Race: Ouray 100 Mile Endurance Run
Runner: Ben Brones
Race Date: 07/19/2024
Location: Ouray, CO
Result: 51 hours 2 minutes and 18 seconds
PC: Eszter Horanyi
3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?
- The San Juan Mountains, where the race takes place, are beautiful.
- The volunteers are the best! I struggled this race with an upset stomach, mental melt down. and chasing time cutoffs: the volunteers did all they could to help, they kept me in the fight.
- Great bathrooms! The race begins and ends in Fellin Park in Ouray, CO, where there were good bathrooms and even showers for $4 at the pool in the park.
Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you
- The vert is legit, add to that the 8,000ft of altitude, and I couldn’t catch my breath and found it hard to digest food at the highest points.
- The weather: there was lightning a couple times and we ran like hell for the tree line!
- This race is this is no joke! You never get a rest, the pressure is always on. After getting through the first night, I had meltdown in the morning. Fortunately, the aid station medic was wonderful and helped calm me down and get my head on straight.
Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?
Nothing unusual other than the ridiculous amount of vert -83,724 ft of elevation change to be precise- that’s comparable to 200 mile races!
Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?
The views were amazing throughout the Ouray 100 course, as were the volunteers. They kept me going, when I was close to failing.
Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner
Turn you body and mind (and gut!) into steel. Figure out how to fuel at altitude and troubleshoot an upset stomach.
Lessons you learned that will help you next time around
I need to get a better fueling strategy and practice blowing my guts up in training not on race day!
Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race
It’s a complicated and very challenging course: study the course well ahead of race day and train specifically for it. Ouray 100 is actually 102.1 miles and there’s 83,724 ft of elevation change! The 52 hour time cutoff is tough -only half the field finished this year!
Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?
It’s insanely pretty!
Difficulty – Is it a tough course?
Ouray 100 is arguably the hardest 100 mile race in North America!
Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?
Absolutely dialed in! Everybody there were incredibly well prepared, and for a race this hard, it was perfectly done.
Competition – Is there a strong field?
So strong! Some of the best professional ultra trail runners in the US always show out.
Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.
Nothing atypical: just sign up and train your ass off! Ouray is a 7 hours drive from Denver, so you’ll need a car to get there, and then there are plenty of places to stay in Ouray.
Weather and typical race conditions
You’ve got to be prepared for a bit of everything: sun, hale, rain, lightning, wind! They’ll be mud and maybe even wild animals (though chances of wildlife encounters are very low).
Aid Stations – Standard fare or anything special to know about the aid stations in terms of what’s available or when?
There are aid stations every 5-10 miles stocked with with your standard ultra fare: fruit, sweet snacks, salty snacks, water, sports drink, etc. All the aid stations except for the first two have hot food: burgers, hot dogs, quesadillas, soup, ramen, and grilled cheese. The aid stations at Ironton (miles 27.3, 35.4, and 43.6) and Fellin Park (miles 74.5, 84.8, 91.5, and the finish) have the best food. The race was sponsored by Hammer Nutrition, and on the course there were HEED (sports drink), Endurolytes (electrolyte tabs), Endurolytes Fizz (dissolvable tabs), and Hammer Gels.
Gear – Did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next runner?
I’d recommend bringing toilet paper, a water filter, and a head lamp is mandatory.
Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?
Not really, only the start, finish, and larger aid stations allowed spectators and crew.
How’s the Swag?
Every runners gets a shirt and a hat, but only finishers get a 100 mile belt buckle -only half of the field finished this year!
The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?
10/10 …if you’re strong enough!
For a different perspective on the Ouray 100 check out “Ouray 100 Race Report – Mark Cliggett”