At the Academy of Pain, come out for one lap, or come out for 20! Each lap is 3.5 (ish) miles on hard-packed gravel around the Academy loop in ABQ (the record is 54 miles). You have 12 hours to see what you can throw down.
You are welcome to park anywhere on the Academy Loop and jump in, but we are meeting at the Cherry Hills Public Library (parking is available both in the library lot as well as surrounding residential streets).
This is a 12-hour event, so while we hope you’ll come early and stay late, you are more than welcome to jump in at any time and run any distance!
The tally board to count your loops and aid station will be at the intersection of Barstow and Harper (at the stoplight). This is a fat ass event, which means it is both free and unsupported. Please bring everything you need to hit your goals and something to share at the aid station.
Avidya Running will offer special awards for 50 miles, 50k, PR (the longest you’ve ever personally run), and a heavy half marathon too (since the loop is a little over 3 miles so no distances will be exact). Each award is handmade and unique.
This is self-supported and a fat ass (free event)! Please bring your own food/cooler/clothes/chairs and stop at your car to resupply any time. We will have an aid station stockpile of donations and contributions, of course, but ultimately you are responsible to take care of your needs.
There are no official public bathrooms on the Academy loop, so plan to use the gas station or nearby business along the way if nature does call (or leave and come back, this thing is officially unofficial and you are welcome to leave the course and return).
What is Avidya Running?
Avidya is a sanskrit word meaning ‘ignorance.’ At its core, Avidya Running is an exploration into the dark places of our own ignorance using endurance running as our light. If we confuse mundane life to be the only reality, we remain ignorant of a truer reality. We believe our ignorance is the root of much of our suffering. We put on endurance events to explore the reality of concepts like egos, attachments, aversions, and our identities. We recognize that a community of strong, humble, hardworking people who are also interested in these questions makes a family. Avidya Running is a new race company, currently hosting free events in New Mexico with a mission and vision to grow. Very soon.
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Old school running at its finest
This race was old school ultrarunning as its finest. I am really jealous about the Albuquerque Trail Running crew that put on this race, because there isn't anything like this … MORE
This race was old school ultrarunning as its finest. I am really jealous about the Albuquerque Trail Running crew that put on this race, because there isn’t anything like this in the small town where I live. I thought everything was perfect (except the wind – but I’m used to that where I live on the Great Plains). There was one aid station on the 3.5 mile loop, which was supplied by donations made by the runners and there were plenty of treats and hydration to supply the needed nutrition. Laps were tallied on a poster board with a permanent marker. There was a long upslope along one side of the course, which meant that we were able to go down hill along the other side, but nothing steep. Handmade finisher awards were given out which were quite well done. All in all, a good time was had by all for a very minimal registration fee.