There’s nothing like a long, soul searching run along the ocean in the summer, where at any given moment you can stop, dunk your head into the saltwater, soak up the sun and keep putting one foot in front of the other. Here in our tiny little piece of the country, Rhode Island, we don’t have a lot of trails or mountains, but we do have a beautiful coastline to enjoy…
Each summer we invite you to Rhode Island to battle what we consider one of the most iconic ultra races on the East Coast, in beautiful Colt State Park in Bristol. We welcome new and experienced ultra runners alike. The ADU is strategically held each year on one of the hottest weekends of the year. With a mix of trail and pavement and the summer heat, this grueling race is known to pose a challenge to the most experienced trail runner. At the same time, the loop-style course, easy aid-station access and beautiful scenery will make for a great event for the first-timer looking to try out the ultra-running scene in one of the most welcoming events in the sport.
Set up your tent, anchor down, and run long with us.
Course
In a day in age where many races are more about fanfare, obstacles and photo-ops, few test the body, mind and soul of a runner.
The ultra-marathon, a true test of endurance, is different. It is running at its purist form. The ultra is challenging and soul-searching and beautifully simple. In this adventurous tradition, Anchor Down Ultra was born.
Held on one of the hottest days of summer here in New England, this 2.45 mile loop course will challenge you to run as many complete loops as possible in the allotted time in the race of your choosing. You’ll have access to aid every 1.25 miles, with full access to your gear and/or tent every 2.45 miles at the exchange point. The course is mostly flat with a few rolling hills. Technically speaking, the course starts at sea level and the highest point on the course is roughly 26 feet above sea level, with just about 56 feet of gain on every loop. Although the course is considered very “run-able” by most runners, it can pose a challenge to someone with limited trail experience. It is highly recommended that athletes taking on ADU for the first time spend a good amount of time getting used to time on their feet on rooty terrain that we are so accustomed to here in Southern New England. With some basic trail experience and marathon experience, this is a great first time ultra for someone willing to take on the challenge. However, the “grinding” course proves punishing enough even for the most accomplished endurance athletes.
The terrain breakdown of the 2.45 mile loop is comprised of:
1.5 miles of pavement
.90 miles of trail
.05 miles of grass.
The course is run entirely through Colt State Park in Bristol, RI. About 70% of the course sits right on the waterfront (Narragansett Bay to the West and Mill Gut to the East). It is absolutely beautiful this time of year. You will have lots and lots of time out there to enjoy it.
The event director reserves the right to determine the race direction up until the start of the race. However, it is expected that the race will be run in a clockwise direction as to keep any ocean breeze at your back.
How the different distances work… 6 hours, 12 hours & 24 hours
There are 3 different races in the Anchor Down Ultras, which include 6 hour, 12 hour and 24 hour timed events. All 3 races start promptly at 7:00 PM and end respective to their length, with the 24 hour event lasting until 7:00 PM on the following day, Saturday. The rules are simple. Run as many loops of the 2.45 mile course as possible in the allotted time. Take a break when you want to, rest when you must, or keep pounding the pavement and trail. You can drop out at any time during the race when and if you’ve had enough. Only full 2.45 mile loops of the entire course count towards your total distance. Runners will be ranked higher as they cover more and more loops, and time will only be used in the event of a tie. An example (with more simple math) of what the results might look like is below:
1st Place: 104 miles, 23 hours, 55 minutes and 2 seconds
2nd Place: 102 miles, 22 hours, 40 minutes and 43 seconds
3rd Place: 92 miles, 23 hours, 19 minutes and 19 seconds
4th Place: 88 miles, 23 hours, 50 minutes and 10 seconds
5th Place: 88 miles, 23 hours, 55 minutes and 2 seconds
6th Place: 74 miles, 18 hours, 49 minutes and 17 seconds
7th Place: 68 miles, 21 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds
…and so on and so forth.
LESS
Summer fun by the bay
This was a very well-organized race in a very nice setting. It is marketed as a difficult challenge, but I didn't really find the course that difficult, despite the physical … MORE
This was a very well-organized race in a very nice setting. It is marketed as a difficult challenge, but I didn’t really find the course that difficult, despite the physical problem I had. Yes, there were roots, but they were fairly small, so you could step on them and not turn an ankle. There was a little mud, but just in one small area. I didn’t find the single-track portion slippery at all, but I heard some runners say so, but there were a lot of runners that ran in road shoes. Over half of the course is along a wide, paved path along the shoreline. That portion was fairly flat. The first mile or so of the course goes through the woods where there were some hills, but nothing steep or long. I think the main challenge in some years is the August weather. This year we were kind of lucky, with rainy weather through the night, but it was a warm rain and I didn’t get cold despite wearing running shorts and short-sleeved running shirt. Most of the participants set up tents in the tent city, which was the only area that runners could enter that wasn’t on the course. This creates a problem for out-of-town runners who fly in for the race, as it is difficult to obtain camping gear if you fly in. I was planning on using my car for a camp, but we weren’t allowed to leave the course under threat of disqualification. Most fixed-time ultras allow you to go to your car as long as you go back onto the course using the same route that you left. They had a good choice of fluids to drink, although they ran out of Coca Cola for a short time and had plenty of food including pizza, chicken noodle soup, and snack items. They advertised that they would have Hammer gels, but the only flavor they had was chocolate, which is not my favorite when I’m running. All in all it is a good race, but I just wished that my hip hadn’t acted up near the end.
Very rooty trail, very hard core runners
Well, I signed up for this race because I like to think I am a hard core runner and I was drawn to the skull themed shirts from other years … MORE
Well, I signed up for this race because I like to think I am a hard core runner and I was drawn to the skull themed shirts from other years (comfort is a slow death//sleep when you die). I wore my Tupelo marathon shirt to the packet pickup (trample the weak, hurdle the dead). Alas, this year the shirt had an anchor and the slogan “one more lap.”
The good news was the weather was MUCH cooler than anticipated during training, so while it is summer, it was in the sixties for most of the six hour race.
The staging area was quite intimidating with the 24 hour runners setting up huge canopies with all their family and pacers etc. Good energy and chances to take photos near banners etc. What I didn’t see was a huge igloo cooler with a spout on the aid station table (as Annapolis endless summer six hour race had). Since my husband and I had flown this was quite a bad surprise as I was planning to fill up our yetis and go from there to the handheld as I passed him each lap….. so he did a quick run to the store to get bottles of water. Everyone else had come with cases of Poland spring water bottles so maybe I missed something in the fine print.
There were cups of water at the aid stations but I wanted to use my handheld and hubs needed to hydrate, too!
The other bad surprise for me was the trail section. It was 70% shallow roots, sometimes covered by a thin layer of grass. Like the maple roots in my yard. I tripped on loop four (jamming to my music) and loop ten (getting tired). Fortunately the landing was on dirt both times and I kept running. Nice runners nearby asked many questions to make sure I was ok. I didn’t see anyone else fall so I felt like a fool but am proud I kept going.
The paved part was great, the views during daylight were great, the energy was very positive and bad ass—saw the previous year’s winners (recognized them from web site). This was my first nighttime race, and all my training runs in darkness we’re in the morning (and usually without carrying light). My waist light worked perfectly. Adrenaline took over and suddenly it was 12:35 and I was done! I would do a night race again (though I absolutely could not sleep afterwards).
I liked the 2.45 loops—got to see the husband and lady on the mic often; the back aid station was chill and I used it primarily because I wanted to keep moving. There were plenty of people walking it in on the last couple of laps. And plenty of the 24 hour folks just running like it was nothing (one guy having a conversation on his speakerphone as he sprinted past me on the trail—respect).
I think this event is awesome and I am glad I did it!
A good event for first-time ultra runners
Moisture-wicking t-shirt, huge medal, the aid station is a veritable royal banquet. The course is looped and flat but doesn't feel repetitive or monotonous. There was an unfortunate mix-up determining … MORE
Moisture-wicking t-shirt, huge medal, the aid station is a veritable royal banquet. The course is looped and flat but doesn’t feel repetitive or monotonous. There was an unfortunate mix-up determining the top three finishers, so competitive runners would be wise to double-check the race results prior to the award ceremony. I would run the race again but only the 24-hour, not the 6 or 12, because the event starts in the evening and the 6 and 12 are mostly at nighttime in the dark.
Great event!
High quality swag, great volunteers. Warning: course includes a lot of asphalt, so if you're used to trail ultras, this would probably be a deal breaker for you. Overall, it's … MORE
High quality swag, great volunteers. Warning: course includes a lot of asphalt, so if you’re used to trail ultras, this would probably be a deal breaker for you. Overall, it’s great, and I really enjoyed it.