The 2023 HURT 100 is in the books. It was great to have a banquet again this year and to see many of you there. Congratulations to all the participants of the 2023 HURT 100 – we hope to see you again soon!
Top 3 Male/Female Runners
The Top 3 Male and Female runners were:
Nate Jaqua, 1st place overall finisher of the 2023 HURT100. Photo by Mikey Brown
Alyssa Clark, 2nd place overall finisher, 1st place female of the 2023 HURT100. Photo by Mikey Brown
Nathan Cogswell, 3rd place overall finisher, 2nd place male of the 2023 HURT100. Photo by Mikey Brown
Katherina Laan, 6th place overall finisher, 2nd place female of the 2023 HURT100. Photo by Mikey Brown
Eric Wesolowski, 4th place overall finisher, 3rd place male of the 2023 HURT100. Photo by Mikey Brown
Teresa Allman, 9th place overall finisher, 3rd place female of the 2023 HURT100. Photo by Mikey Brown
Each of the top three received the Adze an original award, designed and created by one of our own HURT Ohana, Rex Vlcek, along with Anthony Joseph Watson, a talented local carver, sculptor, artist. Rex chose the Adze this year as a metaphor for the HURT100. The wood represents the forest or the backbone of the race. Forged metal or “mettle” represents the strength, the courage, as in “test your mettle,” and the heart of the runners. Finally, the lashing represents all the families, friends and countless, selfless volunteers that are the glue that holds this special thing we call the HURT100 together…our Ohana. Fashioned with aloha and through hard work, these Koʻi, the Hawaiian word for Adze, represent our journey from the past into the future. Rex and his friends do amazing work for the HURT awards every year.
Congratulations Nate, Alyssa, Nathan, Eric, Katherina, and Teresa! HURT 100 will be reserving a slot for you at the 2024 HURT100.
Top Hawaiʻi Finishers
The HURT 100 was created to give Hawai’i runners a world-class race that didn’t require a trip to the mainland. While HURT has become known worldwide, we like to remain true to our roots (lots of roots) and recognize our top Hawai’i finishers.
This year, three runners from Hawai’i were among the top 3 male and female runners: Nathan Cogswell (2nd male), Eric Wesolowski (3rd male), and Teresa Allman (3rd female).
Results
Paul Encarnación Belt Award
The “Paul Encarnación Belt Award” was started in 2016 by the race directors to honor someone who they think of as their “hero” for their accomplishment in the race, such as overcoming unusual adversity.
The runners selected are given a custom leather belt designed by California Bohemian Leather. The original belt was designed for Paul to fit his 2015 HURT 100 belt buckle and included a hand tooled design representing the rain forest of the HURT 100. This year’s belt has been redesigned, and the leather tooling matches the style of our new finisher’s buckle.
Coree Woltering:
With a whopping 28 trophies on Ultrasignup (top 3 finishes or course records) and a sterling ultrarunning resume, it was Coree’s first attempt at HURT. From the start of the event Coree was hard charging, clicking off the miles at incredible speed and efficiency. Through 40 miles Coree was running in 4th place overall. Although he slowed during the nighttime hours, he kept a positive attitude and his incredible crew kept him in the game throughout. The Georgia resident would go on to finish with a time of 29:00:57. An incredible achievement for a first time HURT runner.
Geoffrey Tweed:
Geoffrey was running in his first HURT 100. As an accomplished ultrarunner from New Mexico with many 100 mile finishes – along with a first-place finish at the Charleston 100 Miler in 2020 – this runner knows how to train. Geoffrey runs every type of distance from the quarter mile through 100 miles and more. His speed served him well at HURT; he banked time and miles, running the first 60 miles in 17 hours and 3 minutes. He had almost 19 hours to run the last 40 miles. The man had a plan. Through it all, the aid station volunteers marveled at his kind, pleasant and chatty demeanor. That demeanor never wavered: Always humble, always smiling, always thanking others while he was “HURT”-ing. Upon arrival into each aid station he would exclaim, “This is the best aid station on the course!” In his wake Geoffrey left happy volunteers convinced and proud they were a big part of his epic journey at HURT.
Peter Lawson:
Peter was chosen for this award because of his determination throughout the race. Peter has completed numerous 100s in the past three years, as well as the Fat Dog 120 and Tahoe 200. At HURT, Peter was near the back of the pack battling not only the course, but the cutoffs as well. In the true sense of Ohana, Peter was paced by his son, who ran 67 miles with his father and was “trashed” at the end. After the race, Peter told me this was the hardest run he had done, and then thanked me with his next breath. At 59, he was this year’s eldest finisher.
Satomi Fujimura:
A Hawaii resident and long-time HURT super-volunteer, Satomi is also a talented runner at all distances. Her draw to trail running started later in life. It’s always intriguing to see runners of “a certain age” choose the HURT 100 as their first 100-miler … and then run a strong, brilliant race to ring that bell. Satomi did just that, but even more striking was her behavior on the course: While not always a great idea when trying to hit cutoffs, Satomi was seen to stop and offer encouragement to multiple people she knew, touching her HURT bracelet to theirs and exclaiming, “ENERGIZE!” Satomi – congratulations on a great race and thank you for sharing your tremendous energy out there.
Virgin Awards
These are runners who (willingly!) choose to overcome significant odds by making their very first 100 miler the notoriously difficult HURT 100. This year’s fastest virgin finishers are Aaron Richards (29:10:59) and Satomi Fujimura (33:08:37). For their remarkable performance, each received a check for $250.
Aaron Richards
Satomi Fujimura
Other “virgin” runners completing the HURT 100 as their first-ever 100-mile event were:
- Tim Glickman
- Alex Loomis
- Leah Stickels
Awards for Five, 10, 15 Finishes
These inaugural awards – sponsored by Alex and Christine P – honor the brave and daring men and women who have come back to the HURT 100 time and again to accumulate finishes. Only a few in the world have completed HURT five or more times, and in 2023 Alexander Papadopoulos logged his 15th HURT 100 finish!
The five-time-finisher award commemorates one of our late Ohana, Sylvia Ravaglia, who finished the HURT 100 five times. The inaugural Sylvia Ravaglia 5-time HURT Finishers award was presented to:
- Mauricio Puerto
- Keith Knipling
- Candice Burt
- Jake Hinz
- Andrew Ewing
- Mike Smith
The 10-time-finisher award was presented to Hawaii runner Larry Inouye. Larry’s inaugural attempt at the HURT 100 in 2008 ended with a then-recognized 100k finish. After that, Larry was able to talk his way into the Plain 100, where he promptly finished the notoriously difficult course with a time of 34:32. A 5th place finish at the Peacock 54-miler set Larry up nicely for his first HURT 100 Mile finish in 2009. Larry would go on to complete the HURT 100 nine more times from 2010-2019. He likely would have had more HURT finishes but was not selected in 2014. Along the way Larry would complete The Bear and the Hardrock 100, all graduate level courses. Through it all, Larry had only two DNFs, a broken wrist at Peacock, and a family medical emergency at the Plain. Aptly nicknamed “Tough As Nails Larry,” we congratulate you on your incredible accomplishment.
…and then there is an unbelievable 15! With his finish at the 2023 HURT 100, Alex Papadopoulos became the first 15-time finisher of the HURT 100. Alex’s first two attempts at HURT in 2005 and 2006 ended with a then-recognized 100k finish. Starting in 2007, Alex would finish every HURT he entered, garnering his 15th finish in 2023. Along the way Alex built his resume with finishes at Laurel Highlands, Bull Run Run, Miwok, Fat Dog 120, and Hellbender 100, just to name a few. Given the HURT lottery, the difficulty of the course, and the physical demands placed on a runner throughout a long running career, we might never see another runner finish 15 HURT 100’s. Truly an incredible feat, by an incredible person. Additional congratulations and recognition goes to Alex’s family, who crewed, cheered and supported him through each of those finishes.
Congratulations, everyone, on your remarkable accomplishments!
Katie Papadopoulos holding the five-time finisher award
L-R: Mike Smith, Jake Hinz, Alex Papadopoulos, Keith Knipling, Andrew Ewing
Larry Inouye, 10-time finisher
Alex being presented the 15-time finisher award
Carl Gammon with Alex
Race Photos
Big mahalo to our photographers who captured our race this year. Please show them your support!
Our Partners
HURT Inc would like to acknowledge our wonderful partners for their contributions to the 2023 HURT100. We could not have asked for a better team to help make this event successful. Our sincere aloha and mahalo to:
Skratch, Drymax, GU, Squirrel’s Nut Butter, Mochi Foods, Menehune Water, Runner’s HI, Uloha, Aloha Friday Wheelwoks and Running Company, Outside Rocks, The Orchid Lei Company, and 2Toms.
A reminder that you can still save 20% off your purchase at SkratchLabs.com – Use coupon code Hurt2023 through February 28, 2023. Code is case sensitive.
