The 2023 ultrarunning season came to a close in the final days, hours and minutes of the year. A handful of New England residents seized that opportunity to squeeze in one last ultra of the year. A few traveled to Arizona for Across the Years, which began on Dec. 28 and concludes today. One runner – Seng-Lai Tan – traveled to Alabama and began his final ultra in 2023 and wrapped it up during the early hours of 2024. His successful effort kicks off our 2024 coverage in this edition of the roundup.

Run Undead Ultra Trail Party

Seng-Lai Tan began running ultras in 2008, and he worked his way up to the 100-mile distance. He completed two 100-milers – the 2012 Bartram 100 in Georgia and the 2013 Rocky Raccoon 100 in Texas. Tan continued to run several ultras every year in the decade since then, but he didn’t complete another 100-miler until this year’s Run Undead Ultra Trail Party.

Tan was introduced to the event a year ago when he closed out 2022 by running the 100K race at the inaugural event in Pelham, Ala. In the year that followed, Tan completed at least six ultras, including the Pineland Farms 100K in Maine and 75 miles at Ghost Train in New Hampshire. On Dec. 31, Tan was back in Alabama where he toed the line at Run Undead. In addition to the 100K that he ran the year before, the event offered 100-mile, 50-mile and 50K ultra options as well as a 25K race. Tan had 100 miles on his mind.

Tan had to complete 20 laps of the flat, fast 5-mile loop course at Oak Mountain State Park to achieve his goal. Tan, 52, of Sudbury, Mass., was the lone New England resident to take on any of the distances, and he was one of 21 runners who completed the 100-miler. Tan finished in 34:44:50. Zack Jordan, 30, of Ball Ground, Ga., led all runners in 17:46:45, and was one of four sub-24-hour finishers.

*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.