Juneau, Alaska (KINY) – High temperatures and a high vertical didn’t slow down Bozeman, Dakota Jones of Montana, 30, during the Juneau Ridge Race 15 miles on Sunday in Juneau.
“This is one of the coolest races I’ve been to,†Jones said. “That’s why I wanted to come here because the Juneau Ridge Race is that perfect mountain course. It’s really hard, it’s really steep, it’s very technical, but it’s in one of the most beautiful places I’ve been to. I feel like he embodies most of what I love most about running. The bigger the community is the bigger part. It’s just a really big event.
Jones finished in two hours 14 minutes and 59 seconds, breaking the two-year record set in the inaugural race in 2019 by Allan Spangler (32 at the time) of 2: 18.36. There was no 2020 race due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“The race itself was really tough,†Jones said. “I think I ran well and felt pretty good. But I don’t know how to describe it. I felt like I was working really, really hard to do what I was doing. Some days everything clicks and you can run really well and it’s almost easy. Today I feel like I ran well, I mean I won and I’m very happy with it, but I feel like it took more mental effort than it did. habit.
With the win, Jones wins an automatic bid for the July 4th Mt. Marathon in Seward, an event he had already planned. The automatic auction can also be used for next year.
Jones used his altitude training in Colorado and the warm weather there to his advantage, leading the approximately two mile approach to Mt. The start of the Juneau Trail, through the two mile climb, along the three mile ridge that reaches 4,000 feet at its highest point, descends snow slides another mile to a large hole in swim, another 1.25 mile to Perseverance trail, and back to finish.
“I understandably had some heat training that Juneau, and probably Alaska in general, don’t normally have,†Jones said. “I was working really hard, my legs were quite heavy and lactic acid, but I felt like I performed well.”
Jones was joined on the podium by runner-up Dylan Anthony, 29, of Juneau, in 2: 19.08 and third, Zack Bursell, 28, also of Juneau, in 2: 22.57.
Rachel Phelps of Juneau, 36, was the fastest runner, placing 12th overall in 2: 57.07.
“It was beautiful weather and a lot of fun people there,†said Phelps. “Great support, meeting fun volunteers along the ridge. The conditions were excellent and fast.
Phelps said the hardest part of the race was climbing Mt. Juneau.
“Go at my own pace,†she said as she battled the climb of about two miles. “Don’t detonate from above. I hiked mostly all the way to Juneau, jogged most of the ridge, and ran the snow slide and granite basin, it was all running.
Phelps also broke her 2019 race record of 3: 01.40, as did second female Abby Jahn, 28, also of Juneau, who was 13th overall in 2: 58.00.
Phelps and Jahn were joined on the podium by third place Chloe Papier, 26, of Juneau, who placed 24th overall in 3: 11.48.
The general comment from the runners was freezing due to the heat.
“The hardest part of the race was the cramps, the heat and trying to keep the fluids in,†said Owen Hatcher, 29, of Juneau. “I’m just trying to stay on top of it. Cramps. I think everyone was cramped all day.
Heat aside, Hatcher, who completed the Kesugi Ridge Traverse 50K in August, said the climb was the main obstacle.
“Control yourself on the way up,†he said. “I think that’s the hardest part. You’re excited and just want to go fast, and then you realize that just because you’ve finished the climb, you’ve got a lot more climbing to the top of the ridge that you don’t really think about.
Caleb Conlin, 23, of Blue Ash, Ohio, entered the race with a minor injury and made it worse on the climb, but was in the middle of the field halfway up the ridge. While the heat added to his fall and ability to finish, Conlin was adamant about the exit.
“This is the most beautiful place I have been to,†he said, pointing to mountain ridges on all sides. ” Look at this ! “
The youngest runner was Linnea Lentfer, 17, of Gustavus, Alaska, who became addicted to mountain running through the local Lynn Canal Running Camp and cross country in high school. She will be part of a club racing team at Carlton College in Minnesota next fall.
“And I got into mountain adventures a lot more and found that was what I really love about running,†Lentfer said.
Lentfer was the sixth fastest rider and 28th overall with a time of 3: 22.38. She finished just behind Tucson, Ariz. Runner Brianna Grigsby, 34, who clocked 3: 20.58 and has participated in 36 mountain and ultramarathon races since 2016.
Lentfer said she wasn’t intimidated to race against more experienced and professional outdoor enthusiasts.
“I felt really lucky to have the opportunity to be on the same course as them,†she said. “I was pretty tired going up Mt. Juneau and at the start of the ridge and a little behind the pace I wanted to be. It was certainly the hardest part. I took second gear, I really like sliding and technical downhill running so coming down the ridge was really fun and gave me some energy. Then at the apartment at the bottom of Granite Basin I was a little tired but I came back to life at the first aid station. I had another second wind for the descent of Granite Creek. By Perseverance and the Flume I was pretty exhausted but I was in a peloton with three or four other women and we were jumping and pushing each other which was pretty big for this last stretch.
Aid station number three, run by the Morley family, was the last checkpoint.
Finn Morley, 18, has just completed a season of track and field at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé placed sixth in 2: 42.09.
Refueling station three included the swim hole where runners could jump into the snowy waters to cool off and compete for the “Best Splash Award”.
That honor went to Natalie Wade, 25, of Juneau, who placed 65th overall with a time of 4: 38.17.
Results (Place, Name, City, Age, Gender, Time):
1. Dakota Jones, Boseman MT, 30, M, 2: 14.59; 2. Dylan Anthony, Juneau AK, 29, M, 2: 19.08; 3. Zack Bursell, JNU, 28, M, 2: 22.57; 4. Owen Hatcher, JNU, 29, M, 2: 33.30; 5. Galen Johnston, Anchorage AK, 31, M, 2: 37.44; 6. Finn Morley, JNU, 18, M, 2: 42.09; 7. Ben Muse, Douglas AK, 39, M, 2:46.25; 8. Ryan Beckett, ANCH, 36, M, 2: 48.06; 9. Charlie Waters, JNU, 35, M, 2: 49.26; ten. David Norris, JNU, 28, M, 2: 55.01; 11. Mike Schroeder, ANCH, 37, M, 2: 55.28; 12. Rachel Phelps, JNU, 36, F, 2: 57.07; 13. Abby Jahn, JNU, 28, F, 2: 58.00; 14. Nolan Campbell, JNU, 19, M, 3:01.59; 15. Alex Andrews, JNU, 52, M, 3: 02.42; 16. Franz Mueter, JNU, 55, M, 3:04:20; 17. John Nagel, JNU, 60, M, 3:05.39; 18. Charles Reincke, Sausalito CA, 39, M, 3: 06.35; 19. Christopher Marquis, JNU, 33, M, 3:07.28; 20. Justin Dorn, JNU, 38, M, 3:08:10; 21. Alex Burkhart, JNU, 28, M, 3:08.38; 22. Josh Allely, ANCH, 42, M, 3: 10.45; 23. Scott Baker, Springfield OR, 51, M, 3: 11.08; 24. Chloé Papier, JNU, 26, F, 3: 11.48; 25. Boykin Lucas, JNU, 34, M, 3:17.50; 26. Laura Maruhashi, JNU31, F, 3: 19.10; 27. Brianna Grigsby, Tucson AZ, 34, F, 3: 20.58; 28. Linnea Lentfer, Gustave AK, 17, F, 3: 22.38; 29. Jessica Cobley, JNU, 31, F, 3:22.49; 30. Allison Barnwell, Seward AK, 29, F, 3:22.50; 31. Katherine Sind, ANCH, 32, F, 3: 23.06; 32. Hank Lentfer, JNU, 54, M, 3: 24.07; 33. Brandon Ivanowicz, JNU, 39, M, 3: 25.52; 34. Steve Ricci, JNU, 40, M, 3: 30.27; 35. Travis Oen, ANCH, 26, M, 3: 31.12; 36. Caitlyn Fleischman, Antigo WI, 27, F, 3: 31.22; 37. Dave Pusich, JNU, 55, M, 3: 34.13; 38. Peter Hulson, JNU, 42, M, 3: 36.12; 39. Quinn Tracy, JNU, 41, M, 3: 39.55; 40. Tasha Folsom, Sitka AK, 37, F, 3: 40.00; 41. Addison Field, JNU, 48, M, 3: 40.57; 42. Aaron Morrison, JNU, 45, M, 3: 41.32; 43. Chelsea Finch, JNU, 35, F, 3: 44.22; 44. Anna Mattox, JNU, 27, F, 3: 46.19; 45. Micah Hahn, ANCH, 36, F, 3: 47.05; 46. Lily Cohen, JNU, 32, F, 3: 47.49; 47. Craig Murdoch, GUST, 39, M, 3: 49.07; 48. Samuel Muse, DGLS, 35, M, 3: 49.13; 49. Sarah Schmitke, Libertyville IL, 26, F, 3: 49.24; 50. Kamie Miller, Eagle River AK, 42, F, 3: 49.50; 51. Laur Tuttle, ANCH, 32, F, 3: 53.32; 52. David Popiel, ANCH, 40, M, 3: 55.58; 53. Jason Brooks, JNU, 35, M, 3: 56.59; 54. Dylan Krueger, JNU, 28, M, 4: 07.07; 55. Jonathan Felis, JNU, 40, M, 4:10.46; 56. Diana Baetscher, JNU, 34, F, 4:10.48; 57. Melissa Wechter, JNU, 34, F, 4:12.27; 58. Hillary Landers, DGLS, 32, F, 4:18.00; 59. Craig Millard, DGLS, 34, M, 4: 21.22; 60. Kira Kamrud, Big Sky MT, 26, F, 4:21.35; 61. James Gallanos, Evergreen CO, 57, M, 4: 24.51; 62. Timothy Burman, JNU, 30, M, 4:36.05; 63. Nate Prewitt, Seattle WA, 31, M, 4:36.35; 64. Brandon Shaw, JNU, 42, M, 4:37.40; 65. Natalie Wade, JNU, 25, F, 4:38.17; 66. Alli Rosen, JNU, 35, F, 4:38.33; 67. Mindy Shaw, JNU, 40, F, 4:38.38; 68. Diana Redwood, ANCH, 43, F, 4:42.40; 69. Benjamin Mayer, Bellvue CO, 36, M, 4:46.52; 70. Michael Kenny, JNU, 36, M, 4:47.04; 71. Christy Gentemann, JNU, 32, F, 4: 51.34; 72. Steve Feltz, West Des Moines IA, 56, M, 4:55.04; 73. Amanda Lindsey, Cincinnati OH, 40, F, 4:55.09; 74. Ray Dwyer, JNU, 60, M, 5: 04.38; 75. Adam Gottschalk, JNU, 33, M, 5: 06.54; 76. Becky Bohrer, JNU, 43, F, 5: 07.52; 77. Holly Handler, JNU, 47, F, 5: 07.52; 78. Shea Kohman, ANCH, 36, F, 31, 5: 10.11; 79. Kyle Kohman, ANCH, 36, M, 5: 10.11; 80. Justine Wagner, JNU, 26, F, 5: 11.28; 81. Sarah Brister, SIT, 33, F, 5:19 pm; 82. Max Rosen, JNU, 33, M, 5: 20.47; 83. Brian Klesmith, 34, M, 5:25 pm; 84. Jared Jablonka, Columbus OH, 38, M, 5: 47.54; 85. Caleb Conlin, Blue Ash OH, 23, M, 6: 03.51.
Two riders did not finish and 14 riders did not start.
