2021 Javelina Jundred Notes.
by Chase Parnell — November 4, 2021
The Javelina Jundred was super fun to follow! I’m really starting to feel like my recent disinterest in elite racing was simply a symptom of oversaturation or burn-out as opposed to any lasting fundamental or ideological aversion. I wasn’t glued to Aravaipa’s coverage all day but I did check in periodically to the coverage, the live results, and updates from crew on the ground.
But instead of a play by play, I’d like to use this space to hit on a few of the more resonant moments and results that stood out to me personally. First of all, I have to say that the performance of the day in my opinion was Camille Herron’s absolutely insane 14h 03m finish. I will be the first to admit that I was sort of starting to write Camille off as past her prime. I even remember thinking that Hoka might have picked her up a year or two too late. But wow, I was clearly wrong. Camille still has that fire burning and she’s the best there is when it comes to runnable ultras. She really did have a masterful performance; hung tough all day long. Check these splits out (first lap is longer but final four are identical):
…incredible run.
Another failure in my pre-race analysis was Joe “Stringbean” McConaughy. I called him a wildcard, and by wildcard, I essentially meant that I didn’t think he had it in him but didn’t want to outright say that. I knew of his long haul FKTs but I still thought he was going to get chewed up by all the runners that actually train season after season for specifically racing ultras. But then during the race coverage, Aravaipa’s Skizzle Fresh mentioned that Stringbean has a 15:08 5k to his name. I raised an eyebrow at that but still didn’t really think that the transition to a fast flat 100 miler would suit him. But the dude brought it. And man, he clearly prepared well, his crew with Nascar speed in the exchanges. Really impressive to watch. After leapfrogging with Camille throughout the latter stages of the race, he ultimately slipped to 5th overall on the final lap and finished in 14h 13m. Damn good time. I’m hoping this lights the fire in him to run a few more 100 milers. Makes me wonder what he could do with a little more intention and blocks of run training.
Next up, 2nd place finisher, openly gay Ryan Montgomery, whooped a lot of straight ass. His partner in drag was also there doing work normalizing lgbtq-ness in the out of doors. Shout out to one of Nikki’s besties, Katie, for DM’ing me the following: “If a racer’s boyfriend is a fabulous drag queen it should be headline news.” Apologies for the oversight. Treeline stands in support and love with this community. All are welcome and wanted.
Lastly, as most of you probably know, Javelina Jundred was a golden ticket race. Ohioan Arlen Glick, and the above-mentioned Ryan Montgomery punched their tickets on the men’s side. Both will definitely be factors at States. Like Javelina, it’s a runner’s race. Can’t wait to see how both these guys do in June.
On the women’s side, Camille and third place finisher Tessa Chesser (2nd place finisher Brittany Peterson already had an entry by finishing in the top ten this year) earned their spots. Camille blew up in epic fashion at Western States earlier this year, finishing in 27h 28m for 90 place overall, so clearly it’d be earth-shaking to see her nail Western, figure it out, and diversify her results. Add a Western States title to her resume and sheesh, all-time great, even more than she already is. No pressure. And then, Tessa Chesser. She strikes me as a super hard worker, a bit blue collar in that she might not be the most naturally gifted in the field, but her intensity and grit are going to make her always tough to beat. Reminiscent of a Sabrina Stanley type. Tessa finished 10th overall, making that three women in the top ten. So solid.
Okay, that’s a wrap. Can confirm, Javelina was fun to follow. A great late-season boost before winter truly sets in. It’s a party for sure. Gotta make it down there someday.
If you enjoyed this preview, please consider becoming a patron for as little as $2 a month. We need patrons to keep the lights on! Thanks for the support!