• The race has already taken place this year
• The race is upcoming but already full
• I am not sure I can do the distance
• I am too slow to make the cutoffs
• Cost; already traveling too much, not enough vacation days, too many vacation days in a row

I made a list of races I’d like to do so that in the coming years I can start checking them off.

Avalon 50
Avalon, Catalina Island, CA • mid January
Tom from NTTR does this one every year and a few of us are considering it for next year, but it conflicts with Bandera. Maybe if Bandera is on a different date, I’ll volunteer there and head to Avalon. It’s got to be some great scenery out there.

Rocky Racoon 100
Huntsville, TX • early February
A must do for any aspiring hundred runner living in Texas. I’ll get my first taste of Rocky at this year’s 50.

Mississippi 50
Laurel, MS • early March
Mostly single track in soft pine forests and a buckle, tough to beat. Considered it for this year but too close to Grasslands. Would likely interfere with Umstead in future years.

Montana de Oro Trail Run
Los Osos, Ca • early March
Views look fantastic, but the location is hard to get to. Would be good to combine it with some sort of trip.

Old Pueblo 50
Sonoita, AZ • early March
Members of NTTR rave about this race and it sounds like a neat location and an interesting course. The race is closed (and did so very quickly this year).

Antelope Island Buffalo Run
Syracuse, UT • late March
The location sounds excellent, but the race already closed for this year.

Run to the Sun
Kahului, Maui, HI • late March
I love Hawaii and it would be really pretty to run from the ocean up to the volcano. 36.2 miles in 10 hours and only 10,000 ft of elevation gain :-)

Umstead 100
Raleigh, NC • late March
Loop course, nice surface, and relatively easy to get to. Likely to see some club members at this one, too, so an opportunity to pace.

Rockin K 50
Kanapolis State Park, KS • early April
Kansas is close enough to drive and the terrain seems like something I would enjoy.

McNaughton Park Trail Runs
Pekin, IL • mid April
The loop course is appealing, though the elevation per loop could get to be too much. Perhaps it would be good preparation for a tougher mountain hundred.

Leona Divide 50
Lake Hughes, CA • late April
I’d like to become more familiar with the PCT and wouldn’t mind running the race that provided the name to one of my favorite trail shoes (too bad Montrail doesn’t make it anymore).

Zane Grey 50
Payson, AZ • late April
It sounds hard as hell, but members of HCTR give it good reviews. I am probably not fast enough to make the cutoffs. According to Diana Heynen’s race report, this might be hard enough to mark off, never to be done again :-)

I go on forever and again think of the relief of missing cut-off. But the Buckle!! The DNF :-( If I didn’t finish, I would have to come back and do this MF all over again.

–Diana Heynen, somewhere before mile 33, 04.29.06

Ouchita Trail 50
Little Rock, AR • late April
Might be a good introduction to the terrain of the AT and easy to get to.

Miwok 100K
Sausalito, CA • early May
I started to enter the race this year, but don’t feel like I am quite ready for the elevation changes and cutoffs. The scenery looks great from the race course pictures.

PCT 50
San Diego, CA • mid May
Would be a good excuse to visit San Diego and see the southernmost part of the PCT.

Bishop High Sierra 50
Bishop, CA • mid May
I really like the course layout and have read reports where you can drop to a lower distance during the race if you are so inclined. While that maybe not the best way to build mental toughness, it would be a great introductory to mountain terrain. The start/finish area and post-race events sound like lots of fun. Finally, I’ve read The Last Season which is about Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks which are located in this area. It would be good to see some of this area in person.

Ice Age Trail 50
La Grange, WI • mid May
I’ve read some about Kettle Moraine and it would be good to run on the same terrain at a shorter distance before taking on the hundred mile race. Wisconsin has got to be cooler in May than Texas!

Rocky Mountain Double Marathon
Laramie, WY • late May
I’ve never been to Wyoming and am curious what it looks like. I also love gravel roads and single track.

Squaw Peak 50
Provo, UT • early June
Sounds like it would be good training for a mountain hundred. I think Deborah has run this one and said it was super tough. The cutoff is 9.5 hours at 33 miles with no final cutoff. If I can only make it to 33!

Kettle Moraine 100
La Grange, WI • early June
Probably won’t attempt the same year I do the Ice Age 50, but would like to eventually. Unique finisher’s award, modest entry fee, and some elevation not to be ignored.

Vermont 100
West Windsor, VT • late July
Considered it as my first attempt at a hundred, but have a conflict in 2007. Definitely want to finish this one, but worry about the temperature getting into the 90s!

Great Cranberry Ultramarathons
Great Cranberry Island, ME • late July
I stumbled across this race recently and it sounds like a lot of fun. Camping required, too! Not the most accessible so would likely save up frequent flyer miles to use on this one.

Burning River 100
Cuyahoga Falls, OH • early August
Interested to see how the first running of this race turns out. Might be a good chance to run in this part of the country.

Lean Horse 100
Hot Springs, SD • late August
Planning to make this my first hundred. Hard to get lost, mostly flat, and a chance to explore South Dakota!

Arkansas Traveller 100
Perryville, AR • early October
Many club members from both HCTR and NTTR have done this one and it is somewhat “local”. I have read some good race reports, but did hear a few negatives including the event coinciding with the opening of hunting season and a glow-stick thief.

Heartland 100
Cassoday, KS • mid October
Have always wanted to do this one since I first found out about ultras. Would love the course surface though I would probably want a pacer.

Boulder 100
Longmont, CO • mid October
The loop course makes it impossible to get lost and flat is good. Might be a good option for a first hundred if my plans to do Lean Horse don’t pan out and I decide Heartland is not where it’s at either :-)

Dick Collins Firetrails 50
Castro Valley, CA • mid October
Seems to be popular among forum participants. Would enjoy the views of San Francisco.