Molke and Jackson win stormy Javelina 100 Mile
Four Western States Golden Tickets went out on a wet Halloween in Arizona.
Rob Molke won the 2026 Javelina 100 Mile in 12:11:30 after running down Noah Dusseau inside the last 10 miles. Heather Jackson defended her title in 13:48:29, catching the UK's Carla Molinaro in the final few miles and winning by less than a minute.
It rained. Javelina sits in McDowell Mountain Regional Park near Fountain Hills, Arizona, which is normally arid, but iRunFar reports heavy rain the night before left mud and minor washouts, and scattered storms returned during the elite race as a "pineapple express" pushed moisture into the region. The high was 75F with very high humidity under overcast skies. Runners started at 6 a.m. on October 31.
Why the win mattered
Javelina is the second of seven Golden Ticket races (a Golden Ticket is an automatic entry to the Western States 100) ahead of the 2027 edition. Four were on offer, going to the first and second place men and women. If any of those four have already qualified or decline, the ticket rolls down as far as fifth, so the chase does not stop at the podium.
Molke had unfinished business. He DNF'd Javelina last year, and got into the 2025 Western States with a single lottery ticket before finishing 16th.
How the men's race moved
The front group split early. At mile 26.1, Cade Michael led in 2 hours 54 minutes elapsed, the fastest split for that section in race history, with Can-Hua Luo, Dusseau, John Raneri and Jacob Banta within two and a half minutes. Molke was in the chase group behind.
Then the race came apart. Michael dropped at mile 45.3, Cole Watson at mile 51.8, and Raneri left after three loops at mile 60.3. Dusseau took over the lead and pushed it to almost five minutes by mile 64.6, with Molke moving up into the top five. The catch came late.
The course is five loops, one of 22.3 miles then four of 19.45 miles, with 6,296 feet of climbing on mostly smooth trail and old doubletrack. That is why the times are fast. It also doubles as a weekend-long Halloween party, costumes and all, including some of the elites.
The women's field had depth beyond the front two. Former champions Devon Yanko and Jackson were both in, along with Katie Asmuth, winner of the 2025 Javelina 100k, and two-time Olympic marathoner Des Linden, who moved to trail racing in the last year.
Full splits and placings are in iRunFar's results report.
Heather Jackson and Rob Molke won a spooky, stormy Javelina 100 Mile in Arizona today.
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