Race Information | Course Information | Aid Stations
The Alaska Endurance Trail Run is intended to be a fun, safe environment to help you test the limits of your endurance. We’re not control freaks, so the few rules we have are simple and straightforward. And, we hope, common sense.
- The event is for individuals only. (But if you’re interested in it becoming a team event in the future, please let us know!)
- All participants MUST physically sign-in more than 20 minutes before your race starts. If you’re late, we’ll check you in after the race starts and you’ll start late.
- There will be a mandatory pre-race meeting 20 minutes before each race’s start, which includes a safety and trail briefing. You must be there, or you’ll automatically be disqualified. Set your alarm!
- No littering! We’re guests on these trails, and want to leave the course and starting area as pristine as we find it. Besides, it’s just the right thing to do. If you carry it in, carry it out.
- You must stay on the course or within the starting area for the duration of your race. This is a test of your endurance, so no taking time off to leave the area! If you do, we’ll assume that you’ve dropped out and will mark you as a Did Not Finish. Going out to your car is fine.
- Only participants who are on the course for substantially the entire duration of the race will be eligible for awards and listed in the results. Yes, you can go out to your car in the parking lot. No, you can’t go back to your hotel and sleep for four hours.
Note: This rule does not mean that you can’t end your race early. If you’re done, let the timers know, then feel free to leave. - You have to stay on the course and not cut any section. Hopefully this goes without saying! (Despite the fact that we just said it.)
- Outside help is only allowed within 100 feet of the start/finish area. Otherwise, out on the course you need to be self-sufficient and may only accept help from another racer or race official, including aid station volunteers. If you’d like a pacer to accompany you, you may do so after the first hour of each race. But even with a pacer, you must be self-sufficient.
- Our timers will strive to be diligent, but accurate results are a cooperative effort. You must make sure that a timer verbally acknowledges you and your bib number as you complete each lap.
- We are dog people (and cat people, and gerbil people, and even moose people). But, alas, our event insurance doesn’t allow anyone to run with dogs or any other animals. Don’t do it.
- We also love kids, but no strollers either. Running these rooty trails wouldn’t be very fun with one anyway, particularly for Junior.
- This is a human-powered race, so you can’t use any motorized or mechanical device to facilitate your race. Running or walking only! Well, you can crawl too, if you wish.
- The trails you’ll be running on are multi-use trails and won’t be closed during the race. So please be considerate of other trail users. We want to be invited back next year!
- We are big fans of the sport of ultramarathoning, and want it to remain a fair and honest endeavor. Performance enhancement drugs threaten the sport, and anyone who has been proven to use them or have received any ban by the World Anti-Doping Agency will not be allowed to participate in our races.
- Be respectful! This includes other racers, race officials and volunteers, and other trail users. And respect the trail and UAF facilities.
- Do not modify the course or course markings in any way, before, during, or after the race. This includes putting something on muddy sections (particularly putting trees or branches in the trail) or moving course markings (what makes sense to you might confuse a runner going in the opposite direction). If there are any problems, please notify a race official so that we can take care of it properly and consistently.
- No changes to race duration or start time after registration closes. It takes a lot of preparation work to make the timers’ work sane, and last-minute changes messes up the system in ways that lead to errors.
Enforcement and interpretation of these rules is at the discretion of race officials. Unfortunately, any violations will result in immediate disqualification. Sorry!
We’ll leave the use of electronic devices up to you, as long as you use headphones or earbuds so you don’t infringe on other runners’ quiet enjoyment of the Alaska wilds. But only use them in one ear, please, so that you can hear other runners and trail users. And moose who are annoyed at you. Our snowshoe hares can get cranky too.
Feel free to use walking or running poles to help keep you upright during the long hours on the trail. But please, be careful not to hit anyone else who might be in range!
[New in 2022] For the purpose of places in the final results, two participants who run the same distance will be ordered by faster times. For example, if two people do 100 miles in the 24-hour race, and Sally finishes at 7:53pm on Saturday and Bob finishes at 7:58pm, Sally is #1 and Bob is #2 in the final results. Only in the case of photo finishes will there be a tie, and the two can share any award.