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My favourite 100-Mile races, by Laurel Walker
on February 09, 2026
This week, athlete and certified UESCA ultra-running coach Laurel Walker (below) continues her popular 'Coach's Corner' series for 2026, focusing on Running 100 Miles. This week, she narrows down her list of favourite events, with her top five.
Laurel writes: Ultrarunning has become popular enough that choosing a 100 mile race can be very overwhelming. Many factors including location, travel, budget, course,and availability can all play a role in your choice.
In this article I share my personal top five 100 milers, if I had to pick. I chose to include more accessible races (e.g. no or easier to get into the lottery) so you won’t see obvious ones like UTMB, Western States, and Hardrock 100 included here. Many of the races I include will qualify you for one or more of these, so you can have that as a larger, longer-term goal.
What I love: Point-to-point, golden aspen leaves, small race vibes, despite its growing popularity. Bonus: Crossing the Utah-Idaho border during the race!
Top Tips: Do not underestimate the temperature shifts; this race has seen summer heat as well as blizzard conditions. Change your clothes before it gets dark. Do not go into the night in wet clothes!
Lottery? Yes
Qualifiers: Western States, Hardrock, UTMB Index
Above: Laurel during the Bear 100 Mile Endurance Run circa 2018. Photo credit: Brian Beckstead.
What I love: Point-to-point (traverses Massachusetts), New England fall foliage, rugged trails, great aid, supportive, small feel in a premier event. Bonus: 50 miler starts during the night on the same course giving you a burst of energy when you need it most!
Top Tips: Don’t underestimate the technical, east coast (or shall we say beast coast?!) trails. The combo of leaves, rocks, roots, and often rain can make this a harder course than high mountain 100s. You’ve been warned!
Lottery? No
Qualifiers: UTMB Index
What I love: A surprisingly runnable high altitude course. Sneakily hard. Great community and raises a ton of money for charity. Bonus: awards a significant prize purse for elites.
Top Tips: Do not go out too fast! This is easy to do here and it will come back to bite you. Be prepared with layers and eat a lot. High altitude weather changes fast.
Lottery? No
Qualifiers: Western States, Hardrock, UTMB Index
What I love: Unique combo of slick rock, single track and dirt roads. Gorgeous views of the red rocks of Zion National Park. Vacation races company has a great atmosphere so you do feel like your on vacation, even through the pain
Top Tips: Running slick rock trails will beat you up! If you don’t have access to these at home, incorporate significant road miles on tired legs.
Pay extra attention to course markings; in these environments they are often down low to the ground because there aren’t big trees, they are easy to miss.
Lottery? No
Qualifiers: Western States, UTMB Index
What I love: Stunning course. Height of wildflower season in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming. Western vibes with horses packing in aid station supplies.
Top Tips: This is an out-and-back course and climbing up to the 50-mile mark takes forever! Eat and drink on that climb and don’t forget to layer up. Save some for the last 20 miles. It is not easy.
Lottery? No
Qualifiers: Western States, Hardrock 100
