Ashlie Ithurburn of Birmingham won the women’s title in the inaugural Southern States 200, finishing the two-state endurance event in a little more than two days.
Ithurburn is from Birmingham, originally from California, and is a veteran ultra competitor. She finished the Southern States 200 in two days, 19 hours, 50 minutes. Ithurburn was among 36 runners in the field. She averaged 65.6 miles per day and an average moving speed of 4.6 mph.
Martin Schneekloth of Huntsville and Jon Elmore of Decatur also finished the Southern States 200.
Schneekloth finished the trek in 78 hours, 42 minutes.
“What an incredible event,” he said on Facebook. “Huge shoutout to the organizers, who managed to put in a perfect first year event. This already is a premier 200 miler.”
Elmore finished in 3 days, 18 hours, 50 minutes.
James Ebert of Huntsville smoked the course in two days to take top honors. His official time was 48 hours, 58 minutes when he crossed the finish line at Bald Rock Lodge in Cheaha State Park.
Ebert and the Southern States field of 37 started Friday at noon (eastern time) in Dalton, Ga. It is one of only three point-to-point mountain trail races in the United States. It is a collaboration of Southeastern Trail Runs in Birmingham and Running Lane Events in Huntsville. Runners from 13 states, as far as California and Pennsylvania, are in the field. As of 1 p.m. Sunday five runners were DNF.
Runners have 100 hours to complete the route, which is officially 201 miles with 27,628 feet of elevation gain. It follows the Pinhoti Trail.
MAIN PHOTO: Ashlee Ithurburn of Birmingham wins the women’s title in the Southern States 200 at Cheaha State Park on April 15. (Photo: Pete Schreiner / Schreiner Trail Photography)
