This Week In Running: July 20, 2026

In the U.S., 100-mile races High Lonesome, Cascade Crest, and Vermont were among the weekend’s highlights, and there were two Mountain Running World Cup races in France, too.

Vauban Mountain Trail – Briançon, France

The event hosted a pair of Mountain Running World Cup contests. The Uphill race was on Saturday, and the Up and Down race followed the next day.

Montée Verticale

The vertical race was 5.9 kilometers long and climbed 1,121 meters.

Men

Richard Atuya (Kenya) won for the second straight year in 40:40, and it was the exact same time that he ran in 2025. Atuya was nearly two minutes ahead of second place.

After running most of the race in third, Brayan Rodríguez (Mexico) launched an attack over the final 800 meters to finish second in 42:38. Elijah Kariuki (Kenya) was then third in 42:55.

The men’s top 10 was:

1. Richard Atuya (Kenya) – 40:40
2. Brayan Rodríguez (Mexico) – 42:38
3. Elijah Kariuki (Kenya) – 42:55
4. Henri Aymonod (Italy) – 43:53
5. Théodore Klein (France) – 44:16
6. Ephantus Njeri (Kenya) – 44:55
7. Paul Machoka (Kenya) – 45:05
8. Alric Petit (France) -45:55
9. Martin Nilsson (Sweden) – 46:03
10. Jon Breivold (Norway) – 46:44

Women

Only fifth at the 2.1-kilometer mark, Francesca Ghelfi (Italy) overtook everyone in front of her over the race’s steeper second half. At the top, it wasn’t even close. Ghelfi won in 49:18.

Ruth Gitonga (Kenya) and Kirsty Dickson (U.K.) were second and third in 50:12 and 50:21.

The women’s top 10 was:

1. Francesca Ghelfi (Italy) – 49:18
2. Ruth Gitonga (Kenya) – 50:12
3. Kirsty Dickson (U.K.) – 50:21
4. Christel Dewalle (France) – 50:46
5. Benedetta Broggi (Italy) – 52:35
6. Ellen Crombie (U.K.) – 53:16
7. Miriam Chepkirui (Kenya) – 53:48
8. Selina Burch (Switzerland) – 54:12
9. Gloria Chebet (Kenya) – 54:29
10. Elle Twentyman (U.K.) – 54:39

[Christel Dewalle previously served a four-month doping ban after a positive test for the stimulant Heptaminol at the 2016 Skyrunning World Championships.]

Grand Parcours

The next day’s Up and Down race stretched 13.9k in distance with 966 meters of climbing.

Men

Kenyan runners again dominated the top standings. A breakaway front two had Ephantus Njeri edge Vertical winner Richard Atuya for the win. Njeri overtook Atuya on the race’s final downhill and won in 1:03:01. Atuya was second in 1:03:28.

It was nearly another two minutes before third-place Elijah Kariuki finished in 1:05:06. It was Kariuki’s second third-place finish of the weekend.

The men’s top ten was:

1. Ephantus Njeri (Kenya) – 1:03:01
2. Richard Atuya (Kenya) – 1:03:28
3. Elijah Kariuki (Kenya) – 1:05:06
4. Brayan Rodríguez (Mexico) – 1:05:43
5. Paul Machoka (Kenya) – 1:06:14
6. Théodore Klein (France) – 1:06:42
7. Martin Nilsson (Sweden) – 1:07:05
8. Lukas Ehrle (Germany) – 1:07:06
9. Noé Daviaud (France) – 1:07:41
10. Matt Knowles (U.K.) – 1:08:04

Women

As in the men’s race, Kenyan women swept the podium. Also, as in the men’s race, the women’s race saw a breakaway front two.

Ruth Gitonga beat Gloria Chebet for the win, and the two were 19 seconds apart and both in at 1:14. They were second and ninth in the Vertical race a day earlier.

Miriam Chepkirui, seventh in the Vertical race, was third in 1:19.

The women’s top ten was:

1. Ruth Gitonga (Kenya) – 1:14:03
2. Gloria Chebet (Kenya) – 1:14:22
3. Miriam Chepkirui (Kenya) – 1:19:08
4. Arianna Dentis (Italy) – 1:19:13
5. Elle Twentyman (U.K.) – 1:20:08
6. Benedetta Broggi (Italy) – 1:23:53
7. Selina Burch (Switzerland) – 1:23:59
8. Céline Jeannier (France) – 1:25:11
9. Bethany Bergstrand (U.K.) – 1:26:47
10. Gabrielle Pilote Fortin (Canada) – 1:27:59

Full results.

Monte Rosa Walserwaeg by UTMB – Gressoney-Saint-Jean, Italy

It was the second year for the event in the Italian Alps. The race courses featured significant climbing on alpine trails.

Les Sentiers des Valdôtains

At nearly 76 miles and with almost 28,000 feet of climbing, this was the event’s long course.

Less than six minutes separated women’s winner and runner-up Lisa Borzani (Italy) and Claire Bannwarth (France) in 19:19 and 19:25. Martina Potrč (Slovenia) was a very close third in 19:30. Bannwarth was 13 minutes ahead of Borzani as late as mile 66, but by mile 72, Borzani had made her winning move.

Jérôme Vanderschaeghe (Belgium) led all of the second half and won the men’s race in 15:33. His countryman Florian Descamps was second in 16:00, and defending champion Simone Corsini (Italy) finished third in 16:05.

Monte Rosa Trail

The race was 50.9 miles in distance with 20,833 feet of elevation gain. At mile 25, Emelie Forsberg (Sweden) was over three minutes in front of Martina Valmassoi (Italy). The order flipped by the next checkpoint at mile 30, and Valmassoi stretched her lead over the race’s second half. Valamassoi won in 11:29, and Forsberg finished second in 11:56. Mahauld Granier (France) was third in 12:32.

The men’s race ran similarly, with Cristian Minoggio (Italy) leading the race’s first 38 miles. Martin Anthamatten (Switzerland) was better late, though, and won in 9:32. Minoggio, the race’s defending champ, only lost a little ground and finished second in 9:37. Louis Théron (France) was third in 10:19.

Walserwaeg Trail

Petter Engdahl (Sweden) led all of the men’s race and edged William Boffelli (Italy) for the win. Engdahl was almost two minutes better than Boffelli, with the two frontrunners finishing in 4:19 and 4:21. Luca Del Pero (Italy) was third in 4:35, and Manuel Merillas (Spain) was fourth in 4:41.

Fabiola Conti won the women’s race for the host country in 5:30. Emily Schmitz (U.S.) and Bleunwenn Heleu (Belgium) were second and third in 5:39 and 5:43.

Regina Margherita Trail

The short course race was nine miles, and Cesare Maestri (Italy) and Kate Avery (U.K.) won in 1:07 and 1:23.

Full results.

Eiger Ultra Trail by UTMB – Grindelwald, Switzerland

E101

Stian Dahl (Norway) and Alina Wyleżałek (Poland) won the big mountain run in 11:44 and 14:01. It was a bounce-back run for Dahl after dropping at June’s Marathon du Mont Blanc. The E101 race was over 62 miles, with almost 22,000 feet of elevation gain.

E51

Women’s winner Sofia Haajanen (Finland) took the 31-mile race and its 10,170 feet of climbing in 5:53. An orienteering star, she was the women’s race’s only sub-6-hour finisher. Julianne Rössler (Germany) and Deborah Chiarello (Switzerland) were second and third in 6:02 and 6:15, respectively.

Luke Grenfell-Shaw (U.K.) led all of the men’s race and won in 4:45. A year ago, he was third here. Peter Fraňo (Slovakia) edged Chris Myers (U.S.) for second with the pair finishing in 4:59 and 5:02.

Full results.

High Lonesome 100 Mile – Salida, Colorado

Women

Becca Bramley and Isabella Poulos went back and forth at the front of the women’s race through the first half, but it was all Bramley late, and she chased down Rachel Entrekin’s year-old course record. Bramley won in 21:55:49, 27 seconds better than Entrekin’s 2025 finish. Bramley was second to Riley Brady at last year’s Run Rabbit Run 100 Mile in her only other 100-mile finish.

Poulos stayed second to finish in 24:19, and 2021 race winner Salynda Heinl was third in 25:19.

Men

A year ago, Ryan Sullivan and Jeff Colt dueled through the race’s first half before Sullivan dropped at mile 75 and Colt went on to win and set the course record at 18:52. The two came back for a rematch, and in 2026, Sullivan won, and Colt dropped. Sullivan finished in 19:56. Sullivan was among the early leaders and was the only leader after mile 31. He’s next signed up for the Run Rabbit Run 100 Mile, a race where he was fourth in 2025.

iRunFar’s Gabe Joyes was second in 20:11. He was 30 minutes behind Sullivan at mile 68, and closed it to three minutes at mile 92, before Sullivan added time back over the final section. Race local Brett Carlson was third in 22:00.

Defending champ Colt stopped at mile 68.

Full results.

Cascade Crest 100 Mile – Easton, Washington

This year’s race was rerouted to avoid a section impacted by wildfires. The altered course was an out-and-back that was slightly longer and with more climbing than the traditional course.

Devon Olson came from behind to win the men’s race in 18:33. Olson passed longtime leader Noah Dusseau in the last 15 miles. Dusseau finished second in 18:49, and hours later, Kyle Peterson was third in 22:11.

Women’s winner Andrea Tarras (Canada) finished in 22:06, and Abby Jahn was just ahead of Bailey Dantonio for second and third in 23:18 and 23:39.

Full results.

Vermont 100 Mile – West Windsor, Vermont

The longtime race totaled 17,000 feet of elevation on a course that mixed dirt roads with horse trails.

Both races had a breakaway winner. For the men, Keith Nadeau was out front in 15:41, and Aaron Stevens and Cody Cutler were next in 16:12 and 16:15.

Megan Eckert won the women’s race and was nearly an hour better than everyone else in 17:19. Joanna Fortier was just ahead of Camille Herron in second and third in 18:16 and 18:31.

Full results.

Additional Races and Runs

Gruyère Trail Charmey – Charmey, Switzerland

In the 54k, Nicolas Firmin (France) was first in the men’s race in 6:46, just ahead of Xavier Thevenard (France) in 6:52, and Céline Ferrara (Switzerland) won for the women against Margot Van Oost (Belgium) in 8:30 and 8:39. Full results.

Laugavegur Ultra Marathon – Landmannalaugar, Iceland

The remote 55k ran point-to-point in southern Iceland. Þorsteinn Roy Jóhannsson (Iceland) and Tove Alexandersson (Sweden) picked up their second win in two weeks. The pair finished in 4:06 and 4:14. Full results.

Harding Hustle 50k – Modjeska Canyon, California

The race through Orange County’s Santa Ana Mountains saw Esteban Prado set a new course record in 3:42 and Katherine Hoolihan reset the women’s mark to 4:35. Full results.

Tahoe Rim Trail – Carson City, Nevada

In the 100 miler, Kyle Roberts won for the men and edged Lindsey Dwyer for the overall crown. Roberts and Dwyer finished in 21:57 and 21:59. The 50k winners Christian Finkbeiner and Rachael Knudson finished in 5:18 and 5:59, respectively. Full results.

Rise and Run 50k – Wellsboro, Pennsylvania

In the fourth edition of the race, Ashley Moser won in 7:33, and Philip Maynard brought home the win in 5:18. Full results.

Bob Marshall Trail 50k – Seeley Lake, Montana

The race was just outside the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Jason Delaney and Katie Barker won in 4:46 and 5:25. Full results.

Silverton Alpine Marathon – Silverton, Colorado

The 50k winners were Ryan Raff and Jade Irizarry-Swordy in 3:56 and 5:21, and Billy Grimes and Jade Ellis won the marathon in 4:24 and 5:09. Raff was 22 seconds back of a course record that’s stood since 2022. Full results.

Barr Trail Mountain Race – Manitou Springs, Colorado

It was the race’s 25th year, and it went 12.6 miles on an up-and-down course on the lower part of Pikes Peak. Race winners each earned $350. Grant Colligan led the men in 1:39, and Janelle Lincks was the first woman in 1:57. Lincks won here in 2021, too. Full results.

Power of Four 50k – Aspen, Colorado

The race connected Aspen’s four ski areas. Julian Schima and Sophie Linn won in 5:41 and 6:08. Full results.

Crazy Bear 50k – Sioux Falls, North Dakota

Jennifer Hickey won with a time of 7:02, and Connor O’Hara was first back in 5:42. Full results.

Call for Comments

What else were you following this weekend?