The following article was written by USATF liaison Lin Gentling and features the 2025 USATF 50 Mile Road Championships hosted by Tunnel Hill in Vienna, IL.
Well, there is not much more to be said on what turned into an amazing day of history making for the 2025 Tunnel Hill 50 Mile USATF National Championship. Along with the championship, Tunnel Hill hosted a marathon, 100K, and 100-mile event. To be succinct, the women crushed the day, running to two world records (pending verification), obliterating one long-standing American record in the 100K and a new American age group record. This is certainly not meant to overshadow the remarkable achievements of the men’s race or the two men’s age group records. More on the men later.
Weather cooperated with near perfect conditions. Cool start (44 degrees) yielded to moderately warming temperatures (mid 60s), giving runners a great chance to run in ideal weather. No wind, partly cloudy skies, perfect course conditions, and good temps, it just doesn’t get much better.
Anne Flower, 31, Colorado Springs, CO, record-breaking winner at the 2025 Leadville 100, did it again, only this time, she earned the status of the new 50-mile world record holder finishing the very fast and flat Tunnel Hill course in a blistering 5:18:57, bettering the previous world record of 5:31:56, averaging 6:38 miles. Simply stated, to the observer, Flower ran an even split race appearing to thoroughly enjoy herself and running effortless. Talking with Anne, she would certainly say it was otherwise.
Much has already been written on this history-making effort, but suffice it to say, Flower ran a brilliant race strategically, running virtually by herself in leading the entire distance. Please refer to this excellent write up by iRunFar for further information on Flower and her race. No telling where she will go as she has amazing untapped potential.
Running in second place for the entire race was former 50-mile world holder, Courtney Olsen, 38, Bellingham, WA, averaging 6:41 miles, timed in 5:33:59. Olsen was trying for a rare double having entered the 100K as well. Conveniently, once she crossed the 50-mile finish line, she simply kept going for an additional 12.2 miles, to make the full distance a certified 100K. While I realize this was a 50-mile national championship, to not comment on Olsen’s brilliant effort at securing the new American women’s 100k record would be a disservice. The previous American 100K record of 7:00:48, was set by Ann Trason at the 100K world championship in Winschoten, The Netherlands in 1995.
Olsen came across the 50-mile finish line in 5:33:59 only 2 minutes off her record-breaking effort from last year. This gave her 94 minutes for 12.2 miles to run under 7 hours which was her goal. As the 7-hour mark neared, all eyes were on the trail and the clock, waiting, waiting, waiting. And then Olsen appeared and we all realized it was going to be so close. The crowd went wild cheering her in and Olsen, after running over 62 miles, found yet another gear and in a spectacular effort using absolutely everything she had left in the tank, crossed the 100K finish line to a new American record, a record that had stood the test of time for over 30 years.
We were not done. Each of the top three women tore the course apart. Running in 3rd place was Emily Hugo, 40, St. George, UT. Hugo joined the record setting party clocking 5:50:54, bettering the previous masters 40-44 American age group record of 5:57:46, held by Camille Heron. Like Flowers and Olsen, Hugo ran in third position the entire race, facing no challenges from the other female runners.
Top three women on course (Flower, Olson, and Hugo)
While the women’s race lacked the excitement of position changes, it certainly had the thrill of three records among the top three runners. The men’s race was not absolutely decided among the top three runners until the end. Brogan Austin, 34, Longmont, CO, in his first 50 mile led from wire to wire. His pace per mile went from 5:33 at the beginning to 6:03 at the end, indicating the difficulty and fatigue that set in as the race progressed. At one time he held a substantial lead but that whittled away as the enormity of the task became evident. Yet despite never having run the distance before, the IT project manager dug deep and drew strength from his 2:12 marathon best finishing first.
Between 35-40 miles, things really began to change in the men’s race. Running in 2nd for 40 miles was John Donovan, 32, Dubuque, IA, and last year’s 100 mile winner at TH. As he fell off that pace, Geoff Burns, 35, Manitou Springs, CO, was quick to take advantage with his even pacing throughout the race (6:04 – 6:07 per mile), passing Adam Vadeboncoeur, 35, Boulder, CO. and Donovan, taking over 2nd and hanging onto that position to the finish line. Burns crossed the finish absolutely ecstatic. It had been 7 years since he has a race he was truly pleased with and it happened at Tunnel Hill today. Interestingly, Burns attributed this to running with reckless abandon. Usually a very methodical runner, he ran without a watch and simply according to how he felt. Remarkable with his even pacing. So the men’s podium resulted in Austin, 1st in 5:02:54, Burns 2nd in 5:06:25, and Donovan in 5:14:14.
Congratulations are in order to Harsha Thirumurthy, 48, Bala Cynwyd, PA for setting a new age group 50-mile record in 5:38:27. The previous record holder, Kevin Setnes’s record of 5:39:42, was set in 2000.
Top men on course.
Additionally, and with an absolutely remarkable performance was 90-year-old (yes, not a typo, this runner is 90 years old!) Eugene Bruckert, 90, Arlington Heights, IL, finishing the 50-mile national championships in 24:03:34, bettering the previous American record (also set by Brukert last June) of 36:35:47.
I would be remiss not to mention the awesome performance of Irish runner, Caitriona Jennings, 45, Dublin, Ireland, running to a new world 100-mile record of 12:37:04, running remarkably mostly even splits averaging 7:34. She obliterated Camille Heron’s previous 100-mile record of 12:41:11 by over 14 minutes. Jennings is no stranger to ultrarunning as she currently holds the 50k Irish record of 3:16:33, the Irish 100K national record of 7:43:01 and has finished in the top 10 at Comrades on four occasions. Check out her iRunFar interview here.
So, to say Saturday, November 8, 2025, was just another day in ultrarunning would be a gross understatement. It was one of the best I have experienced in my 40 years of being immersed in the ultrarunning world. I know why Tunnel Hill has the best reputation among ultrarunners looking for fast times. The course is flat and fast, gentle on your legs, but as importantly Steve Durbin and his second-to-none volunteer crew of outstanding people know what it takes to make these things happen. Simply stated, there is magic at Tunnel Hill. I would encourage everyone to go and experience that magic.
