Watch: Caleb Olson Runs His Way Onto the Podium at UTMB

Don’t try to put Caleb Olson in a box. The 2025 Western States champ backed up last year’s breakout performance with a podium finish at the 2026 UTMB today. They couldn’t be more different 100-milers, but then again, Olson’s a very different athlete than he was, by design.

“I’ve moved on from Western States,” he said at the finish line, not long after becoming only one of three athletes to ever break the 19-hour mark at UTMB. “I’ve gotten excited about running in the mountains, training for UTMB, and focused more on running now that I know I can be really good at it.”

The Salt Lake City, Utah, resident ran a smart race, going out in about 10th position before slowly whittling his way through the field as night quickly descended—thanks to a two-hour delay due to weather. After the long, runnable climb and descent off of Col de la Seigne coming into Switzerland he was in fourth. Four runners passed him on the most heinous dusty, steep descent of the race coming into Courmayeur, Italy at 81K, but that was the last time that would happen.

Olson surged by Joaquin Lopez (Ecuador) on the climb from Trient to Vallorcine (155K). He spent less than a minute in aid (the final crewed aid station of the race), leaving as Lopez entered. Game over.

And yet, Olson already has unfinished business, saying that he regrets letting the leaders get so far ahead, making it impossible to reel them in.

“I’m excited to come back,” he said. “I have to come back now. I know that I could do well here, and I think I’ve learned some things that I would do differently in training.”

At his first Western States Olson took fifth, he pointed out. He won the next one. “I’m already off to a better start than that.”

And that’s after suffering from a stress reaction in his femur this winter that set back his training—but obviously not too far back. But that makes next year’s game plan pretty easy. When asked what he’ll do differently in 2027 he said, “try not to get injured.”

Bonjour from Mont Blanc! We’re on the ground in Chamonix, France, to bring you behind-the-scenes coverage of the 2026 UTMB World Series Finals. Can’t get enough? Check out our Live Updates from UTMB Week (including coverage of OCC and CCC), our Guide to the 2026 UTMB Mont-Blanc.