Broken Arrow 3.5K Ascent: Criscitiello owns NB40-49

• Ra Criscitiello finished in 1:02:32, the sole finisher in NB40-49 — and the only result needed.
• Held 5th among women from the opening checkpoint all the way through the finish line.
• Logged the 5th-fastest women's split on the Snow King→Finish segment, a strong close on a demanding stretch of high-elevation trail.
• Also raced the 23K, finishing 7th Non-Binary — a genuine double across two races at this event.

Ra Criscitiello made the trip to Palisades Tahoe and left with the NB40-49 title in the 3.5K Ascent, crossing in 1:02:32 at a 28:46/mile average — a pace that reflects the reality of this course: a relentless climb from 6,298 to nearly 8,000 feet, with thin air and a stiff 17 mph wind to match. There's no soft pedaling what this course demands, and Criscitiello met it head-on.

What stands out beyond the finish time is the consistency. Holding 5th among women from the first checkpoint to the tape is a mark of a runner who went out at the right effort and didn't crack — no late fade, no dramatic position changes, just a steady, controlled ascent. And on the Snow King→Finish segment, where legs are heaviest and the altitude bites hardest, Criscitiello actually ranked 5th-fastest among all women on that closing stretch. That's not surviving to the line — that's finishing with something real.

The bigger story, though, is the weekend itself. Criscitiello also raced the 23K, finishing 7th Non-Binary in that event. Taking on two races at a high-altitude venue like Broken Arrow — and placing in both — is a genuine feat of range and durability. The NB40-49 title in the 3.5K Ascent is well earned, and it's only half the picture.