American runners Jim Walmsley, 25,聽and Sarah Bard, 31, took first-place finishes in the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 divisions of Saturday鈥檚聽John F. Kennedy 50-Mile Run聽in Washington County, Maryland, . The race is the oldest ultramarathon in the United聽States. It begins in聽Boonsboro, Maryland鈥60 miles northwest of Washington, DC鈥攁nd traces the Appalachian Trail for a section, gaining聽1,172 feet in elevation. After about 15 miles, the race聽returns to a flat聽gravel road. The course finishes in Williamsport, Maryland.
Both competitors also won last year聽but聽improved their times in 2015.聽Walmsley聽completed the race in 5:47:37, nine minutes faster than the year before,聽and Bard finished in 6:31:11, about six minutes聽faster than her 2014 time.
鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 say it felt any different, as far as added pressure,鈥 Walmsley told . 鈥淚 see myself as a very natural road racer聽but a very talented trail runner, so I definitely think the variety on this course suits me a lot.鈥