Mike McMonagle (@shitinthewoods) captures the heart-pounding, mud-caked moments of 2024’s biggest races. Check out his top 10 finish line shots with behind-the-scenes stories!
You may have noticed @shitinthewoods—the incredibly talented photographer Mike McMonagle—quietly working his magic at the finish lines of some of 2024’s biggest races. From Black Canyon to Western States, Javelina Jundred, Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run, Run Rabbit Run, and DC Peaks 50 (just to name a few), Mike has been everywhere, capturing the raw emotion and beauty of trail running.
When we asked him to share his 10 favorite shots from the year, he came back with 30—it was just that hard to choose! With some tough love and a lot of admiration, the UltraSignup team managed to select these 10 unforgettable moments. To make them even more special, we’ve included commentary from Mike himself, offering a glimpse into the stories behind these wild and wonderful trail race finishes. Enjoy!
After just over 9 hours of running through the Arizona desert, Lauren Puretz finished 3rd place in the Black Canyon 100K – she’d been so focused on her own race and getting the best out of herself that she was genuinely shocked when Western States race director, Craig Thornley, presented her with the Golden Ticket that her 3rd place finished earned her.
Matt Seidel’s crew was easily identifiable at aid stations along the JFK 50 Mile course by the vibrant piñata guiding him to each bottle exchange. After a triumphant third place finish in a record-breaking year, Matt finally reunited with his celebratory piñata.
Eszter Csillag has been here before; imagine the swell of emotion crossing the Western States finish line for a third place finish two years in a row, with your loved ones by your side.
The Lake Sonoma 50 Mile awards its finishers with a bottle of local wine and, in 2024, a layer of mud caked over most of their bodies. Francesco Puppi, from Italy, won this edition of the race through California’s wine country.
The DC Peaks 50 Mile is a point-to-point course in northern Utah in October. It’s fun to imagine this young girl has been out watching her dad run 50 miles since before sunrise, and now isn’t interested in hanging around the finish much longer. “Alright, Dad, you had your fun, let’s get out of here!”
Tyler Green shows the exasperation of a difficult, hard-earned 100-mile finish after his 4th place at the 2024 Run Rabbit Run. With a 9:00am start for the “Tortoise” race and a 1:00pm start for the “Hares,” RRR100 requires everyone to run through at least one full night.
Capping off a big season ascending to the top tier of 100-mile trail racing, David Roche looks back to see his family for the first time as the 2024 Javelina Jundred champion. His wife, Megan, and son, Leo, in addition to other close family and friends, were pivotal support for him under the blazing Arizona sun for 12 hours and 45 minutes that day.
Many ultrarunners dream of running the Hardrock 100 Endurance Run at some point in their life. In 2024, Ludovic Pommeret, a 48-year-old professional runner from France, was the first to kiss the rock at the iconic Silverton, Colorado, finish line. He sobbed and laughed in a huddle with his crew, probably reconciling his complete exhaustion with unimaginable relief, and the pride of breaking a course record previously held by Kilian Jornet.
Swedish athlete, Petter Engdahl, one of the pre-race favorites in the Canyons by UTMB 100K, collapsed in exhaustion at the downtown Auburn, CA, finish line after what might have been a bittersweet 3rd place finish – one position shy of a guaranteed Golden Ticket to Western States. Shortly thereafter, his effort was rewarded when 2nd place finisher, Drew Holmen, declined his ticket and passed it down to Petter.
Cheers to Emkay Sullivan and her husband, Tommy, who celebrated strong Speedgoat 50K performances with a finish-line “shotgun” – not sure which is more impressive: covering that course in six hours, or chugging a Coors Light immediately afterward!
