Congratulations to all participants of the 2024 HURT 100-mile Endurance Trail Run! We applaud everyone who made it to the bridge at Makiki on Saturday morning and went on to forge their own HURT journey.
This year was special in several respects.
Course Correction: An impassable landslide on ‘Aihualama Trail, the gateway to Mānoa Falls, closed down the typical descent into the Pirates of Paradise aid station. Just weeks before race start, an alternate route with a miniature “Pop-up Pirates” aid station was designed, communicated to hundreds of impacted runners, volunteers and neighbors, and permitted with the State of Hawaii. Though it required an extra few seconds at “Pop-up Pirates” to be “stickered”, reports are that runners took it in stride and even had some fun with it.
Bringing Big John Home: At the heart of the 2024 HURT 100 was an homage to John “Big John” Salmonson, founder of HURT and long-time HURT 100 race director. Big John passed away last year, a month after the 2023 edition of the HURT 100. As a tribute to Big John, race bib number 1 was retired.
Through the years, Big John took his place at the RD’s table, offering cheers and encouragement to countless runners passing through the Makiki aid station. Despite his enduring presence, he had not personally tackled the HURT 100. In an effort to secure an official finish for John in the race he held dear, he was registered in the field as runner number 1 and issued a bib on race morning.
A team of nine runners – each with their own special connection to John – was named to carry Big John’s bib, relay-style, from start to finish. John’s bib was timed at each checkpoint and passed to the next athlete on the team that passed through that checkpoint. The group chosen to run with Big John were:
- Christal Cuadra-Keegan
- Ernie Floyd
- Tracy Garneau
- Jake Hinz
- Gary Marr
- Ken Michal
- Mauricio Puerto
- Mark Ravaglia
- Mike Smith
Big John’s race played out similarly to others’ on the course, working hard to keep pace on the first four loops then racing against cutoffs on loop 5. As one team member began to slow midway on loop 5, a “pacer” stepped in to rush Big John ahead to the next member of the team, Mark Ravaglia. The bib transitioned to Mark, who accompanied Big John to the finish in 35:48:00 – only 12 minutes ahead of the cutoff.
The finish line crowd was awash with joy and relief as Big John came home. A special presentation of Big John’s bib was made to PJ Salmonson, Big John’s widow and herself an accomplished ultrarunner. PJ finished HURT in 2004 and can now proudly include John’s achievement alongside hers.
Finish Rate: Of the 132 runners who started the 2024 edition of the HURT 100, 75 finished within the 36-hour cutoff – an incredible finish rate of 57%. The finish rate from 2001 to 2023 averaged 47%.
TV Crews in the Rainforest: A production team from Japan filmed the HURT 100 as part of the “Great Race” documentary series. “Great Race” began 10 years ago by the Japanese public broadcaster NHK, following extreme endurance events that challenge the limits of body and spirit. Some runners this year were politely interviewed in aid stations and followed by cameras while on course. We thank you for being patient with the process and participating throughout the event!
Awards and Recognition
Podium
Competition for the top awards was exciting and intense, with shifting dynamics throughout the race. These are the top finishers for HURT 100, 2024:
Ihor Verys from BC, Canada – 20:50:09 (alternate course record)
Andrea Tarras from BC, Canada – 26:00:05
Anthony Lee of Boulder, CO – 21:39:38
Katherina Laan from Mill Valley, CA – 26:51:30
Michito Sawa of Setagaya-ku, Japan – 22:39:37
Candice Burt of Boulder, CO – 29:40:41
As the “Manoa bypass” course was new, HURT acknowledged Ihor Verys and Andrea Tarras as the record holders for this inaugural route and awarded each a prize of $500.
The top three runners in each category received an original award designed and created by one of our own HURT ‘Ohana, Rex Vlcek.
Congratulations Ihor, Andrea, Katherina, Anthony, Michito and Candice! HURT will reserve a spot for you at the 2025 HURT 100.
Hawaii Finishers
A big shout-out to our local contingent, who recorded a whopping 16 finishes! In order across the finish line:
- William Hubert (1st Hawaii finisher; 4th male, 4th overall) – 24:02:16
- Takeshi Yamada
- Nathan Cogswell
- Brian Wyland
- Aaron Richards
- Wookie Kim
- Joel Kuhn
- Nicholas Hamilton
- Kenji Treschuk
- Alex Gauthier
- Ericka Yiu (1st female Hawaii finisher; 7th female) – 34:03:03
- Sara Santilli
- Leah Stickels
- Joshua Yeager
- John Salmonson
- Mark Ravaglia
Congratulations, all!
Full Results
HURT Leather Belt Award
Each year the HURT race director and aid station captains identify several finishing runners who they think accomplished something special in the race, such as overcoming unusual circumstances or standing out in some way. Selected runners are given a custom leather belt, designed by California Bohemian Leather, to go nicely with their new buckle. Each belt is hand-tooled with a design representing the rainforest of the HURT 100. This year’s belt winners are:
- Sara Santilli
- Mauricio Puerto
- Tim Drummond
- Sabina Tolean
We Wouldnʻt Want it to be Easy Award
This perpetual award in honor of Big John Salmonson was presented to Masazumi Fujioka for his perseverance and determination to finish his fifth HURT 100 despite dropping from 4th place overall, experiencing significant discomfort, and finally finishing in 28th place overall.
Five-time Finish Award
This award, sponsored by Alex and Christine P, honors the brave and daring runners 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.
The five-time-finisher award commemorates one of our late ‘Ohana, Sylvia Ravaglia, who finished the HURT 100 five times. This year awards were presented to:
- Sylvia Ravaglia (posthumously)
- Masazumi Fujioka
- Candice Burt (finished her fifth in 2023, but missed receiving her award)
Race Photos
A big mahalo to our photographers Kalani Pascual, Brent Wong, and Augusto Decastro, who captured the race this year. They covered many miles and thousands of shots over a period of 40+ hours.
Our Partners
Please join us in thanking our wonderful HURT 100 Donation Partners for 2024. Our sincere aloha and mahalo to: Rabbit, Skratch Labs, Drymax, Squirrel’s Nut Butter, Menehune Water, Runner’s HI, Outside Rocks, Uloha Outfitters, Aloha Friday Wheelworks and Running Company, “Crewing for an Ultrarun”, and The Orchid Lei Company.
A reminder that you can still save 20% off your purchase at SkratchLabs.com – Use coupon code HURT2024 * Code is case sensitive *
Until Next Year
