a run, not a race, they nonetheless do pay attention to the pointy end of the field and strive to make it a competitive event.
From left to right, Katie Schide, Manon Bohard, and Katharina Hartmuth chat before the start of the 2025 Hardrock 100. All three were Dale’s Picks and went on to finish on the podium. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
This got me thinking: Why doesn’t Hardrock create its own golden ticket series similar to that of the Western States 100? In my vision, Hardrock would select three 100-mile races from the “UltraRunning Magazine” Old School Ultra Series that would serve as their golden ticket races. The men’s and women’s winners of each of those races would be granted automatic entry into Hardrock the following year, and just like that, the special consideration picks could be eliminated or chosen more in alignment with the stated goal. Think of the excitement and drama the chase for golden tickets would create! It’ll be winner-takes-all for a trip to Silverton, Colorado, and the chance to race an old-school, home-grown series to boot.
The 50-Mile Distance Becomes a Thing Again
Three decades ago, the who’s who of trail running and ultrarunning in the U.S. gathered at two races every year: the American River 50 Mile in California in April and the JFK 50 Mile in Maryland in November. Soon after, the Mountain Masochist 50 Mile in Virginia, created by David Horton, also started drawing some of the most competitive fields in the sport. Take a look at the results of those races from the 1990s and 2000s, and you will see a veritable list of some of the top runners in the world. About a decade later, two other 50 milers, the Lake Sonoma 50 Mile and The North Face 50 Mile Championships, both in California, became the must-race events of every runner’s calendar. Those were the glory days of 50 milers.
Hans Troyer winning the 2025 JFK 50 Mile. Photo: Greg Holder/H3 Photography
Sadly, sometime around 10 years ago, the allure of the 50-mile race began to fade, in large part because of Western States 100’s decision to no longer accept 50-mile events as qualifiers. My second wish for 2026 is for the 50 miler to make a comeback. We have already seen an indication of this with the rebranding of what used to be the Lake Sonoma 50 Mile as the Sonoma Fall Classic, and a date change to October. Please, ultra gods, bring the 50 miler back!
The Return of the Blog
Before the rise of ubiquitous social media, YouTube, and podcasts, we had blogs. Between about 2004 and 2014, blogs were the place to go for information, humor, and inspiration. You had Scott Dunlap’s A Trail Runners Blog, the true OG of trail blogs. There was Craig Thornley’s irreverent Conduct the Juices. Geoff Roes penned the extraordinary blog Fumbling Towards Endurance. Anton Krupicka probably had the largest following on Riding the Wind. And I even had one, AJW’s Blog.
Ben Dhiman, pictured here on his way to taking second at the 2025 UTMB, is one of the current crop of ultrarunners embracing long-form writing on Substack. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Going back through those blogs today takes me right back to the early glory days of trail running, a period that inspired many of today’s runners to make the jump to trails, and, in many ways, fueled the sport’s ongoing growth. In this context, I have noticed a curious phenomenon over the past year as many trail runners and ultrarunners have returned to long-form writing on the Substack platform. It’s not quite the same as Blogspot and WordPress back in the day, but nonetheless, it signals that we may be seeing the return of the blog. I sure hope I’m right!
Bottoms up!
AJW’s Beer of the Week
This week’s Beer of the Week comes from Angry Chair Brewing in Tampa, Florida. The 3 Little Birds is a delicious fruited Berliner Wheat, which is both sweet and tart. Brewed in classic weisse-beer style with a generous helping of fruitiness, 3 Little Birds is certainly a happy way to ring in the new year.
Call for Comments
- What wishes do you have for ultrarunning and trail running in 2026?
