By Shannon Lukens. Photo courtesy Paul Nelson Photography.
The Run Rabbit Run ultramarathon starts Friday morning and runs through Saturday evening, Sept. 13-14. This is a 50- and 100-mile run charity event in Steamboat Springs and Routt County. Here’s Race Director Paul Sachs.
“It puts Steamboat right at the top of the charts as far as ultra running goes. Destination race. People come from all over to run this race. We have over 300 volunteers to help put it on. It’s a huge undertaking.”
The 100-mile race starts Friday morning at the base of Steamboat Resort: 9 a.m. for the tortoises (citizen runners), and 1 p.m. for the hares (elite runners). The 50-miler is at 6 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 14. People will be finishing all day Saturday in front of Slopeside at the base of Steamboat Resort.
Volunteers are always needed. Here is the sign-up sheet.
Spectators would enjoy being at Olympian Hall Friday night and the finish line on Saturday.
Run Rabbit Run has the biggest purse for an ultra run in the world, with $75K in prize money, equally for men and women. Athletes will be in Steamboat Springs from across the country and around the world. This is the 17th year for the 50-mile run and the 12th year for the 100-mile run.
The 100-mile run has 450 athletes. The 50-mile run has 200 runners. Those numbers are capped from the U.S. Forest Service, and the event is sold out.
Volunteers are needed at the aid stations for helping runners. Here is the sign-up sheet.
Last year, Run Rabbit Run donated $55K to local charities.
Here is more on the event from Race Director Paul Sachs.
Some of the world’s best ultramarathon runners will be in Steamboat Springs to compete in the Run, Rabbit, Run 50- and 100-Mile Endurance Run, held on Friday, September 13 and Saturday, September 14. Elite runners (“Hares”) running the 100 miler will be competing for close to $100,000 in prize money, with $15,000 going to the winning male and female runner, the highest purse of any trail 100 miler in the North America. In addition, the race offers prize money to the fastest “team,” ($5,000 to the fastest combined men’s and women’s team – over 20 teams have entered so far.). The 100 miler, now in its 12th year – it’s the 17th for the 50 miler – features over 21,000 feet of vertical climbing, starting with a steep climb up Heavenly Daze ski run, where the runners can meet family, friends and spectators at the top of the gondola and compete for an additional $1,000 preem. Also, over 300 amateurs (“Tortoises,”) will be testing their limits against one of the world’s more difficult courses, just looking to finish. Another 200 will be running the 50 miler. Runners from 44 states and 11 foreign countries will be represented at the starting lines.
Among the men looking to snare the $15,000 first prize are one of America’s top ultra runners, Oregon’s Tyler Green, and former winners Washington’s Rich Lockwood and Colorado’s Kyle Pietari. Utah’s Adam Loomis, Indiana’s Zack Eagle (who just won the Pike’s Peak Ultra) and Chris Hammes (recent winner of High Lonesome) also figure to be in the mix. And Japan’s Tomonori Onitsuka is considered one of the world’s best. Among the women, in a field especially deep, are three-time winner, course record holder and former Ultra Runner of the Year Michele Yates, Utah’s Leah Yingling, and overall Badwater course record holder Utah’s Ashley Paulson, all who should have a say in the outcome, as should Canada’s Emilie Mann, Indiana’s Shea Aquilino, and Colorado’s Clare Gallagher, former winner of the prestigious Western States 100. There are at least half a dozen other top women who could contend.
The race will be livestreamed, with extensive pre-race interviews and features. To watch it and learn more about the course and where to watch the runners, go to https://link.edgepilot.com/s/cf530967/gbHBiPyjgEGutsspXlwojQ?u=http://www.runrabbitrunsteamboat.com/