Broken Arrow Skyrace Ascent 2026: Flanigan Owns M75-79

• Sole finisher and champion: James Flanigan, 76, crossed in 1:25:59 at a 23:49/mi average pace over a course climbing into the thin air above 8,800 ft.
• Consistent to the end: Flanigan held 30th among the men from the KT 22 checkpoint all the way to the finish line.
• Fastest on the final stretch: His KT 22→Finish split ranked 30th among all men in the field — a strong close on a demanding high-elevation course.

James Flanigan came to Palisades Tahoe and did something not everyone in their mid-seventies does: he toed the line at the Broken Arrow Skyrace Ascent and finished it. At 76 years old, the Davis, CA native was the only finisher in M75-79, making him both the winner and the benchmark for his peers. His 1:25:59 finish, averaging 23:49 per mile, tells the story of a man navigating a course that ranges up to 8,845 feet above sea level — a place where the air is genuinely thinner and the legs work harder for every breath.

What's notable isn't just that Flanigan finished — it's how he finished. From the KT 22 checkpoint to the line, he held 30th among the men and posted the 30th-fastest men's split on that closing segment. On a day that was warm at 70°F with overcast skies, Flanigan kept his effort measured and his position steady through to the end. There were no late fades, no dramatic position swings — just a clean, deliberate close on a high-altitude skyrace that humbles runners of every age.

Flanigan takes the M75-79 title unchallenged, but the number on the clock is the real story. Finishing the Broken Arrow Ascent at 76 is an achievement that stands entirely on its own.