Hares start at 1pm, Tortoises at 9am, both chasing the largest prize purse in American 100-mile racing — $20,000 to the winners — over Buffalo Pass and Mount Werner in fall-colored Routt National Forest.
Quick facts
- Location: Steamboat Springs ski area base, CO (start/finish), looping through Buffalo Pass, Mount Werner, and Emerald Mountain in Routt National Forest
- Date: Friday, September 18, 2026 (Tortoises 9:00 AM start, Hares 1:00 PM start)
- Distance: Approximately 101.5 miles; Tortoises have a 36-hour cutoff (Saturday 9 PM), Hares have 30 hours (7 PM)
- Website: runrabbitrunsteamboat.com
- Contact: info@runrabbitrunsteamboat.com — race directors Fred Abramowitz and Paul Sachs
- Registration: Field capped at 450 for the 100-mile; 2026 registration is full, waitlist open via the official site. No qualifying standard required.
Course description
Roughly 8 miles paved, 86 miles of singletrack, and the remainder rough jeep road. The course starts at the base of the Steamboat ski area and climbs immediately via the Chisholm Trail to the Storm Peak Challenge Trail, reaching the Mount Werner aid station atop Storm Peak (no drop bags or crew access, 3:30 PM cutoff). From there the route continues through the high country toward Buffalo Pass (10,300 ft) and across Emerald Mountain, weaving in and out of Steamboat Springs itself with several passes through town before returning to the ski area base. Both the Hare and Tortoise fields run the identical course — the only difference is start time and cutoff.
Elevation change
Approximately 20,391 feet of climbing and 20,391 feet of descent. Low point 6,900 feet at the ski area base; high point 10,568 feet at Mount Werner.
Aid stations
19 aid stations across the 100-mile course. The course is broken into 12 named sections, with the first major stop at the Mount Werner aid station atop Storm Peak (mile ~5.3, no crew access, 3:30 PM cutoff). Later sections pass through town, where limited crew access resumes, before the final miles finish back at the ski area base.
Special conditions & average temps
Mid-September in the Colorado high country means big temperature swings — warm, sunny afternoons in town give way to freezing overnight temperatures above treeline on Buffalo Pass and Mount Werner. The course is not closed to the public, so runners share trail with hikers and mountain bikers, and it falls during hunting season in Colorado (bright clothing is strongly encouraged). Walking and hiking poles are permitted but require extra care on the out-and-back singletrack sections.
Recent results — top 3, men & women
Run Rabbit Run splits its 100-mile field into two divisions with separate start times: Hares (1 PM start, faster/more competitive, carries the prize purse) and Tortoises (9 AM start). Top times below are from the Hare division, which produces the fastest overall times each year.
2025
- Men: 1. Jesse Rich 17:42:56 · 2. Jon Harrison 19:06:36 · 3. J.P. Giblin 19:20:05
- Women: 1. Riley Brady 20:29:12 · 2. Becca Bramley 21:14:35 · 3. Mckendree Hickory 21:21:22
2024
- Men: 1. Richard Lockwood 17:24:42 · 2. Adam Loomis 18:12:17 · 3. Christopher Hammes 18:56:35
- Women: 1. Emilie Mann 19:48:06 · 2. Leah Yingling 20:19:25 · 3. Barrett Gray 21:41:29
2023
- Men: 1. Dave Stevens 17:22:34 · 2. Jimmy Elam 17:45:29 · 3. Arlen Glick 18:43:11
- Women: 1. Tara Dower 20:32:22 · 2. Kristi Knecht 20:53:54 · 3. Karen Holland 22:14:31
Registration deadline & how to get in
Registration runs through runrabbitrunsteamboat.com and typically opens in the winter for the following September’s race. The 2026 race is now full at its 450-runner cap; entry is via waitlist on the official registration page. No qualifying race or time is required to enter — Run Rabbit Run has never required a qualifier, just a willingness to finish what you start.
Traveling to this race? Find lodging near the venue via Hotels.com.