Top Results
The official 2026 Badwater 135 results database, checked on July 30, lists Max Jolliffe first in 20:53:41. Carmen Maria Perez is second overall and the first woman in 21:05:32. Tamás Bódis is third in 21:34:47.
| Overall | Runner | Time | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Jolliffe | 20:53:41 | Men |
| 2 | Carmen Maria Perez | 21:05:32 | Women |
| 3 | Tamás Bódis | 21:34:47 | Men |
| 4 | Ivan Penalba Lopez | 21:57:44 | Men |
| 5 | Francesco Perini | 23:14:47 | Men |
The database marks both Jolliffe and Perez as first-time Badwater finishers. Results can be corrected after an event, so the organizer remains the authority for final placings and record recognition.
Record Comparison
Before the race, the organizer listed Yoshihiko Ishikawa's 2019 men's record as 21:33:01 and Ashley Paulson's 2023 women's record as 21:44:35 in its official press release. Jolliffe's listed 20:53:41 is 39 minutes 20 seconds faster than the prior men's mark. Perez's 21:05:32 is 39 minutes 3 seconds faster than the prior women's mark.
The result is notable beyond the record comparison: Perez is listed second across the entire field, only 11 minutes 51 seconds behind the overall winner.
Women's Results
Perez leads the women's results, followed by 2023 course-record holder Ashley Paulson in 24:59:36. Micah Morgan is the third woman in 26:32:45 and is listed 13th overall.
| Women | Runner | Time | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carmen Maria Perez | 21:05:32 | 2 |
| 2 | Ashley Paulson | 24:59:36 | 7 |
| 3 | Micah Morgan | 26:32:45 | 13 |
What Is Not Yet Clear
When we first checked on July 30, the compact result table contained 88 finishing times and seven DNF entries against a pre-race release describing a 98-athlete field, and the official pages did not explain the gap. That has partly been resolved: the organizer's results and history page now states 95 starters and 88 official finishers, a 92.6% finish rate for 2026, which accounts for the difference between the entry list and the start line.
One item remains open. The DNF entries in the compact database and the 95-starter summary do not reconcile exactly, so we still do not publish our own DNF rate. Use the organizer's 92.6% figure, and treat the course-record status as unconfirmed until the record table is updated for 2026.
Race Context
The 2026 event ran July 27–29 over 135 miles from Badwater Basin in Death Valley to Whitney Portal. The organizer reduced the overall cutoff from 48 hours to 45 hours for this edition. Its pre-race roster listed 98 athletes from 21 nations.
Badwater is a continuous single-stage race decided well inside 24 hours, not a multiday or stage event. Heat, road exposure, three mountain ranges, and crew logistics shape the result alongside running speed. Compare that structure in our fixed-distance race guide, or review the source-checked Badwater 135 event record.