Wasatch Front 100 Mile Endurance Run
Encyclopedia
The Wasatch Front 100 Mile Endurance Run (Wasatch) is a 100 mile ultra marathon held annually on the first Friday after Labor Day
in the U.S. state
of Utah
. The slogan of the Wasatch Run is "One Hundred Miles of Heaven and Hell."
26,000 feet in elevation as it traverses the Wasatch Front
, commanding vistas of basin
and range
country, the Great Salt Lake
, steep canyon
s, broad plateau
s, and craggy peaks. Altitude ranges from 4,700 to 10,460 feet, and temperatures range from 80s in the shade during the day to 20s on the high ridges at night. September weather in Utah can vary widely. Some years heat is a major factor, while in 2010 runners negotiated fresh snow for four miles in the early stages of the race. The fastest runners typically finish the race in 20 hours or so, while the field is given 36 hours to finish the race.
For many years Wasatch was regarded as the toughest 100-miler, but with the advent of the Hardrock 100 in Colorado
, this has been thrown into some dispute. Apologists for Wasatch note that Hardrock has a 48-hour cutoff, and therefore is in a different category of event (a quasi multi-day
). Both races are undeniably very difficult and pose their own challenges.
holds the men's course record with a finish time of 18:30:55 from his 2009 running. Ann Trason
holds the women's course record with a time of 22:27:00, which she achieved in 1998.
in Northern California
, the Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run
in Vermont
, and the Leadville Trail 100
in Colorado
all in the same summer achieve the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning
and are awarded with a sculpted eagle
-head trophy
. Wasatch is the final of the four races, and, as a result, the Grand Slam award is presented at the post-race Awards Banquet
.
Wasatch is a part of the Western Slam (Wasatch, the Leadville 100, the Western States Endurance Run, and the Angeles Crest 100), and an optional part of the Rocky Mountain Slam (Hardrock 100, plus three of four of Wasatch, the Bighorn 100, the Bear 100 Mile Endurance Run
, or Leadville).
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. The slogan of the Wasatch Run is "One Hundred Miles of Heaven and Hell."
History
Wasatch began in its early years as a challenge for some local runners who were inspired by Western States, the first of modern-day western 100s. One year, no one finished. Now 31 years old, the race has matured into a smooth-running event attracting runners from across the world.Course
Wasatch gains cumulativelyCumulative elevation gain
In running, cycling, and mountaineering, cumulative elevation gain refers to the sum of every gain in elevation throughout an entire trip. It is sometimes also known as cumulative gain or elevation gain, or often in the context of mountain travel, simply gain. Elevation losses are not counted in...
26,000 feet in elevation as it traverses the Wasatch Front
Wasatch Front
The Wasatch Front is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Utah. It consists of a chain of cities and towns stretched along the Wasatch Range from approximately Santaquin in the south to Brigham City in the north...
, commanding vistas of basin
Depression (geology)
A depression in geology is a landform sunken or depressed below the surrounding area. Depressions may be formed by various mechanisms.Structural or tectonic related:...
and range
Range
-In mathematics:* Range , the set of all output values produced by a function* Interval , also called a range, a set of real numbers that includes all numbers between any two numbers in the set...
country, the Great Salt Lake
Great Salt Lake
The Great Salt Lake, located in the northern part of the U.S. state of Utah, is the largest salt water lake in the western hemisphere, the fourth-largest terminal lake in the world. In an average year the lake covers an area of around , but the lake's size fluctuates substantially due to its...
, steep canyon
Canyon
A canyon or gorge is a deep ravine between cliffs often carved from the landscape by a river. Rivers have a natural tendency to reach a baseline elevation, which is the same elevation as the body of water it will eventually drain into. This forms a canyon. Most canyons were formed by a process of...
s, broad plateau
Plateau
In geology and earth science, a plateau , also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau...
s, and craggy peaks. Altitude ranges from 4,700 to 10,460 feet, and temperatures range from 80s in the shade during the day to 20s on the high ridges at night. September weather in Utah can vary widely. Some years heat is a major factor, while in 2010 runners negotiated fresh snow for four miles in the early stages of the race. The fastest runners typically finish the race in 20 hours or so, while the field is given 36 hours to finish the race.
For many years Wasatch was regarded as the toughest 100-miler, but with the advent of the Hardrock 100 in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, this has been thrown into some dispute. Apologists for Wasatch note that Hardrock has a 48-hour cutoff, and therefore is in a different category of event (a quasi multi-day
Multiday races
Multiday races are ultramarathon running events which are typically either segmented into daily events of a specified distance or time, or staged so that runners can run as far as they want, at their own discretion, over a set course or over a set number of days...
). Both races are undeniably very difficult and pose their own challenges.
Course records
Geoff RoesGeoff Roes
Geoff Roes is an American ultra-marathon runner.-Career:Roes was raised in Cleveland, New York and excelled in track and cross country at Paul V. Moore High School in Central Square, NY. He competed in cross-country at Syracuse University for one year before becoming injured...
holds the men's course record with a finish time of 18:30:55 from his 2009 running. Ann Trason
Ann Trason
Ann Trason is an American ultramarathon runner from Kensington, California. She has broken twenty world records during her career.-Life:Trason was a top runner in high school, but a knee injury kept her from competing in college....
holds the women's course record with a time of 22:27:00, which she achieved in 1998.
Grand Slam
Runners who complete Wasatch along with the Western States Endurance RunWestern States Endurance Run
The Western States Endurance Run, known commonly as the Western States 100, is a 100-mile ultramarathon that takes place on trails in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains annually on the last full weekend of June. The race starts at the base of the Squaw Valley ski resort and finishes at the...
in Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
, the Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run
Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run
The Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run is a 100 mile long ultramarathon held annually in July at Silver Hill Meadow in West Windsor, Vermont. It is one of the four 100 mile races that comprise the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning. It is also the only known ultra race in the USA where entrants run...
in Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, and the Leadville Trail 100
Leadville Trail 100
Leadville Trail 100 Ultramarathon is an ultramarathon held annually on trails and dirt roads near Leadville, Colorado, through the heart of the Rocky Mountains. First run in 1983, runners in the race climb and descend , with elevations ranging between 9,200-12,620 feet...
in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
all in the same summer achieve the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning
Grand Slam of Ultrarunning
The Grand Slam of Ultrarunning is a set of four of the most prestigious 100 mile races contested in the United States, comprising the Western States 100 in California, the Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run in Vermont, the Wasatch Front 100 Mile Endurance Run in Utah, and the Leadville Trail 100 in...
and are awarded with a sculpted eagle
Eagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
-head trophy
Trophy
A trophy is a reward for a specific achievement, and serves as recognition or evidence of merit. Trophies are most often awarded for sporting events, from youth sports to professional level athletics...
. Wasatch is the final of the four races, and, as a result, the Grand Slam award is presented at the post-race Awards Banquet
Banquet
A banquet is a large meal or feast, complete with main courses and desserts. It usually serves a purpose such as a charitable gathering, a ceremony, or a celebration, and is often preceded or followed by speeches in honour of someone....
.
Wasatch is a part of the Western Slam (Wasatch, the Leadville 100, the Western States Endurance Run, and the Angeles Crest 100), and an optional part of the Rocky Mountain Slam (Hardrock 100, plus three of four of Wasatch, the Bighorn 100, the Bear 100 Mile Endurance Run
Bear 100 Mile Endurance Run
The Bear 100 Mile Endurance Run is an ultramarathon that traverses the Wasatch and Bear River Ranges west of Bear Lake, from Logan, Utah to Fish Haven, Idaho. With of climb and an average elevation of , it is one of the more difficult ultramarathons...
, or Leadville).