A sincere thank you to everyone who participated in the inaugural Black Hills 100! We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did. Mother Nature could have cooperated a little better, but we can’t do much about that.
Of course, the event couldn’t have happened without all of the volunteers who contributed their time, so a huge thank you goes out to them. The aid station crews were great, as well as the folks who helped us prepare the food, mark the course, transport supplies, keep track of results, provide medical assistance, serve food….the list goes on and inevitably someone will get left out. THANK YOU to everyone who helped out in some way!
Results have been posted on Ultrasignup, click here to check them out.
While the inaugural event was a success, we are always looking for ways to improve (and we’re already making our own list for next year). Please, if you have feedback on the event, send an email to blackhillsultra@gmail.com .
Of course, we plan on being back next year, same weekend, same place. One of the comments we heard most at the finish line was “that was harder than I thought it would be”. That is exactly why we wanted to put on this event: to showcase the beauty and difficulty of the Centennial Trail. It’s not an easy course to conquer, but it is a rewarding one. Please, help spread the word. We will keep you posted on when registration for the 2nd annual Black Hills 100 will open.
So at the end, excellent first go around.
Let me first start off by saying, THANK YOU to all that volunteered, participated and more importantly put on the Black Hills ULTRA!
It was a good learning experience as a participant and hopefully the RD’s will isten and make the event a huge success.
Postives:
Beautiful Course
Excellent, tough single track
Great Volunteers!
Great pre-race festivities
Trail marking. For the most part there is only one trail but at the intersections a little more flagging would not hurt
Negatives: (Not really a bad thing just want to voice my opinion)
The course was a 100+ (52.4 – 52.9 at the turn around depending on the watch)
Aid Station spacing. The manned aid stations were great but the unmanned were a little far (13+)
and Not really a positive or a negative but…
After discussing the event, setup and awards with fellow participants we agreed that it was geared to the top 10 finishers and not the last 10. Should it be classified as a first time 100, no and its not but if your coming out BE PREPARED as the 32 hour time limit is going to be a real test for a mid-packer.
Time limit should really be extended out to 36 hours to allow the maximum number of finishers but it is tough to gauge the course and what is possible by future winners but only one person broke 24 hours and that should tell you something.
Being a week after the Bighorn I would not advise running the 100 miler there and then coming out to this race and trying to run the 100 as well. That said, an excellent vacation idea would be the 50 miler at Bighorn and then the 100 in the Black Hills. I could not think of a better way to vacation and suffer other than coming back out and trying for the 100 double.
Happy Running!
Mike James
Yes, a great race & a lot tougher than expected.
My major complaint or idea ~ is the finishing area. To have a better set up w/ the food tent & finish line together ~ music at the finish instead of at pre-race dinner. It was so quiet and no one was really around for the back of the pack finishers.
100 mile runs are always a celebration and a time to talk w/ fellow runners but, no one was there. Everyone must have went back to their motel rooms.
I agree the unmanned AS were too far apart.
Once again a great race & we will be back next year!