The 2021 ultramarathon racing season is off to a slow start nationally as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to force race cancellations, but a handful of ultras took place in the United States during the Jan. 10-11 weekend. The most notable among them was the Bandera 100K in Texas, and two New England residents were among the finishers.

Bandera 100K

The Western States Endurance Run 100-mile race was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether the race happens in 2021 remains to be seen, but Golden Ticket entries into the legendary race were up for grabs to the top two men and women at the Bandera 100K on Saturday, Jan. 10, in Bandera, Texas.

Runners had 24 hours to complete two loops of the rocky, technical course that’s known for thorns and stinging nettles among other obstacles that draw blood from many of the participants. Two New England residents successfully navigated both loops and earned finishes, with 31-year-old Jimmy Stavlo of East Falmouth, Mass., placing 60th overall in 12:33:25, and 30-year-old Paige Mills of Westmoreland, N.H., finishing 119th overall in 14:27:37. There were 293 finishers within the 24-hour time limit.

Stavlo previously raced Bandera in 2014 when he finished in 13:42:38. This year’s race kicked off what he hopes will conclude with a successful finish of the Moab 240-mile Endurance Run in October.

The men’s Golden Tickets went to Ryan Miller, 29, of San Antonio, Texas, who was the top overall finisher in 8:10:08, and men’s runner-up Cody Lind, 25, of Pocatello, Idaho, who finished in 8:13:32. The women’s Golden Tickets were earned by Katie Asmuth, 34, of Culver City, Calif., who finished 10th overall in 9:25:00, and women’s runner-up Erin Clark, 26, of Missoula, Mont., who placed 11th overall in 9:35:07.

*Editor’s Note: Results are found on a variety of sites, including ultrasignup.com, UltraRunning Magazine, and official race websites. We do the best we can to find as many results as possible to report on and recognize the local ultrarunning community.