Final weekend, after seven earlier makes an attempt, Seattle, Washington, ultrarunner Joe McConaughy lastly achieved the purpose that had eluded him for eight years. He gained a Golden Ticket to the Western States 100 at Arizona’s 2025 Black Canyon 100k.
McConaughy’s quest for a Golden Ticket started within the spring of 2017, on the Gorge Waterfalls 100k, which was a Golden Ticket race on the time. After coaching exhausting by way of the winter, Joe got here to Gorge Waterfalls decided and match. After going out exhausting, he light to fifth place behind Jim Walmsley, Ben Koss, Tyler Inexperienced, and Ben Stern. Undeterred, he jumped into the Lake Sonoma 50 Mile the very subsequent week and completed a disappointing sixth.
The beginning of the 2025 Black Canyon 100k. Picture: World Path Majors
After specializing in different pursuits for the rest of 2017, McConaughy resumed his hunt for a Golden Ticket on the Sean O’Brien 100k in February of 2018. His 9:15 end underneath the nice and cozy Southern California solar that day was solely adequate for third place, seven minutes behind Charlie Ware, who snagged the race’s second Golden Ticket spot.
After three makes an attempt inside a yr, McConaughy took a break from his Golden Ticket chase to run some low-key races on the U.S. East Coast, and pursue some quickest identified time efforts. “I knew I nonetheless had the fireplace to attempt to go for the Golden Ticket, I simply wanted a break to do different issues,” McConaughy advised me, after I requested him about his resolution to step away from the extremely aggressive Golden Ticket collection.
In 2021, the Golden Ticket collection developed to incorporate two 100-mile races — UTMB and the Javelina 100 Mile — and Joe noticed Javelina as an ideal alternative to return to his Golden Ticket quest, as he tended to do higher in longer races. Alas, the sector had different concepts that day, as a trio of flatland specialists — Arlen Glick, Ryan Montogomery, and Cole Watson — swept the rostrum forward of McConaughy’s fourth-place end.
January of 2022 noticed the hotly contested Bandera 100k go all the way down to the wire, the place McConaughy as soon as once more completed simply exterior of Golden Ticket place, in third place, lower than three minutes behind second-place Tyler Fox, who claimed the second Golden Ticket.
For the rest of 2022, McConaughy shifted his focus to longer efforts, profitable the Cocodona 250 Mile in Might. After which after two DNFs (didn’t end) at Golden Ticket races in 2023, Bandera and Javelina, McConaughy was left questioning if a Golden Ticket simply wasn’t meant to be.
Joe McConaughy after taking third on the 2025 Black Canyon 100k, and securing a Golden Ticket to the 2025 Western States 100. Picture courtesy of Joe McConaughy
Till, that’s, the 2025 Black Canyon 100k. McConaughy held again by way of the primary half of the race, solely transferring into the highest 10 on the midway level. Exhibiting the endurance and self-discipline of a real extremely veteran, McConaughy slipped into the third and last Golden Ticket spot with just some miles left, and proceeded to complete third in 7:31:37.
After collapsing to the bottom, McConaughy was approached by Western States 100 race director Craig Thornley, who historically presents runners with their Golden Tickets on the Black Canyon end line. Once I requested Joe how lengthy he took to simply accept the Golden Ticket from Thornley, he mentioned, “Oh, it was about three seconds!”
Previous to profitable the ticket, McConaughy was planning to return to the Barkley Marathons and Cocodona this spring. However now, with the Western States 100 on the horizon, he has determined to maintain his give attention to the massive dance. He mentioned, “After attempting so exhausting for thus a few years, I owe it to myself to place my finest foot ahead on the Western States 100, so no Barkley or Cocodona for me this yr.”
In a real lesson in endurance and perseverance, McConaughy has definitely proven the ultrarunning world the enduring worth of simply exhibiting up — as a result of once you do, good issues simply may occur.
Bottoms up!
AJW’s Beer of the Week
This week’s beer of the week comes from Redhook Brewing Firm in Seattle, Washington. One of many northwest’s oldest breweries, Redhook’s Montlake Gameday Gold Lager is a deliciously crisp lager with a fruity style and a malty end. Good with a burger and fries, or simply by itself, Montlake is a balanced and extremely drinkable golden lager.
Name for Feedback
Have you ever adopted Joe McConaughy’s enduring quest for a Western States 100 Golden Ticket?
Have you ever additionally tried repeatedly to get into the Western States 10o? Did you get a spot ultimately?
