The sun sets as the races begin.
Storms brewed in the afternoon to the East of White Tank Mountain Regional Park. But as runners begin to arrive the weather dissipates, leaving a light breeze and cooler than expected temperatures to run in. After the mild-mannered Sinister and the constantly rolling Adrenaline, the course at Vertigo promises a good mix of flat and smooth trails coupled with a short but steep climb and rugged descent halfway around the 10k+ loop. Runners choose between the 10k, 31k, or 63k races run through the starry night.
The Surprise Running Club made a strong showing.
The pre-race atmosphere is electric, with a village of runners, crew, and volunteers assembling among the Aravaipa Running and sponsor tents. The 63k begins with an hour of daylight left, allowing a quick but hot beginning to the race. Winner of the previous two Insomniac ultras, Cristian Rios is the clear favorite with a few more experienced ultrarunners coming close behind. The Women’s race is a battle between Adrenaline winner Jenn Thompson and Holly Miller, doing the race as a birthday run. 
The start of the 63k.
After some raffle prizes courtesy of Nathan (who also provided gear to our winners), the ultrarunners in the group take off. Runners continue to arrive, many picking up their bibs and many more registering on-site. The Aravaipa Running Shop is active and selling apparel including our new trucker hats, each one hand-decorated with inspiration from the sonoran desert. Runners are checking batteries, filling bottles, and watching the clock count down the minutes until their race begins. Soon, the 31k assembles and takes off into the setting sun.
63k runner Andrew Heard comes through his first loop.
Before the 10k can begin, the leaders of the 63k begin streaming through. Michael Farris is on the mic shouting words of encouragement to the runners as they come by, as well as the ones about to embark. The last runners line up under the last rays of sunlight, and are off!
10k runners toe the line.
As the darkness engulfs the race, runners continue to stream through lap after lap. The 63k and 31k show themselves as competitive races, the leaders of each division coming in within minutes or seconds of each other. Many more runners appear in the distance as bouncing balls of light, growing until their smiling face are visible by the glow of the finish line. Crews fill the area, cheering and clapping as each new body arrives.
Jenn Thompson and Holly Miller arrive neck and neck in the 63k.
Some mid-race encouragement!
Soon, our 10k champions arrive with Jonathan Palmer winning in 51:59 and Amy English following in 53:49. Thomas Riggs finishes second for the men and Miguel Moreno takes third, while Eve Renneback and Ash Montoya secure second and third for the women. The 31k leaders come through 3 minutes apart for the men, and only 4 seconds apart for the women. Cristian Rios and Jenn Thompson are opening gaps in the long run by their 3rd loop, but other runners are hungry to catch them.
Our 10k winners!
Meanwhile, many more runners are finishing end enjoying the post-race refreshments. The mason jar finisher awards make the perfect cup for a refreshing cup of iced coffee, and runners snack on lots of fresh fruit and vegan Daiya quesadillas. Dan Springborn pulls away in the 31k to win in 2:42:13, and Lisa Raykowski wins for the women in 3:04:24. Ryan Warren and Paul Bonnett round out the men’s podium, and Margaret Smith and Michelle Sager place for the women. The races continue on, with upbeat music meaning crews and finishers alike are partying all night long.
Bust a move Miguel!
We pass midnight and the run starts to thin out. Finishers head home for some well deserved sleep, while others continue to circle the competitive loop. Cristian is slowing drastically, with his lap splits of 0:46, 0:52, 0:58, 1:06, and now 1:22 makes us wonder if his 4 minute lead is enough for the final loop. We notice his splits would have won both the 10k and 31k, but can he take the 63k over the fast-approaching Sion? Jenn on the other hand is looking strong in the women’s race, powering through her 5th lap after a nasty fall earlier in the race.
The moon shines brightly in a cloudy sky.
Finally Cristian comes in, securing his third Insomniac victory with a dominant 1:01 final lap. Good thing, he needs some sleep to get to work at 5 AM! Sion falls back due to cramping before being caught by Andrew Heard. They come racing around the final stretch, Sion taking the silver by only two seconds. Jenn follows shortly as the women’s winner, taking her second Insomniac victory in a row. Holly Miller takes second for a satisfying birthday run, and Vanessa Jones takes third. By the 5 AM cutoff, 14 runners finish the 6 loop ultra course.
Cristian Rios gets his award and Nathan Minimist pack.
A big shout out to all of the sponsors who have helped enhance the experience at Vertigo: iRun, Black Diamond, Nathan, Fluid, and Activate. Results are now available for the 63k, 31k, and 10k. Pictures from the event are available in our Aravaipa Photo Gallery. Please share your own race report with us here.
The next race in the Insomniac series is Hypnosis on August 10, featuring distances of 15k, 31k, and 62k. I hope you will join us for an all-night party!