Sixteen finishes at races of 200 miles or more. Deserts, arctic tundra, mountain spines, and canyon country. Not racing to win — racing to find out what's possible.
Brian Hamilton started running ultras the way most people do — convinced a 50K was a reasonable thing to sign up for. That was 2013. A decade later he had crossed the Gobi Desert non-stop, survived a British winter on the Pennine Way, and finished the Iditarod Trail Invitational through 350 miles of Alaskan wilderness in February.
The thread connecting all of it isn't speed — it's persistence. Brian has never been the fastest person in any race he's entered. What he's been is someone who keeps moving when most people don't. Sixteen times he's crossed a finish line at 200 miles or beyond. Four times at Moab 240. Three times at Tahoe 200. Twice on the Bigfoot 200 course in Washington. Once across the Gobi.
Between races there's a life that's equally full: student pilot working toward his PPL, first-year beekeeper managing a hive through its first spring flow, and father to one teenager who has somehow survived the whole adventure. He lives in the Pacific Northwest, trains in the mountains, and writes about all of it here.
Every finish at a race of 200 miles or more. In order of distance.
Races highlighted in rust are 200+ mile events.
| Race | Distance | Location | Year | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultra Gobi | 400 km | Gobi Desert, China | 2024 | Finisher |
| Iditarod Trail Invitational | 350 mi | Anchorage–McGrath, AK | Feb 2024 | Finisher |
| Montane Winter Spine Race | 286 mi | Pennine Way, UK | Jan 2024 | Finisher |
| Montane Summer Spine Race | 286 mi | Pennine Way, UK | 2024 | Finisher |
| The Daytona 100 | 100 mi | Atlantic Beach, FL | Dec 2024 | 59th · 27:21:58 |
| Route 66 UltraRun | Journey | Historic Route 66, AZ | Nov 2024 | 1st |
| Oregon Cascades 100 | 100 mi | Sisters, OR | Aug 2024 | 136th · 29:00:16 |
| Moab 240 Endurance Run | 240 mi | Moab, UT | Oct 2023 | 67th · 105:05:41 |
| Tor des Géants | 330K | Courmayeur, Italy | Sep 2023 | 609th · 148:39:51 |
| Bigfoot 200 Mile | 200 mi | Mt. St. Helens, WA | Aug 2023 | 83rd · 98:09:27 |
| Tahoe 200 Endurance Run | 200 mi | Lake Tahoe, CA | Jul 2023 | 95th · 99:25:59 |
| Ultra Trail Mount Fuji | 100 mi | Shizuoka, Japan | Apr 2023 | 1,582nd · 43:28:51 |
| Arrowhead 135 | 135 mi | International Falls, MN | Jan 2023 | 17th · 52:49:00 |
| Moab 240 Endurance Run | 240 mi | Moab, UT | Oct 2022 | 51st · 94:45:36 |
| Tor des Géants | 180 mi | Courmayeur, Italy | Sep 2022 | Weather Safety Finish · 137:13:17 |
| Cocodona 250 | 250 mi | Black Canyon City, AZ | May 2022 | 48th · 101:29:32 |
| The Drift 100 | 100 mi | Pinedale, WY | Mar 2022 | 48th · 42:03:00 |
| Moab 240 Endurance Run | 240 mi | Moab, UT | Oct 2021 | 27th · 82:38:19 |
| Tahoe 200 Endurance Run | 200 mi | Lake Tahoe, CA | Sep 2021 | 11th · 95:23:00 |
| Bigfoot 200 Mile | 200 mi | Mt. St. Helens, WA | Aug 2021 | 50th · 96:29:46 |
| Badwater 135 | 135 mi | Death Valley, CA | Jul 2021 | 36th · 38:35:05 |
| Keys Ultras | 100 mi | Key Largo, FL | May 2021 | 31st · 24:38:47 |
| Rocky Raccoon | 100 mi | Huntsville, TX | Feb 2021 | 104th · 23:24:51 |
| Moab 240 Endurance Run | 240 mi | Moab, UT | Oct 2020 | 46th · 96:01:20 |
| Brazil 135 | 135 mi | Resende, Brazil | Jan 2020 | 36th · 50:45:18 |
| Tahoe 200 Endurance Run | 200 mi | Lake Tahoe, CA | Sep 2019 | 57th · 83:51:09 |
| Tahoe Rim Trail 100 | 100 mi | Carson City, NV | Jul 2019 | 86th · 31:42:58 |
| Antelope Island Buffalo Run | 100 mi | Syracuse, UT | Mar 2019 | 20th · 24:19:01 |
| Patagonia Run | 100 mi | San Martín de los Andes, Argentina | Apr 2018 | 79th · 35:19:56 |
| Javelina Jundred | 100 mi | McDowell, AZ | Oct 2017 | 230th · 27:23:52 |
| Mountain Lakes 100 | 100 mi | Olallie Lake, OR | Sep 2017 | 40th · 26:37:05 |
| San Diego 100 | 100 mi | Lake Cuyamaca, CA | Jun 2017 | 104th · 29:19:12 |
| Marathon des Sables | 250K | Ouarzazate, Morocco | Apr 2017 | 318th · 38:54:39 |
| Javelina Jundred | 100 mi | McDowell, AZ | Oct 2016 | 134th · 26:22:57 |
| Leadville Trail 100 | 100 mi | Leadville, CO | Aug 2016 | 245th · 29:12:04 |
| Tahoe Rim Trail 100 | 100 mi | Carson City, NV | Jul 2015 | 69th · 29:21:49 |
| Bryce Canyon Ultras | 100 mi | Bryce Canyon, UT | Jun 2014 | 33rd · 29:38:47 |
| Moab 240 Endurance Run | 240 mi | Moab, UT | Oct 2025 | DNF |
| Western States 100 | 100 mi | Olympic Valley, CA | Jun 2023 | DNF |
Working toward his Private Pilot Licence. Flying requires a different kind of focus than ultra running — one that doesn't allow the luxury of suffering through it. Currently building hours and preparing for the check ride.
First-year beekeeper managing one active hive through its first spring flow. Turns out keeping bees shares something with ultra running: you can read everything about it beforehand and still be completely surprised by what actually happens.
Owner of two Weimaraners who have strong opinions about training schedules, meal times, and where on the bed they're allowed to sleep (everywhere). They are not good running partners — they're too fast and too easily distracted.