Nate Crosses the Patagonia 100 Finish Line Four Hours Ahead of Schedule
Nate completes the Patagonia 100 in 31 hours and 45 minutes, running 102 miles through the mountains outside San Martin de los Andes, Argentina. The finish marks his fourth 100-mile race across seven continents, following Leadville in North America, UTMB in Europe, and Marathon des Sables in Africa. His watch logs 102 miles and 30,000 vertical feet of climbing — the elevation equivalent of sea level to the summit of Mount Everest.
First Summit Sets a Blistering Early Pace
Nate reaches the first major peak at 10.5 miles in, climbing 4,000 feet on loose boulder terrain before descending quad-burning switchbacks into red-tree valleys draped in old man’s beard moss. At mile 33, he arrives at the first crew-access aid station 4.5 hours ahead of his own pace chart. Cara, crewing solo for the first time, helps him swap shoes, refill bottles with high-carb mix and electrolytes, and charge his headlamp batteries before sending him into the night.
Night One: Spanglish Conversations and a Colorado Pass Summit
Nate crosses the 50-mile mark at 4:20 in the morning, navigating by reflectors placed every 30 feet — the most densely marked course he has ever run. He summits Colorado Pass at mile 46 in a long-sleeve t-shirt, calls the exposed climb easier than expected, and picks up three Spanglish conversations along the way. A caffeine pill at aid station seven carries him through the steepest predawn section.
Cara’s Solo Crew Operation Keeps the Race Moving
Cara manages two crew-access windows across the entire race, packing a single bag with gels, extra socks, rain pants, hand warmers, fresh shoes, and locally made IPAs for the finish. At the second crew point at mile 70, a tracking app discrepancy sends her to the wrong aid station, and Nate waits 50 minutes before she arrives. She hands off flashlights, fresh socks, and a teeth-brushing kit, then watches him disappear toward the race’s most intimidating summit.
Mile 75: Dry Feet Streak Ends in a Lake
Nate maintains dry feet through 75 miles before the trail dissolves into open lake water. After a ten-minute failed attempt to find a dry route, he wades through, shoes fill with tiny rocks, and he spends the next aid station stop unable to clear them before beginning the steepest remaining climb. The wet shoes go up the mountain with him.
Summit Tears and a Secret Ranking Revealed
Nate crests the final major summit and descends in tears — 88 miles in, 12 remaining. Cara is waiting at the base aid station and surprises him. She reveals she has been tracking his race placement throughout: he is running in 88th place overall out of the full field. Nate immediately tightens his laces and returns to the trail. Over the next five miles, he and another runner pass approximately 50 competitors in the dark.
31:45 on the Clock, Four Continents Complete
Nate crosses the finish line in 31 hours and 45 minutes — nearly seven hours faster than his 39-hour UTMB finish, over identical vertical elevation gain. He ranks in the top 100 overall finishers. Cara greets him with two pizzas and locally made IPAs. Nate announces his next race: a backyard last-man-standing ultra in Australia, six weeks away, making continent number five.
Context
The Patagonia 100 is held annually in the mountains surrounding San Martin de los Andes, Argentina, and is considered South America’s largest trail running event. The course covers 100 miles with 30,000 feet of vertical gain across multiple exposed alpine passes. The 2024 edition also hosted simultaneous 110k and 70k races. Nate is pursuing a goal of completing a 100-mile race on all seven continents.
