This Week In Running: June 1, 2021

This Week In Running’s trail and ultra recap for June 1, 2021.

By on June 1, 2021 | Comments

This Week in Running Justin Mock TWIRHappy Tuesday, trail runners and ultrarunners!

Monday was a national holiday here in the U.S., pushing our publication date back a day, but we’ve still got great results from Italy, the United Kingdom, Arizona, Virginia, and elsewhere. Time for a trip around the world.

Chiese Run — Roncone, Italy

Italy’s up-and-down Chiese Run was the country’s mountain running championship and the first race of their Trentino Mountains series.

Women

It was the Italian national championship, but Lucy Wambui Murigi (Kenya) dulled some of the luster. She beat the home crowd and won in 56:39. The finish was never certain though and Murigi won by just 10 seconds.

Second-place Francesca Ghelfi won the national title in 56:49, and third- and fourth-place finishers Alice Gaggi and Lorenza Beccaria bumped up a spot on the race-within-a-race podium too. They finished in 58:24 and 58:36, respectively.

Ghelfi’s sister Erica Ghelfi was sixth.

Men

Men’s winner Davide Magnini got all the fireworks, leading the race and the national championship in 47:28. Cesare Maestri and Alex Baldaccini chased to a very close second and third in 47:49 and 47:53.

Full results.

Quartrail des Alpages — Quart, Italy

Just outside of the Aosta Valley, the Quartrail group of races topped out at 50k.

Mimmi Kotka (Sweden) returned to racing with a dominant 6:53 finish. Lisa Borzani (Italy) was second in 7:26 and Oksana Riabova (Ukraine, living in Italy) was third in 7:42.

2021 Quartrail des Alpages women's podium

The 2021 Quartrail des Alpages women’s podium. Photo: Quartrail

The men’s race was much closer and Petter Restorp (Sweden, living in France) sprinted for the win in 6:08, nine seconds better than Franco Colle (Italy). Fabio Cavallo (Italy) was third in 6:14.

Full results.

2021 Quartrail des Alpages men's podium

The 2021 Quartrail des Alpages men’s podium. Photo: Quartrail

Additional Races and Runs

Coast to Coast FKT — United Kingdom

Mike Hartley‘s record of 39 hours and 36 minutes for the 190-mile Coast to Coast route in the U.K. incredibly stood for 30 years. Damian Hall beat that mark early last week by 18 minutes with a 39:18 finish. The route is in northern England and crosses three national parks. The new FKT came just two weeks after John Kelly regained Hall’s 260-mile Pennine Way FKT. Tracking.

Damian Hall - 2021 Coast to Coast FKT

Damian Hall on his way to setting the Coast to Coast FKT in England. Photo: inov-8

London 2 Brighton — London, United Kingdom

It’s not Coast to Coast, but rather Capital to Coast at the 10th running of the London 2 Brighton challenge. Vicky Fouhy and James MacDonald won the 100k race in 11:27 and 9:50, respectively. Full results.

Pinal Peak 50k — Globe, Arizona

Aravaipa Running’s first-ever Pinal Peak 50k connected to historic mining towns on a point-to-point route with 6,300 feet of elevation gain. Natalie Sandoval set the women’s mark in 5:13, and Nick Hilton, a 2:16 marathoner, won the men’s race in 4:13. Full results.

Natalie Sandoval - 2021 Pinal Peak 50k champion

Natalie Sandoval, 2021 Pinal Peak 50k champion. Photo: Aravaipa Running

Bryce Canyon Ultras — Hatch, Utah

Just outside of its namesake national park, Vacation Races’s Bryce Canyon Ultras hosted four different ultra distances. Marina Hand and Hayden Hawks won the 50k in 6:04 and 4:26, with Hawks over an hour ahead of second. Andrea McArdle won the 50-mile contest in 8:53, while men’s winner Kevin Shilling finished in 8:33. And in the 100-mile race, Kristin Marshall and Charlie DeTar won in 27:26 and 21:29, respectively. Full results.

Valkyrie Trail Race 50k — Colorado Springs, Colorado

Mad Moose’s Valkyrie Trail Races are women-only in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Sarah Bunting Lamos won the 50k in 4:57, Desiree Byrd the marathon in 4:36, and Sandi Nypaver the half marathon in 1:54. Full results.

Sugar Badger 50/50 — Belleville, Wisconsin

Rachel Ragona won the Sugar Badger 50 Mile in 6:21. Mike Treder won for the men in 6:52. Jen Makovec and Lauren Cawein raced hard in the 50k and finished a minute apart in 4:45 and 4:46, while men’s frontrunner Jeff Friedman ran 3:22. Full results.

Bunk House Trail Runs 50k — Dousman, Wisconsin

Held on a 10k loop, the Bunk House Trail Runs 50k crowned AJ Burns and Martin Erl winners in 5:48 and 3:59. Erl’s time was a new course record. Full results.

London OH Marathon – London, Ohio

Harvey Lewis raced to a 2:49 second-place finish at the London OH Marathon. Lewis is part of a field of 92 for next month’s Badwater 135. Full results.

Capital Backyard Ultra — Lorton, Virginia

Raced in the increasingly popular backyard 4.16-mile format, the Capital Backyard Ultra saw U.S. national 24-hour vet Steve Slaby and upstart Chris Roberts duel alone for over half a day. Roberts stopped after 56 hours and Slaby finished the 57th loop to win. He totaled 237 miles over the event. Kelly Young was the last female standing with 22 laps and 92 miles complete. Full results.

Trail Festival at Pineland Farms — New Gloucester, Maine

Pineland Farms covers 5,000 acres and is still a working farm, but with several other outdoor- and farm-based tourist attractions too. In the event’s longest race, Amy Damon won the 50-mile contest over Amy Rusiecki. The two went for 8:17 and 8:58 runs. Ricky McLain was the men’s winner, and second overall, in 8:31. Lila Gaudrault and Judson Cake triumphed in the 50k in 4:31 and 3:53. Full results.

Call for Comments

The annual Stumptown 50k race in Portland, Oregon was canceled this weekend, and so too is next weekend’s San Diego 100 Mile contest. What other races did happen, though, that you can add to these highlights?
Justin Mock

Justin Mock is the This Week In Running columnist for iRunFar. He’s been writing about running for 10 years. Based in Europe, Justin has run as fast as 2:29 for a road marathon and finished as high as fourth in the Pikes Peak Marathon.