Grandmaster Ultras 2027

Grandmaster Ultras operates under a unique rule: all participants must be at least 50 years old. This race takes place in late February near Mesquite, Nevada, situated in the northeastern Mojave Desert along the Nevada-Arizona border. It features four ultra distances: 50K, 50 Mile, 100K, and 100 Mile. The event is designed for runners of grandmaster age seeking extended trail races without the pressure of competing against a field predominantly composed of younger athletes. The course crosses ATV trails across the Arizona Strip, offering expansive desert vistas, undulating terrain, and scenic overlooks, including the Thelma & Louise area. The 50K consists of a single loop with approximately 1,580 feet of elevation gain. The 50 Mile follows this course and includes a second traversal of the Thelma & Louise Loop, accumulating about 2,450 feet of gain. The 100K comprises two repetitions of the 50K course, while the 100 Mile involves two repetitions of the 50 Mile course. Aid stations are positioned every 4 to 7 miles, cutoff times are accommodating, pacers are permitted for the 100K and 100 Mile events and for any runner aged 70 or older, and all finishers receive a buckle. Beiyi Zheng and Daniel Wilson established the race with the goal of creating an ultra event where older competitors had a genuine opportunity to finish, aligning with the race's motto: “Old is cool.”