Temperatures may have been scorching in Marinwood, Calif., but David Norris and Klaire Rhodes still brought the heat, sweeping the Big Alta 50K titles.

Norris won the 31.2-mile race in 3 hours, 43 minutes and 7 seconds, after building a sturdy lead nearly three-quarters of the way through and never relinquishing it.

The 35-year-old played his cards well, as the demanding course featured approximately 6,700 feet of gain and loss along the single-loop race route, in addition to record-breaking heat that peaked in the high 80s.

Norris, who grew up in Fairbanks and resides in Steamboat Springs, Colo., bested runner-up Drew Holman of Colorado by over seven minutes.

“Came into this race unsure where my running legs were at, so big thanks to those who encouraged me to kick the season off,” shared Norris on Instagram. “I felt great and maybe had one of my best 50K races to date.”

Norris, an On-sponsored athlete and Mt. Marathon record holder, opens his season after a year that saw him collect his sixth title in Seward, win the USATF Mountain Running Championships and punch his ticket to the World Championships, where he finished 36th in the 14K classic up and down race.

With an assortment of tools in his inventory, Norris can add another win to his illustrious résumé.

Rhodes’ race included a plethora of lead changes, until she made a strong surge in the final miles to seal the deal in 4:12:41.

The 27-year-old from Anchorage won by 2:50 over Helen Mino Faulkner of California and placed sixth overall, after battling closely with Nevada’s Erin Moyer.

While Moyer was the first woman through the first aid station at Fox Hollow, Rhodes acquired the lead at just over 14 miles into the race.

She was challenged by Moyer, who reclaimed the principal position by mile 23, until Rhodes made her final move.

“Super pumped with how I executed and stayed competitive,” shared Rhodes on social media. “Traded positions so many different times and ultimately decided to send the last few miles and see if it would stick.”

Like Norris, Rhodes is also the reigning Mt. Marathon champion, winning back-to-back titles, and enters the season after finishing 35th in her second World Championships appearance. She is currently sponsored by The North Face.

Perhaps most impressive, Rhodes’ road to the Big Alta included a training block filled with mostly below-freezing temperatures, and oftentimes logging more miles than hours of daylight.

In the 28K race, Fairbanks’ Jenna DiFolco placed fifth in 2:23:28, Anchorage’s Mariah Graham finished 12th in 2:39:28 and Anchorage’s Cody Priest took 14th overall in 2:16:22.

And a handful of Alaskans had strong finishes at other recent trail races:

Juneau’s Zack Bursell placed seventh overall at the Chuckanut 50K in Bellingham, Wash., in 3:51:27. Anchorage’s Corbyn Jahn finished 39th in 4:25:32, while former WWU/UAA and Galena High standout Kaleb Korta took 42nd in 4:31:16.

Wasilla’s Josh Taylor won the FOURmidable 35.5K in Auburn, Calif., in 2:52:26 and finished more than 31 minutes ahead of the runner-up.

Anchorage’s Tracen Knopp, who grew up in Palmer, placed third at Big Canyon Ultras 100K in Mayer, Ariz., in 7:26:45, to punch his ticket to the famed Western States in July.