Copper Kings 100 2026

The second running of the Copper Kings 100 is in the books, and the results tell the story of a race that has quickly earned its reputation: a demanding, beautiful, and remarkably well-run 100-mile loop around Butte, Montana.

On June 26–27, 144 runners set out from the start line to circumnavigate the Mining City on foot, tackling a course that follows 63 miles of the Continental Divide Trail. Forty hours later, 116 of them had crossed the finish line — an 81% completion rate that stands out in a sport where finishing a mountain hundred-miler is never a given. The women's field led the way with a 90% finish rate.

Bozeman's Adam Behrendt took the overall win in 17:49:01, but one of the day's best stories belonged to Butte's own Zachary Sharon, who ran to a second-place finish on his hometown trails. Kallie Smith was the first woman across the line and sixth overall in 21:39:11. Behind the leaders, runners kept coming through the second day and into the evening — the courage at the back of the pack is every bit as much the heart of this race as the speed at the front.

The field reflected just how far word of Copper Kings has traveled in only two years. Runners came from 27 states and Canadian provinces, ranged in age from 19 to 65, and 54 finishers called Montana home.

What has stayed with us most, though, is what runners have shared since crossing the line. In the days after the race, finishers wrote to describe a course that was raw, serene, and punishing in the best way — and, again and again, to thank the volunteers, medics, and aid station crews whose work made it possible. More than one described the weekend not as a race but as a family, and several first-time hundred-mile finishers spoke of a confidence and perspective they'll carry well beyond Butte.

To every runner, volunteer, medic, sponsor, and neighbor who made the 2026 Copper Kings 100 possible: thank you. We'll see you on the trails.