Vacation Races held the Bryce Canyon Ultra Races in Hatch, Utah on May 30 and 31, 2020. In total, 653 runners competed in five total distances – a 30K, 50K, 50 Mile, 60K and 100 Mile races.
The 30K was the most popular distance with 226 finishers. Derrick Lytle of Phoenix, Arizona won the race in 3:02:41 while Kendra Eckel of Orem, Utah was first female and third overall just four minutes later.
The 50K had 109 complete the distance. The 50 Mile race had 131 finishers. The 60K was won by Danny Connolly of Park City, Utah in 7:22:03 with Morrison, Colorado’s Elizabeth Claflin in third overall and first place female in 7:44:51. The distance had 83 runners in total. The 100 Mile saw 104 runners cross the finish line.
This scenic, mountain course ran around the northern half and along the western edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau, offering spectacular views above and below the hoodoos. The loop-style course was run at levation, with most of the miles on the rugged course between 7,000 – 9,000 feet.
The race was able to keep their permit to hold the event by enacting safety measures, such as not holding an expo, offering hand sanitizer to participants, having staff and volunteers wear masks and gloves, and changing the aid station offerings.
Lyle Anderson, race director, commented on holding a race in May, when most other races have been cancelled by state and local governments over concerns of the COVID-19 virus. “I have had several appreciative emails from runners expressing their gratitude to us for making the decision to hold the event. I have also had a few from people not happy with our decision. Overall, we’ve had many more positive than negative responses, which gave us confidence us to hold the race.”
For additional race results and pictures, go to https://vacationraces.com/ultras/bryce-canyon/ The company’s next event is the Zion at Night Half Marathon this weekend in Virgin, Utah.