Hello! I’m Jeff, and I ran the Grandmaster Ultra 50-miler on February 8, 2020. As the name implies, this is an ultra exclusively for runners age 50 and older. I wrote about my race experience, and the thrilling “photo finish” in my personal blog (www.runbikethrow.net). The following is a review of the race itself and the support we received.

The event takes place in the northwest corner of Arizona, mainly on ATV trails in the open desert, with great views of mountains in the distance. You can choose 50K, 100K, 50 miles, 100 miles, or to get in as many miles as you can in 48 hours. (This year’s winner ran 132.)

The races begin at 8:00 Friday morning (100K, 100 mile, 48-hour) and Saturday morning (50K, 50-mile). I liked the civilized hour and that I didn’t need a headlamp at the start. It also allows for a 24-hour 100-mile runner to finish in daylight instead of in the cold and dark. (If you’re faster, well, that’s your problem, speedgoat.) The sun sets around 6:00 p.m., so bring a light.

Pros: The course is marked with orange flags every few hundred yards. A good thing, because getting lost in the desert with spotty cell reception would really suck. Your bib number is recorded and called into HQ at every aid station, so they know where you were last.

And as with every ultra I’ve run, the other runners are super cool, even those who were on their second 50-mile loop and pushing with every step. One bonus was meeting Gordy Ainsleigh, founding runner of the Western States 100, at the midway point. He was running the 100-miler to qualify for his own race!

The best word I have for the views you get during the race is stunning. At one point we ran through a field of green cacti and low bushes that appeared steel blue from the angle of the sunlight. And everywhere around us were the mountains in the distance. One aid station is at the top of a ridge, and as I descended into the plain below the view opened up so wide and colorful I just had to stop and take it all in for a few minutes. (This is why we run trail, right?)

The aid stations are usually visible a half mile or more away, very welcome sights in an otherwise stark landscape. The volunteers were all friendly and helpful, and food included pancakes, burgers, and burritos along with the standard pickles, cookies, and candy. I’d heard there were some hiccups on Friday regarding water but they got fixed, and on Saturday there was plenty, and ice, too.

Cons: No major problems, just a few annoyances. One was the ATVs that occasionally came down the trail. To be fair, these are their trails. The staff made a point of asking the ATV drivers to be careful out there, and for the most part they were.

The other difficulty was dodging the stones spread along many of the trails. I’m guessing they are for ATV traction and dust and erosion reduction. They are large enough that stepping on them is painful (trust me), so you need to keep an eye out ahead.

Miscellaneous advice that you probably already know, but just in case…
• Be prepared for any weather. Temperatures got to around 65 during the day, but dropped to near freezing at night. I was cold at race start even with a jacket on, but I removed it only five miles in.
• I’d advise you to watch out for snakes, but the only wildlife I saw was a small lizard. Do keep an eye out for burrows. I nearly stepped in one that could have done serious ankle damage.
• Dust was not an issue for me, but it could have been. They are thoughtful enough to put a bandana in your swag bag. Bring it along. Other things not to forget: a hat and some sunscreen. It was sunny all weekend. And I recommend trekking poles. Just about every runner brought them.
• Stay hydrated. Like any run in dry conditions, you won’t always feel yourself sweating. My first “fluids check” around mile 12 told me I needed to drink more. Even after that, I developed stomach pain in the second half of the race. I chalked it up to not enough water to help with digestion, upped my water intake, and the pain faded away.
• Electrolyte choices are a Hammer drink along with salt and potatoes. Neither of them really work for me, so I used the salt tablets I always bring. The last thing you want to happen out there is to get woozy from hyponatremia. (Been there. Didn’t like it a bit.)

My recommendation: if you’re 50 or older, and you love trail running, put this race on your list. Well-marked course, stunning views, great support. It’s new, so it’s underappreciated at present. Let’s change that, okay?