Ashley Paulson Sets 100-Mile World Record at 2026 Jackpot 100 Mile

"To break the previous record, Paulson would have to hold an average pace of 7:34 minutes per mile over the course of the 100 miles. She started the race aggressively, running splits hovering around 7 minutes per mile for about the first 20 miles. Although she still had a few laps at that pace over the following 25 miles, the majority were around 7:10 per mile."

"About halfway through the event, with about 6 hours on the clock, Paulson's pace slowed significantly, and it seemed to just be a matter of seeing how much of the buffer she'd built - which was on the order of half an hour - would remain. Her pace hovered around 7:30-minute miles up until the 80-mile mark and then crept further up with a fifth of the distance left to cover."

"This is the first world record for Paulson, who is perhaps best known for holding the women's course record at the Badwater 135 Mile. She first set the record there in 2022, placing third overall, and then reset it the following year, shaving nearly 2.5 hours off her previous time and winning the event overall."

Ashley Paulson established a new women's 100-mile world record on February 20, 2026, at the Jackpot 100 Mile in Henderson, Nevada, finishing in 12:19:34. The race took place around a 1.19-mile loop at Cornerstone Park under cool conditions with an 8 a.m. start. Paulson surpassed Caitriona Jennings' previous record of 12:37:04 by more than 17 minutes. She began aggressively at approximately 7 minutes per mile for the first 20 miles, maintaining around 7:10 per mile through the next 25 miles. Her pace slowed to 7:30-minute miles from the midpoint through the 80-mile mark, then gradually increased in the final stretch. Despite narrowing her buffer in the closing miles, Paulson maintained her lead to secure the record. This achievement marks her first world record, complementing her status as the women's course record holder at Badwater 135 Mile.

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