A Franklin native is one of the world’s top ultramarathoners.
For the past several years Canyon Woodward has traversed the globe in search of its top competitive trail races, running up to 100 miles at a clip over difficult terrain. Recently, he traveled to France for the fourth straight year to take part in the sport’s most prestigious event, earning his highest-ever finish at 13th overall.
“I was really happy with that,” he said of his result at the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, widely regarded as the world’s most competitive trail ultramarathon. “I think I took something like an hour and 20 minutes off of last year’s time, which was the biggest bump I’ve been able to pull off yet. I felt like top 10 was possible on an absolutely perfect day, and that was my “A” goal, but I was still super-thrilled with 13th. The competitive field over there is pretty spectacular; it’s really cool to get to be a part of so many top professionals from all over the globe. So, I felt really satisfied with where I ended up, and excited to go back and try and chip away some more to see if we can keep that trend line going up.”
With roughly 33,000 feet of elevation gain across 109 miles through the French, Swiss and Italian Alps, UTMB presents a challenge for even the world’s best runners. In addition, Woodward’s finish was made even more impressive by the conditions.
“It was a pretty crazy race. The weather we got in the mountains was definitely unlike anything in years past,” he said. “It started out with rain that got pretty darn heavy quickly into the night, and then you’re climbing, climbing up high and it turned into very heavy snow and whipping winds through the night. I think that affected a lot of folks. I was lucky to have the gear I needed with me and was able to manage the conditions pretty well and survive that section, and then run really well into the morning and through the afternoon.”
After battling heat and dehydration at last year’s race, Woodward faced a different type of challenge this year, summitting snow-capped peaks with just a few thin layers of clothes. Having authored multiple thrilling comebacks in years past, he forwent his usual late-race heroics in favor of a steadier approach.
“I definitely started a lot faster this year than years past, and that was a big part of my strategy to put myself in a better position from the get-go,” he said. “I don’t know off the top of my head, but I would say I was maybe like 35th or something like that through the earlier sections and worked my way from there, as opposed to being back in the hundreds.”
Aside from short stops along the way for food and water, the race’s top entrants ran through the night into the next day. But while he shattered his prior best time in just over 22 hours, Woodward said his finish wasn’t even the best part of the race.
“The highlight was that my family was able to come over for it – my parents and three siblings, nieces and nephews – it was so fun,” he said. “I felt like I put in great training for it – I spent a ton of time in the mountains this year going up to Wayah Bald and back, and doing loops over the mountain here.”
From his home just north of Cowee near the Swain County line, the mountains around Franklin provide Woodward a perfect training ground. At the annual Naturalist run Oct. 4, he headlined a historic race.
“I think all four of the course records for men and women, 25 and 50K all came down,” said Woodward of his 25-kilometer course-record time of 2:12.26, a leisurely jog by his standards. “It was a fun weekend … such an awesome community event. The guys at Outdoor 76 turn it into this whole day-long festival – multiple bands going, live music, food trucks – and the whole community comes out. I saw so many friends and familiar faces. It was just a blast.”
After winning his hometown race, Woodward turned his attention back to the national circuit, traveling to Arizona for the Javelina 100-miler Oct. 25. There in unique fashion, he earned one of just two “Golden Tickets” to the sport’s premiere U.S. race.
“If someone doesn’t accept their ticket, it rolls down to third. My coach was second, and he told me he wasn’t going to be accepting the ticket,” he said of his longtime mentor David Roche. Finishing less than two minutes before Woodward [3rd, 12:19.58] Roche declined his invitation to the Western States Endurance Run, essentially giving his ticket to Woodward.
“Western States has been the elusive non-UTMB goal for years. Both races stand apart in the world as the most prestigious, but Western has a tiny field because of U.S. permitting, so it’s exceptionally hard to qualify with only 15 spots for elites via Golden Ticket across three U.S. races and three international ones.”
Thanks to a selfless act by Roche in what Woodward called one of the most meaningful moments of his life, he punched his ticket to the world’s oldest organized 100-mile race in Olympic Valley, California, next June. First run in its current form in 1977, the WSER will give him an excellent litmus test ahead of his fifth UTMB next August.
“Obviously, [placing 13th] certainly puts a fire in me to go back again, just on the outside looking into the top 10,” he said. “I feel like I can make it there.”