John Herrick Sets 50k Course Record at Aspen Backcountry

Aspen —John Herrick won the 50-kilometer ultra race at Aspen Backcountry on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in a course-record time of 4 hours, 23 minutes, and 6 seconds.

The event returned to the trails around Smuggler and Hunter Creek with a full morning of racing, offering 50k, marathon, and half-marathon distances under the ownership of Aravaipa Running. Herrick’s victory was part of a day where multiple course records were set, including Spencer Shellberg’s second-place finish in 4:28:54, which also broke the previous 50k record. Rounding out the men’s podium was Oliver Bacharach, who finished third in 4:39:21.

On the women’s side of the 50k, Juliette Soule claimed the top step in 4:49:35, establishing a new course record. She finished fifth overall among all competitors. Natalie Nicholson placed second among women and seventh overall with a time of 5:12:08, while Lyndsey Pere took third among women and twelfth overall in 5:33:56.

The marathon was dominated by female runners, with Brier Youngfleish taking the overall race win in 4:08:16. She was the first of three female finishers to cross the line ahead of the top male runner, Gil Allgood, who finished fourth overall in 4:35:56. Jessica Parry was second among women with a time of 4:21:41, and McKendree Hickory finished third overall in 4:32:06. Brad Barry came in second among men and fifth overall in 4:36:03, followed by Hunter Katich in third among men and sixth overall at 4:36:54.

In the half-marathon, Spencer Ferguson-Dryden secured the “Heavy Half” title with a time of 1:57:47. He was followed by Barton Tofany in second place at 2:14:16 and Dustin May in third at 2:16:04. Olivia Barbier led the women’s half, finishing fourth overall in 2:23:26. Maddie Shove was second among women and sixth overall in 2:27:07, while JD Ralph finished third among women and ninth overall in 2:33:34.

Photos from the event, captured by Austin Colbert for The Aspen Times, show competitors navigating the trails and celebrating at Rio Grande Park after their respective races.

Local Records Shattered

The Aspen Times reported that the day’s racing featured significant speed improvements across multiple categories. Herrick and Soule set new benchmarks for the 50k distance, while Youngfleish’s early finish in the marathon highlighted a strong female presence in that division.

The results are available on aravaiparunning.com, where the full list of finishers and times can be viewed.

Dust settles on the trails near Smuggler, where runners like Herrick and Soule left their mark in the timing chips.