Transvulcania, Quad Rock, and Cocodona were highlight races on a big weekend.
You can also check out our race coverage from earlier in the week and weekend:
- 2026 Cocodona 250 Mile Results: Rachel Entrekin Wins Outright and Kilian Korth Takes Men’s Race in Record Times
- 2026 Transvulcania VK Results: Kenyans Joyce Njeru and Richard Omaya Atuya Dominate
- 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon Results: David Sinclair and Blandine L’Hirondel Topple Course Records
- 2026 Transvulcania Half Marathon Results: Volcanic Victory for Ruth Gitonga and Philemon Kiriago
Transvulcania – La Palma, Spain
Ultramarathon
Both course records fell in the event’s marquee 75-kilometer race. Blandine L’Hirondel (France) bettered Ruth Croft’s 2024 record by 19 minutes, and men’s winner David Sinclair (U.S.) took down Luis Alberto Hernando’s 11-year-old men’s record by 20 minutes.
L’Hirondel was out front from the start and won in 7:43, but Lucy Bartholomew (Australia) was never far behind. Bartholomew was second in 7:49 and beat the old course record too. Emelie Forsberg (Sweden), a two-time winner here over a decade ago, was third in 8:14.
The top five women were:
- Blandine L’Hirondel (France) – 7:43:47
- Lucy Bartholomew (Australia) – 7:49:26
- Emelie Forsberg (Sweden) – 8:14:40
- Gemma Arenas (Spain) – 8:35:47
- Beatriz Parrón (Spain) – 8:39:07
Blandine L’Hirondel, 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon champion. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
David Sinclair (U.S.) blasted the late-race downhill to pull away from Petter Engdahl (Sweden). Sinclair won in 6:32, Engdahl was second in 6:41, and Nadir Maguet (Italy) closed well for a third-place finish in 6:42. The first six men all beat the old course record.
The top five men were:
- David Sinclair (U.S.) – 6:32:24
- Petter Engdahl (Sweden) – 6:41:19
- Nadir Maguet (Italy) – 6:42:31
- Damien Humbert (France) – 6:43:54
- Ben Dhiman (U.S.) – 6:48:42
David Sinclair and Ben Dhiman running near El Pilar, about 23 kilometers into the 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
Marathon
Spanish runners Ikram Rharsalla and Fran Anguita won the marathon in 4:12 and 3:39, respectively.
Vertical Kilometer
Both the Vertical Kilometer and the Half Marathon were part of the Mountain Running World Cup, and most top runners doubled between the two races.
Joyce Njeru (Kenya) and Kirsty Skye Dickson (U.K.) were the best of the women’s VK field. Njeru hit the top in 55:02, and Dickson was a close second in 55:37. Third-place Ruth Gitonga (Kenya) was over two minutes back in 58:00.
Uphill ace Richard Omaya Atuya won big in the men’s race, and Kenyan runners swept the podium. Omaya Atuya reached the high point finish in 45:01, and Philemon Kiriago and Ephantus Mwangi Njeri were second and third in 47:33 and 47:39.
Joyce Njeru on her way to victory at the 2026 Transvulcania Vertical Kilometer. Photo: Transvulcania
Half Marathon
Racing a little longer and with more varied terrain, Gitonga flipped the women’s podium two days later. She moved from third in the VK to first here in 2:22. Njeru was second in 2:25, and Dickson was a distant third in 2:33. Gitonga’s time was a new course record.
The men’s race was close. Like Gitonga, Kiriago was now on more comfortable terrain, and he won in 2:07. It too was a new course record. Kiriago, though, was only four seconds in front of second-place Anthony Felber (France). Linus Hultegård (Sweden) sprinted across the finish to pull even with Omaya Atuya, but Omaya Atuya finished a nose ahead for third place in 2:08. They were only 28 seconds behind second-place Felber. VK third-placer Mwangi Njeri did not finish.
Philemon Kiriago runs the volcanic highlands on his way to winning the 2026 Transvulcania Half Marathon. Photo: WMRA/Marco Gulberti
The next races in the Mountain Running World Cup are the June 19 and June 21 Broken Arrow Ascent and 23k in California.
Cocodona – Black Canyon City, Arizona
Cocodona 250 Mile
The event’s namesake race, and its longest, was one of the year’s most-watched and most-anticipated races. Past champions and podium finishers returned to make it the race’s most competitive edition yet.
Two-time winner Rachel Entrekin won for a third straight year and won the race outright. She finished in 56:09 to smash her own women’s course record and the overall record. She was over an hour better than the fastest man and over five hours ahead of second-place Courtney Dauwalter, who came back from a drop at the race’s 2025 edition to finish in 61:58. Six-day world record holder Megan Eckert was third in 63:09.
Rachel Entrekin has some feelings after winning outright and setting an overall course record at the 2026 Cocodona 250 Mile. Photo: Scott Rokis Productions/@scottrokisphoto
For the men, 200-mile-pro Kilian Korth won in 57:28. He fought off late-race injuries to stay ahead of second-place Cody Poskin, who finished in 58:13. DJ Fox was third in 59:29.
Kilian Korth is the men’s winner of the 2026 Cocodona 250 Mile. Photo: Scott Rokis Productions/@scottrokisphoto
Sadly, the event was also marred by a tragedy, as a runner died from a medical emergency during the race.
Sedona Canyons 125 Mile
The race started in Jerome and finished in Flagstaff, and race-winners Andrea White and Trueheart Brown finished in 31:15 and 25:14.
Bradshaw Brute 100 Mile
The first-year race took on some of the toughest sections of the Cocodona 250 Mile course. Kelly Halpin and Ryan Rogers won in 27:01 and 23:00.
Mingus Traverse 78 Mile
Going from Prescott to Sedona, first-place runners Stephanie Mantie and Adam Gloyeske took this one in 18:32 and 14:41.
Flagstaff Crest 40 Mile
This one went all around Flagstaff, and Madeleine Hawkins and Avinoam Maier won in 5:55 and 4:59.
Quad Rock – Fort Collins, Colorado
50 Mile
Incredibly, less than three minutes separated the first three women. Liv Taber, Amanda Ax, and Charissa Kenny came in at 9:14, 9:15, and 9:16, respectively.
For the men, Evan Christopherson broke Mitch Klomp between miles 25 and 32, and Christopherson went on to win in 7:30. Klomp was next in 7:47, and Adam Rients dipped under the eight-hour mark in third at 7:56.
25 Mile
It was a near course record in the women’s race as Alicia Vargo won and got to third overall in 3:49. She was 17 seconds away from Ashley Brasovan’s course record from 2021. Men’s winner Whit Blair was in at 3:24, 16 minutes faster than the second-place man.
Additional Races and Runs
XTERRA Trail Run World Championships – Gozo Island, Malta
The 51k event had 1,200 meters of climbing, and Jemima Farley (U.K.) took it for the women in 4:20. Sébastien Carabin (Belgium) won for the men in 3:54. Full results.
The 2026 XTERRA Trail Run World Championships podium (left to right): 2. Loïs Ardiet and Klaudia Petters, 1. Jemima Farley and Sébastien Carabin, 3. Antonia Horn and Sam Macaulay. Photo: XTERRA
Quiksilver 100k- San Jose, California
Women’s winner Sylvie Abel was also the overall winner in 9:25. Men’s winner Robert Schtz was next in 9:32. Full results.
Jemez Mountain – Los Alamos, New Mexico
Women’s 50-mile winner Kristina Chang hit the line in 12:00, and Benjamin Stout won for the men in 8:21. Stout won here in 2023 in 8:20. In the 50k, it was Ellen Cannon and Evan Kwiecien in 6:05 and 4:46. Full results.
2026 Jemez 50 Mile women’s podium (left to right): 2. Salynda Heinl, 1. Kristina Change, 3. Leora Wallace. Photo courtesy of the race.
2026 Jemez 50 MIle men’s podium (left to right): 2. Michael Carilli, 1. Benjamin Stout, 3. Jason Schlarb. Photo courtesy of the race.
Paiute Meadows Trail Run – Susanville, California
The small 50k field was led by Ashley Nordell and Nicholas Connolly in 4:40 and 4:14. Full results.
Don’t Fence Me In – Helena, Montana
The Western States 100 is coming up for Jennifer Lichter and Jeff Mogavero, and they won the 50k here in 4:20 and 3:54. Makena Morley and Zach Perrin were best in the 25k in 2:07 and 1:57. Full results.
Ice Age Trail – La Grange, Wisconsin
The longtime race had Katia Wanish and Liam Gayter win the 50 miler in 8:04 and 7:10. Full results.
Running with My Gnomies 50k – Dover, Ohio
At Camp Tuscazoar, Abigail Zavatchan and Andy Bay led a small field in 6:50 and 5:19. Full results.
Hellbender 100 Mile – Old Fort, North Carolina
On a big tour of the Black Mountains, Jana Grindheim won for the women in 23:36, Drew Antonisse won the men’s race in 18:54, and Alan Dumond won the non-binary race in 37:30. Full results.
Jana Grindheim, the 2026 Hellbender 100 Mile women’s winner. Photo courtesy of the race.
Drew Antonisse, the 2026 Hellbender 100 Mile men’s winner. Photo courtesy of the race.
Thunderbunny 50k – Athens, Ohio
It was the event’s 11th year, and Molly Kash and Will Koenig won in 5:17 and 4:25. Full results.
Call for Comments
What else did you see over the weekend?
