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Mud off your costume and seize your headlamp, it’s time for everybody’s favourite spooky sugar consumption occasion of October! That’s, the Javelina Jundred, clearly.
One way or the other, by the grace of unbridled enthusiasm and amnesia for ache and struggling, the 2024 path operating season remains to be going. Are there even race “seasons” anymore, anyway? That’s a completely totally different matter worthy of its personal dialogue, however not for now. At this time we’re targeted on the Burning Man occasion of path operating—which additionally occurs to be the ultimate Golden Ticket race into the 2025 Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run.
As at all times, elites scorned at Western States this 12 months and wide-eyed with the promise of incomes an entry into Western States subsequent 12 months are descending upon McDowell Mountain State Park simply northeast of Phoenix, Arizona, on October 26-27 for Aravaipa Working’s marquee occasion of the 12 months. There, they may run 5 comparatively flat loops by dry washbeds, previous saguaro cacti, and round granite boulders—hopefully in costume—for a complete of 100-miles.
Along with speedsters vying for a top-two placement within the males’s and girls’s races, there will likely be hordes of individuals in costume, solely given away by their dusty path trainers, as they race the 100-miler themselves, or volunteer, spectate, and crew. There’s additionally a 100K, a Jalloween costume contest, group runs, a Thursday night completely satisfied hour, a Friday morning scavenger hunt, a Friday night time child’s run, a household film occasion, a Saturday morning yoga session, a Saturday night vogue present, and Saturday’s 31K Jackass Evening Path Run.
It’s quick, it’s freaky, and it’s jot. In different phrases, it’s a path operating race. Right here’s what it’s essential to know earlier than the 100-miler begins at 6 A.M. on Saturday.
The Course
The Javelina Jundred 100-miler contains a five-loop course over rolling terrain: runners full one 22.3-mile loop adopted by 4 similar 19.45-mile loops for a complete of 100.1 miles and 6,243 toes of climbing and descending. The bobbing singletrack by the Sonoran desert varies from hard-packed granite, to rocks and sand, with some previous Jeep highway thrown in for good measure. There are 4 support stations per loop, which means the longest runners go with out the chance to resupply is 6.6 miles.
The 100K follows the identical first three loops because the 100-miler for a complete of 62 miles and slightly below 4,000 toes of elevation achieve and loss. And the Jackass 31K options one of many 19.45-mile loops used within the longer races for a grand whole of 1,152 toes of up and down.
Prime Golden Ticket Males Contenders
Among the many 827 entrants within the Javelina 100-miler, a large chunk will likely be out to snag a coveted golden ticket into the 2025 Western States 100. There are 4 tickets up for grabs: two for the highest males’s finishers, and two for the highest ladies. If first or second place decline their ticket, it rolls down to 3rd, then fourth, after which fifth earlier than being rendered void.
Amongst these within the hunt is the Boulder, Colorado, trio of Justin Grunewald, David Roche, and Matt Daniels, who’ve all contended for golden tickets previously. Grunewald oh-so narrowly missed out twice final 12 months, taking third on the extremely aggressive Canyons 100K that April and third once more on the Grindstone 100K that September. Since then he’s quietly picked up two wins on the Tillamook Burn 50K in Could and the By no means Summer season 100K in July and appears raring to go.
Equally, after a decade-plus of success over shorter distances, Roche took fifth in his 100K debut final 12 months at Canyons earlier than dropping out of Grindstone that fall. However he nailed his 100-mile debut this August on the Leadville 100, the place he gained and broke Matt Carpenter’s 2005 course report. He’s trying a fast rebound to experience that wave on the golden ticket circuit.
Daniels gained the Black Canyons 100K in 2019 to earn a golden ticket, which he used that summer time to nice success with fourth at his Western States debut. He’s struggled over longer distances since, DNFing from States within the Covid-delayed race two years later and dropping out of Javelina in each 2022 and 2023. Can the third time be the attraction?
There’s additionally a trio of 2024 Western States runners who failed to complete within the high 10 and, therefore, didn’t earn an computerized entry into the 2025 race. These unfortunate however gifted runners embrace Blake Slattengren of Seattle, who completed a soul-crushing eleventh at States this 12 months. We will solely think about he’s out for blood. Equally, Caleb Bowen of West Virginia can even toe the road after incomes a golden ticket at Grindstone final 12 months however ending a disappointing twenty third on the large dance. After taking 15 at States this 12 months, Californian Cole Watson is in the identical boat.
Don’t sleep on 2024 Jackpot Extremely 100-Miler winner Rajpaul Pannu, who ran below 12 hours (11:58:01) on the paved loop course in February. Similar goes with Jeff Mogavero, who showcased his leg pace this summer time with second on the Damaged Arrow 46K. And we gained’t be stunned if up-and-comers like Zachary Garner and former golden ticket winners who’ve taken a step again, like Stephen Kersh, shock with an enormous efficiency.
Prime Golden Ticket Girls Contenders
The ladies’s race additionally boasts a mixture of former golden ticket winners desperate to relive the push, and up-and-comers on a mission to interrupt into the scene. Main the cost within the former camp is Riley Brady, a nonbinary runner from Boulder, Colorado, who’s identify is turning into synonymous with this race. Brady took second right here in 2022 to earn a ticket and third final 12 months to only miss out on one. We will affirm first hand Brady is match and able to roll—if they’ll maintain recurring abdomen points at bay which have plagued them for the previous couple years over longer ultras, together with at this race final 12 months.
Lauren Puretz, Anna Louden, and Becca Windell all ran their manner into States this 12 months however got here up quick in Auburn. They are going to be making an attempt to safe a spot again into the large dance a bit earlier within the golden ticket cycle this time round. Puretz, a gynecologist and mother of two in Colorado Springs, Colorado, has ample expertise on this course, having raced it twice with fourth place and eighth place finishes. However for runner’s new to Javelina, don’t despair, you’ve gotten 5 loops to get acquainted with the path. That’s one thing Louden gained’t have to fret about. The San Francisco, California, runner—who was eleventh at States this 12 months—gained the Javelina 100K final 12 months. Windell, who lives in Fort Collins, Colorado, has been quiet on the racing scene since taking sixteenth at States. Will her freshness be a bonus?
They’ll face extra stiff competitors from Hannah Allgood (who gained the Eiger 100K this July), Erin Clark (2021 golden ticket winner on the Bandera 100K), and Ashley Paulson, a prolific racer who’s no stranger to the warmth: she gained and set the course report on the 2023 Badwater 135-miler.
And wait, there’s extra! Different contenders embrace, and are actually not restricted to, relative newcomer Porter Burgess, who gained the Pinhoti 100-miler final fall; and old-timers Nicole Bitter (she gained this race in 2020 and took third in 2022) and Corinne Malcom, who’s completed as excessive as ninth at Western States in 2018.
Course Data
Males: Jon Rea—12:43:10 (2023)
Girls: Camille Herron—14:03:23 (2021)
Watch
The 2024 Javelina Jundred will likely be dwell streamed by way of the Mountain Outpost Youtube Channel, the manufacturing firm spearheaded by Aravaipa founder Jamil Coury who’s been instrumental in pushing each path racing and path race dwell protection ahead. The 30 hours of protection begins at 5:30 A.M. MST on Saturday morning and continues by Sunday morning.
