Hey y'all, we scrolled through 450+ IG posts and 80+ articles, newsletters, podcast episodes, and videos since Wednesday's issue so you could keep up without living on your phone. Here's your Friday Ultra Minute:
Aurélien Sanchez set a men’s supported Pacific Crest Trail FKT in 45 days, 20 hours, and 15 minutes. iRunFar reported that he reached the Canadian border Thursday, finishing 16 hours and 35 minutes faster than Karel Sabbe’s 2023 mark of 46 days, 12 hours, and 50 minutes. Sanchez averaged 56 miles a day across the 2,653-mile trail and even lost a night to hospital treatment for a foot infection.
The Akawa Butte Fire forced the cancellation of this weekend’s Oregon Cascades 100M and 50M. Alpine Running said the fire had topped 26,000 acres when it made the decision, evacuation notices had reached the finish area, some volunteers were evacuating, and local search-and-rescue resources needed to prioritize residents. Oregon had already invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act, saying the fire threatened life, safety, and property beyond local firefighting capacity.
Sally McRae is back in Badwater 135, 12 days after announcing her withdrawal. McRae wrote that she accepted a last-minute return when Caryn Lubetsky, who had also withdrawn, offered McRae her crew, hotels, and race logistics. The official roster now lists McRae in Monday’s 9 p.m. Pacific wave for what she says will be her fourth start; the race will post live video and time splits.
Chamonix’s new mayor wants fewer UTMB races, fewer runners through nature reserves, and less night racing in protected areas beginning in 2027. François-Xavier Laffin told L’Équipe that the valley can’t keep absorbing crowds at the current scale. Marathon Handbook reported that Laffin has already confined this year’s brand village to one square and plans to settle the 2027 format with organizers before registration opens. UTMB director Isabelle Viseux Poletti responded Thursday that these issues were already being discussed with town hall, called this year’s smaller brand-village footprint “not a radical change,” and said the two sides had not yet spoken since Laffin’s interview.
Milly Young set the women’s supported Matterhorn Lion Ridge FKT in 5:17:44. Her July 22 round trip from Cervinia took 33 minutes and 51 seconds off Emelie Forsberg’s 5:51:35 from 2013.
Speedgoat’s marquee 50K starts Saturday at 6:30 a.m. Mountain Time. The official race page lists 31 miles and 11,318 feet of climbing, and the official live tracker is ready for the weekend. Rob Prosser’s 57-minute race preview walks through the course, its history, and both competitive fields. The Friday schedule has the 30K starting at 7:30 a.m., followed by the 10K at 9.
Runners for Public Lands joined Outdoor Alliance, giving runners a formal presence in national public-lands advocacy. RPL says it is the coalition’s 10th member and will bring running-specific needs into work on conservation, recreation access, agency funding, permitting, and trail maintenance.
Rabbit and Trail Society opened two Javelina Jundred scholarships, one for the 31K and one for the 100K. The program covers entry, travel and lodging, gear, community support, and coaching for runners from underrepresented communities or facing financial barriers. Applications close July 29.
Singletrack asked Jennifer Lichter’s coach how a mountain-50K specialist became the Western States course-record holder. In the new 66-minute conversation, John Fitzgerald talks about consistency as a trainable skill, willpower as a finite resource, on-course training camps, race-day fueling improvisation, downhill running, and his preference for simplicity in a sport chasing every new gadget and lab test.
Lastly, Serena Blacklow covered 163 miles and 53,000 feet of climbing over four days on a White Mountains Direttissima attempt. In a candid account, she wrote about her planned 233-mile route linking all 48 official 4,000-foot peaks, moving through rain, nausea, blisters, and long stretches alone. On day four, a gust knocked her down below the Bonds. She later stopped the attempt, ate a large pizza, and says she expects to try again.
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Ken
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