100-Mile World Record Holder Zach Bitter Makes Jackpot Debut & American 48-Hour Record Holder Marisa Lizak Returns
The 8th Annual Jackpot Ultra Running Festival, Sin City’s premier endurance running event, returns to Cornerstone Park in Southern Nevada April 23-26, 2021 with the most diversified field in the festival’s history. For the 4th straight year, Jackpot will again feature the USATF’s 100-Mile Road National Championship race, along with 6/12/24/48/72-hour races, a standard 100-mile race and a 50-mile race. All runners will run on short loop USATF certified courses around a majestic 31-acre bird sanctuary. The USATF Championship race, along with the 48 & 72-hour races, start at 8:00 AM PST on Friday, April 23rd, with all other races starting at 8:00 AM PST on Saturday, April 24th.
Arguably one of the deepest elite 100-mile fields in recent history, the USATF 100-mile race features Jackpot newcomer Zach Bitter, current 100-mile (11 hours 19 minutes) and 12-hour (104.8 miles) world record holder, and the return of USATF 100-Mile Road National Champion, Marisa Lizak, who is also the current American women’s 48-hour record holder (243.5 miles). Patrick Reagan, 3-time winner of the famed Javelina Jundred 100-Mile race, joins Jackpot for the first time, as does Micah Morgan, who placed 8th at the 2019 IAU 24-Hour World Championship with her 148-mile performance. Lin Gentling, USATF Event Official, “After a challenging 2020 with few ultra-running races occurring, it’s great to see so many top USATF ultra runners having a chance to compete in a safe, fun and well-structured event like the Jackpot Ultra Running Festival.”
As always, the Fabulous Las Vegas Showgirls will be on-hand both Friday and Saturday morning to welcome runners and kick-off all races, while local musician Jonny Hazard will perform course-side Friday and Saturday afternoon. For the fourth straight year, podium finishers in the USATF 100-Mile Road National Championship race will share in a $10,000 prize pool.
Ken Rubeli, co-founder of Beyond Limits Running and co-race director of Jackpot commented, “First and foremost, we would like to thank the State of Nevada’s Department of Business and Industry for reviewing and approving our required Sports and Preparedness Safety Plan. While we are known for over-the-top fun events, runner safety always comes first. While we are thrilled to have an abundance of elite runners competing for the USATF Championship, we are just as excited to have the most diversified field of festival runners in Jackpot’s eight-year history. We can’t wait to see wheelchair adaptive runner Julia Beckley and blind runner Terri Rupp push Beyond Limits to earn their first Jackpot Ultra 100-mile buckle.”
About Beyond Limits Running:
Co-founded 9 years ago by a double organ transplant recipient and her husband, Beyond Limits Running was formed to help all runners run way past their perceived limits by competing in running events. Known for its over-the-top festive events, Beyond Limits Running produces the Jackpot Ultra Running Festival, the Beyond Limits Ultra Race, and the Happy Hippie Harvest Run. Learn more at www.BeyondLimitsRunning.com.