DOWNIEVILLE — On Saturday, over a hundred competitors began one of Sierra County’s most physically challenging competitions in recent memory. The Lost Sierra Endurance Race was divided into two categories: 50 km and 100 km. Those willing to brave the 100 km (just over 60 miles) ran from Downieville to Blairsden and back, some taking nearly 20 hours.

The 100-kilometer trail run started and ended at the Downieville School field. Runners traveled through town, up First Divide and Third Divide trails, then up Pauley Creek, Butcher Ranch, and Sunrise Trails to reach Packer Saddle. Then followed a mostly downhill section to Blairsden on Gold Valley Rim, Pacific Crest, Round Lake, Grassy Lake, Long Lake, Smith Lake, and Jamison Creek Trails. After all that, runners returned to Downieville on the reversed path.

Camptonville resident George Doolan won the 100 km race with a time of 13 hours, 50 minutes, and 12 seconds. In total, Doolan climbed over 10,000 feet in elevation gain and burned nearly 8,000 calories. With an average pace of 13:04 / mile, he was stopped for less than an hour, primarily at aid stations. Doolan’s fastest mile time during the race was 7:36, and some of his fastest extended running came at the end, with the last 30 km taking him 3:42:44.

Though he put in a veteran performance, this was the first organized race Doolan had ever entered. He often goes on long runs, but he explained that the win was “sort of surreal in some ways, just because I’ve never run more than 42 miles (...) in one day.”

Despite the win, Doolan’s race did not go entirely as planned. After leading for much of it, he took a wrong turn around Deer Lake but luckily realized his mistake after approaching an unmarked intersection within a few miles. When he reached the next aid station, he found that eventual second-place finisher Matt Gibely had passed him.

Once Doolan reached the final aid station before the finish, he was informed that he was back in the lead after Gibely had also taken a wrong turn near Packer Saddle. Although Gibely was pushing hard and later caught Doolan close to town, Doolan had saved enough energy to push for — and take — the win.

The 100 km podium was completed with Matt Gibely in second and Jordan Carr, with whom Doolan ran much of the first half of the race, in third. Devon Delattre was crowned women’s 100 km champion with a time of 14:28:25, followed by Steph Wilson in second place and Leslie Lane in third.

The 50 km race also presented an incredible challenge in its own right, especially since most racers were surprised to find such a technical course. Many commented that it was the most difficult race they’d ever completed. Although at least one racer was not keen on attempting the race again next year, most were excited about having another opportunity, now with a better idea of what to expect.

Being in such a remote location presented unexpected challenges for racers and organizers. Communication issues, caused by lack of cell service on the trails and the inability of radios to reach the entire course, plagued the organizers and volunteers, who often had little idea where racers were on the course or when to expect finishers. Thankfully, racers could still be reliably accounted for by the use of aid station check-ins and sweeps.

This year was the first iteration of the event, being put on by Bad Luck Run Club via lead organizer Ken Krogsrud. The race ran smoothly, and many racers finished despite underestimating the task, though dropouts were expectedly high for the 100 km race (74 / 78 finished the 50 km, 21 / 31 finished the 100 km).

Besides lack of communication, the most prominent issue was less-than-ideal signage along the route, which caused many runners to take a wrong turn at some point during the race. Only one runner needed to be located by Sierra County Search and Rescue, having activated the rescue beacon on a Garmin device. That person was found safe.

Krogsrud was delighted with how the weekend transpired, saying, “The event went really well on our end, thanks mostly to our volunteers and the cooperation with Sierra County. Overall, this event is probably the most fun and challenging one I’ve organized, simply due to the remoteness of the area. Every single runner I spoke with was in awe of the course, the location, and the town’s charm. The trails are beautiful but seriously difficult; it’s a worthy challenge to those bold ultra runners.”

Krogsrud and Bad Luck Run Club plan to return stronger and wiser. Due to the positive response, Krogsrud expects roughly 250 runners to participate in next year’s race. This time, he plans to bring a HAM radio team and have live tracking of racers. He also hopes to beef up accommodations and hold a post-race BBQ in collaboration with a local business. For less experienced runners, a more inviting 25 km race will also be offered.

The now-reigning champion Doolan is not yet sure if he will return to defend his title next year, citing a hectic work schedule. He owns a small winery in Camptonville (Doolan Wines) and is expecting to release his first wine and cider this fall using locally sourced grapes he cultivates. Still, he had fun in the race and was happy that Bad Luck Run Club put on the event; “Downieville is a great place for running.”