Steamboat Springs, Colorado was once again alive with energy as the bunnies and turtles lined up for another unforgettable edition of the Run Rabbit Run 50- and 100-Mile Run. Resident pooka Harvey could hardly believe this marked the 18th and 13th years of these beloved events, which offers the highest prize money of any 100 mile ultra is the world. The Tortoises took off early Friday, September 12 at 9 a.m., climbing the steep slopes of the Steamboat Ski Hill under brooding skies, while the Hares followed later at 1pm that afternoon. Despite some of the toughest conditions in race history, the spirit of adventure and camaraderie was stronger than ever.

Mother Nature threw everything she had at the runners this year—rain, snow, wind, thunder, lightning, and bone-chilling temperatures. What began as a cool autumn morning quickly turned into a test of endurance and grit. The weather may have been unpredictable, but the determination of our runners was anything but. Even under such extreme conditions, an inspiring number of runners crossed the finish line, proving once again that the Run Rabbit Run community is built on heart, resilience, and humor.

The competition remained fierce despite the wild weather. The 100-mile race saw returning champions and fresh faces pushing through the storm. Just like the “tail” tells us, the Hare caught up with the Tortoise on the final downhill stretch, first place finisher Jesse Rich from Murray, UT came in with a time of 17:42:56, while tortoise Jon Hanson from Boulder, CO finished seconds over the 4-hour start difference. Jesse Rich led an incredible men’s field, demonstrating incredible strength and consistency, winning $20,000. On the women’s side, Riley Brady from Boulder, CO delivered a remarkable performance, with a time of 20:29:12. She took home our largest purse ever with $22,250 ($20,000 for first and 2nd place team prize, plus the $1,000 Preem for first finisher to the top of the gondola,). Becca Bramley ran a solid consistent race despite the weather challenges and finished second in 21:14:35, earning $12,000. McKendree Hickory, a local Steamboat Springs runner, finished third just behind Bramley with a time of 21:21:22, grabbing $5,000. Ohio’s Arlen Glick, first to the top of gondola, took home $1,500.

For the men the race for 2nd, 3rd and 4th was well fought with Jon Harrison from nearby Eagle, CO coming in second at 19:06:36, taking home $8,500; JP Giblin from Boulder, CO rounded out the podium with a time of 19:20:05, earning $5,000.

Despite the weather, we had 3 team finishers including: The Jacked Rabbits: Becca Bramley (21:14:35) and Brendan Trimboli (21:37:31). Total time: 42:52:06. They won $5,000. Team Condor: Riley Brady (20:29:12) and Brian Condon (26:57:17). Total time: 47:26:29. They won $2,500.Midwest Roots: Bailey Eppard (25:20:28) and Arlen Glick (25:05:47). Total time: 50:26:15. They won $1,000.

Other top finishers included Ryan Sullivan, Zach Eagle, Joseph Pendleton, Anthony Lee, Jennie Yeaman, Zoe Rom, Charissa Kenny and Emily Long — all racing strong through the rain, hail and wind to earn their places among the elite.

For the Tortoise division, Jon Hanson ran a strong race to finish first for the men in 21:43:23, and Victoria Kent from Hailey, ID finished first for the women in 26:34:16. We hope they come back next year as a Hare! If Jon hadn’t finished first for the Tortoises he would have been our Master finisher, lucky for Scott Hollister from Colorado Springs, CO who came in second overall, he became our Men’s Master with a time of 22:29:41. Fellow Colorado Springs runner, Marny Scalard was our women’s tortoise master in 29:21:20.

Can’t forget our 50-mile racers. Congratulations to Ryan Raff from Flagstaff, AZ with our new course record of 7:04:38. Megan Roche of Boulder, CO hopped, skipped and jumped her way to first for the women with an amazing time of 8:21:52. Our top master’s male finisher was Ryan Steers, a Steamboat Springs local in 8:32:32, while Tracie Rupert from Erie, CO crushed the women’s master with a time of 9:54:55.

Special congratulations to our runners who earned a 500-mile buckle: Conan Blakemore, Ryan Larson (another Steamboat Springs local), Michael Chavez and Laszlo Balogh. And super congrats to our 1000 mile buckle finisher – New Jersey’s Doug Camann! Way to go Doug!

Run Rabbit Run continues to be one of the premier ultra events in the world—not only for its challenging terrain and competitive field, but also for its incredible generosity. This year, the race awarded a record $100,000 in prize money and donated an astonishing $82,000 to local non-profit organizations, mostly benefitting the kids of northern Colorad. These contributions directly support the Steamboat Springs community and beyond, reflecting the race’s deep commitment to giving back. And we couldn’t do it without the support of our great sponsors – H2All. Altra Running Shoes. Insight Global. Tailwind Nutrition. UltrAspire. Smartwool. Honeystinger. And all the rest! Visit our Giving Back to the Community page.

Prize money for men and women went seven deep, with additional awards for Masters, the Preem and Teams Challenge winners. Special congratulations also go out to long-time participants who achieved milestone finishes and earned their 500-mile and 1000 mile buckles—proof that perseverance pays off, even when the weather refuses to cooperate! For more information, see our Awards page.

Huge thanks to our volunteers, sponsors, and the incredible Mountain Outpost crew led by Jamil Coury for their livestream coverage and dedication throughout the event. Every cup of broth, every cheer, and every shared laugh helped carry runners through one of the most demanding years yet.

The Run Rabbit Run 100 and 50 continue to draw runners from 49 states and 11 foreign countries from around the globe, each seeking challenge, beauty, and community in the mountains of Steamboat Springs. We can’t wait to see what next year brings—hopefully fewer lightning bolts, but just as much spirit!

Coming soon: unlimited aid station carrots! – Da Harv.