The race directors who brought you the MAAH DAAH HEY 100, and all the other BADLANDS RACE SERIES events, now present the newest addition of the world’s raddest of races, in the world’s baddest of places… the BADLANDS 24 HOUR RACE/RUN/BIKE! This is going to bad… 24 hours of the …
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The race directors who brought you the MAAH DAAH HEY 100, and all the other BADLANDS RACE SERIES events, now present the newest addition of the world’s raddest of races, in the world’s baddest of places… the BADLANDS 24 HOUR RACE/RUN/BIKE!
This is going to bad… 24 hours of the kind of badness, madness & radness that one can only find in the rugged & raw North Dakota Badlands! Log as many miles as you desire on the beautifully challenging Maah Daah Hey, Long X, and Sunset Trails that make up the BAD24HR single track loop(s) race course.
Miles can be logged on the full 11 mile loop or the short 2 mile loop. All bikers will travel counter-clockwise. All runners will travel clockwise.
The Maah Daah Hey trail offers as many descents as it does climbs, and they are never not far apart. The earth is a unique blend of dirt, clay, sandstone, scoria, and whatever else the good Lord mixed into this epic mountain bikers’ playground. On the tops of the badlands buttes you will find flat prairie grasslands. There are also some sparsely wooded sections scattered on the trail but overall there is minimal cover from the elements. Hence the name BADLANDS.
The race will feature TWO aid stations ready with lots of water and TAILWIND nutrition sports drink mix. The first aid station location is at the start/finish line at the CCC Campground pavilion. The second aid station is approximately at the halfway point of the 11.5-mile loop located where the Maah Daah Hey Trail and the Long X Trail intersect at the water cache box.
Both loops are well-marked with arrows and signs, we offer you a GPX file for your GPS unit upon registration. There are many turns and forks on the Badlands single track loop, but only the BAD24HR trail(s) are freshly mowed, string trimmed and ready for you rip! Race and ride with the peace of mind that you are taking the right turn at the right time with the assurance of our GPX file. The course will be marked well enough that you can easily race without a GPS device, if you pay attention and travel with your head up.
ALL RACERS MUST FINISH THEIR FINAL LAP BEFORE THE TIME CUTOFF! More info on this rule at the pre-race meeting. There will be a podium ceremony with prizes at the conclusion of each category (3, 6, 12, and 24 hours) for the top finishers and recognition of outstanding performances at the BAD24HR HQ. Open mens, womens, and team categories for the 3, 6, 12, and 24 hour races. All finishers will receive a 2019 custom BADLANDS 24 HOUR RACE medal.
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Bad, but in a good sort of way
We were greeted by very pleasant weather for the Badlands 24 hour run. We were given the choice between running a 11.5 mile loop or a shorter, 2.4 mile loop. … MORE
We were greeted by very pleasant weather for the Badlands 24 hour run. We were given the choice between running a 11.5 mile loop or a shorter, 2.4 mile loop. Most of the runners chose to run the longer loop first, just so they could see the whole course. The scenery was great, with spectacular views from the top of the bluff. There were some pretty steep and long hills though, so after the first loop, most runners like me decided to do the shorter loop that had less elevation gain. I’m glad I did the longer loop first because of the scenery and wildflowers, but I could have probably gotten in a few more miles had I just run the shorter loop. The first half of the short loop was relatively flat, but there were a couple of short, steep, dips down into some draws. The second half had some long uphill stretches, but nothing too steep.
The timing system was flawless, the race director and volunteers were very encouraging, but the aid station food was rather limited. There was no hot food, even at night, probably in order to reduce the risk of spread of the
SARS-CoVid-19 virus. Water, Tailwind, bottled gatorade and an assortment of soft drinks in cans were provided for hydration.
The race director reported that there were a record number of runners in the solo division, probably a result of most of the other races being canceled this year. Even with the mountain bikers and relay runners, it was a pretty small race.