January 19, 2006
Jurek, Lundblad, Named Ultrarunners of the Year by UltraRunning MagazineScott Jurek, from Seattle, Washington, and Anne Lundblad, from Asheville, North Carolina, have been selected as the 2005 North American ultrarunners of the year by UltraRunning Magazine, now in its 25th year. It was the third consecutive year that Jurek led the voting, while Lundblad is a first-time winner. Jurek is the third man to be named ultrarunner of the year three times. Vermont’s Bernd Heinrich was so honored in 1981, ’83 and ’84, and California’s Tom Johnson won four times, from 1994 to 1997. In the 2005 tabulation, Jurek just edged out Boulder, Colorado’s Dave Mackey.
Jurek won the Western States 100 Mile for a seventh consecutive year, cementing his
reputation as the greatest runner in the history of that prestigious event. The 32-year-old then traveled south to Death Valley just two weeks later to attempt the famed Kiehl’s Badwater 135 Mile. In that race he took more than a half-hour from the course record (formerly held by one of the world’s best 24-hour runners), completing the distance in 24 hours, 36 minutes, winning easily.Lundblad moved up one spot from 2004 to earn the honor as North America’s top female ultrarunner, finishing in the voting well ahead of last year’s honoree, Nikki Kimball, from Montana. Lundblad scored a stellar second-place finish in the IAU World Challenge 100 Km, clocking 7:54:22. It was the best U.S. women’s result in that event since Ann Trason won the World 100 Km in 1995. A few months later Lundblad crushed the 20-year old women’s’ course record at the JFK 50 Mile, breaking the six and a half hour barrier, finishing seventh overall in a field of more than 1,000 runners.
In the performance of the year category, Matt Carpenter, from Manitou Springs, Colorado, led the men’s voting by virtue of his historic course record of 15:42:59 at the Leadville 100 Mile, taking 90 minutes from the old mark. Lundblad’s JFK 50 Mile topped the women’s performance list. In the age-group category, 57-year-old Roy Pirrung from Sheboygan, Wisconsin topped the list by virtue of his 141-mile second place overall finish at the National Championship San Diego One Day 24 Hour race.
A board of 15 voters from all regions of North America submitted ballots this year. Complete voting results will appear in the March, 2006 issue of UltraRunning and on the UltraRunning web page, www.ultrarunning.com. For further information, please contact publisher Don Allison at editor@ultrarunning.com or call 781-340-0616. 2005 UltraRunning Magazine’s North American
Ultrarunner of the Year
(first place votes in parentheses)Men’s Ultrarunner of the Year
1. Scott Jurek, 32, WA (5) 137
2. Dave Mackey, 35, CO (3) 134
3. Howard Nippert, 40, VA (3) 117
4. Karl Meltzer, 37, UT (3) 115
5. Paul Dewitt, 36, CO (1) 65
6. Phil Kochik, 27, WA 39
7. Matt Carpenter, 41, CO 35
8. Steve Peterson, 43, CO 34
9. Uli Steidl, 32, WA 32
10. Hal Koerner, 29, WA 26
Men’s Performance of the Year1. Matt Carpenter’s Leadville 100 Mile, 15:42:59 (12) 69
2. Scott Jurek’s Badwater 135 Mile, 24:36:08 (1) 43
3. Howard Nippert's IAU 100 Km, 6:59:20 35
4. Uli Steidl’s Sunmart 50 Km, 3:07:47 18
5. Howard Nippert's JFK 50 Mile, 5:51:28 9
Women’s Ultraunner of the Year1. Anne Lundblad, 39, NC (12) 171
2. Nikki Kimball, 34, MT (1) 141
3. Annette Bednosky, 38, NC (2) 131
4. Kami Semick, 39, OR 96
5. Krissy Sybrowsky, 28, WA 69
6. Sue Johnston, 40, VT 56
7. Bev Anderson-Abbs, 41, CA 49
8. Julie Udchachon, 35, AK 43
9. Ann Heaslett, 42, WI 37
10. Connie Gardner, 41, OH 20
Women’s Performance of the Year1. Anne Lundblad’s JFK 50 Mile, 6:29:42 (7) 58
2. Anne Lundblad’s IAU 100 Km, 7:54:22 (6) 55
3. Annette Bednosky’s Western States 100 Mile, 18:39:02 (1) 32
4. Rebecca Johnson's Olander Park 100 Mile, 15:41:50 18
5. Kami Semick’s Helen Klein 50 Mile, 6:13:33 14Reprinted by permission of Ultrarunning Magazine.
AUA © 2006 All Rights Reserved.