Registration is now open on UltraSignup for a NEW RACE CATEGORY: Journey Runner.
Can you run all 140 completely by yourself? No crew. You may have drop bags at the 3 time stations, where we will have limited aid (water and some food), and we will have a rolling aid station throughout the race. But you must be able to be totally sufficient for up to 20 miles at a time. You will receive a race t-shirt and, if you can complete the entire Route, a finisher’s medal, belt buckle, and unique only for 2024 finisher’s shirt. ONLY 10 spots available, so register today.
You can still register to run the entire 140 yourself, with a crew (Crewed Runner) to compete for a finisher’s buckle and maybe win the traveling trophy, the Andy Payne Cup. With a 60-hour cutoff, you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the beauty and iconic stops along the way. Your basic registration includes the (required) minimum of 2 crew members. If you want to have a 3rd, or even a 4th, crew member, we ask that you pay a nominal fee for each additional crew person. ALSO NEW THIS YEAR: runners may share a crew, although you must travel on the Route together so the crew can support both runners at the same stop. Each person must register as a Crew Person, at no cost to them, in order to sign the race waiver. You know, the legal stuff.
Or maybe you and your family or friends want to register for the Relay Team division. The choice is yours. Do you want to have a [ALSO NEW THIS YEAR] 3-person Relay Team? Or a 4-, 5-, or 6-person team? Who will be your Team Captain? What size team is the best to be fastest out there on the Historic Route? Or which one is the most fun? If it’s more difficult to manage gear and food for 6 runners, versus 3 or 4, is that work worth it to get you to finish line first? Whatever size team you choose, all teams will compete (equally) against each other in the Relay Team division. You can change your team size up until November 1st. There are no set distances or transition points; you decide who runs when and for how long, and you can adjust your plan as needed along the Route. Use one vehicle and all stay together (3-person teams must all stay together the entire 140 miles), or have a main crew vehicle, always with at least 2 non-running members on board, and a shuttle vehicle to allow some members to go to a hotel to rest during part of the race. It’s all about strategy, baby!
Whether your a Crewed Runner, Journey Runner, or part of Relay Team – or you are crew person, volunteer, or member of the medical or media team – we know you’ll have an amazing experience! It is a Race for Everyone, after all. As such, Everyone – including crew, all team members, volunteers, and even spectators and community members – are welcome to join runners for the first mile of the race, starting at Angel and Thelma’s Gift Shop; everyone must stay together for that first mile, following pace vehicles to the outskirts of Seligman. Cool, right?
Registration is limited to 50 Crewed Runners, 10 Journey Runners, and 25 Relay Teams, so register now to secure your chance to get your kicks on Route 66.
2022 Grant Maughan
2022 Nancy Levene
2023 Relay Desert Runners
The 2nd Annual Route 66 UltraRun was a grand success, living up to your Race Director’s vision of being 140 Miles of History and A Race for Everyone. With solo runners supported by their crews of 2-4 people and – new for 2023 and definitely to be continued – Relay Teams or 4, 5, or 6 people, finish times ranged from under 27 hours to over 58 hours. So, whether you are a fast solo runner, a team player that want to participate on a speedy, or more-for-fun team; a slower runner or even a walker (with 60 hours to finish 140 miles you don’t even have to average 2.5 miles per hour). You can come out to Historic Route 66 in Arizona and join the fun! Are you an older runner? You can come out too but, beware: the 2023 3rd Place runner was 70 years old! Older doesn’t always mean back of the pack.
Huge congratulations to our 2023 champion who cut 6 hours off of his 2022 finishing time:
Perhaps proving that “It’s all about strategy, baby!” results for the first every Relay Teams were:
2 men and 2 women | ages 31-72
Ages 31-69 | Non-runner team member was 79!
Next year, and beyond, the Route 66 UltraRun will always be held THE 2nd WEEKEND OF NOVEMBER.
That means, for 2024, pre-race activities will be on Friday, November 8.
The race will be held Saturday, November 9 through Monday, November 11.
The Awards Banquet will be the evening of Monday, November 11.
So, you will want to arrive in Arizona no later than the morning of Friday, Nov 8 and stay until Tuesday, Nov 12.
While our original intention was to always start the race on November 11 for various reasons, we realized that asking participants to have to take an entire week off work some years is just not practical. We want the Route 66 UltraRun to be A Race for Everyone, including all of you that need to be at work and/or at home with your families as much as possible during the week, and allow runners, crew, and volunteers to limit the number of days off work. As your Race Directors, we want to make the race work for Everyone.
The race recognizes and celebrates the history of the Mother Road, from the Bunion Derbies; “Oakie’s” during the Dust Bowl; the boom years of family road trips after WWII; decline after the interstate system bypassed mom- and-pop motels, restaurants, and shops; to grassroots resurgence leading to official recognition that Route 66 had “become a symbol of the American people’s heritage of travel and their legacy of seeking a better life.”
The Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona, a non-profit organization, is dedicated to the preservation, protection, and promotion of both the surface, and the memories along Arizona’s portion of Route 66. The Route 66 UltraRun supports the Historic Association by donating a portion of every race entry fee. You can donate now to personally help the Association continue their tireless work to preserve, protect, and promote Route 66, ensuring that the Mother Road will be enjoyed by generation after generation for years to come.
The mission of the Alzheimer’s Association is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Their vision is a world without Alzheimer’s.
The Route 66 UltraRun supports the association by donating a portion of every entry fee. Our inspiration is always and forever Stray Dog Mark Macy (Mace) as he continues his fight against this horrible disease with the loving support of his wife Pam and his family. You can donate now to help all of those affected with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
The Route 66 UltraRun will always be held the 2nd weekend of November from Friday through Monday night. CREWED runners, supported by 2-4 crew people (2 runners can share a Crew), will run the entire 140 miles. JOURNEY RUNNERS MUST RUN THE ENTIRE 140 MILES WITH NO CREW. Relay Teams may be 3, 4, 5, or 6 people with no designated running distances or transition points; it’s all strategy baby! With a 60 hour cutoff everyone will be able to experience and enjoy:
Unique finishers medals, belt buckles, and awards showcasing amazing custom artwork; a traveling trophy cup; special recognition for two runners; and an amazing Award’s Banquet are additional “Kicks” to the Route 66 UltraRun.
Come Out and Join us!
Questions? Comments? Let’s hear it! We’re quick to respond.
