Qualification Updates

At Board of Directors meetings, we are always evaluating changes to our Hardrock qualification standards and lottery which we feel will foster a Hardrock Run that we all stand behind. These may affect decisions you make long before our December lottery and potentially affect decisions you make concerning your running season.

 

*The Ultra Trail Mt. Fuji is being phased out as a qualifier. The 2024 UTMF will NOT be a qualifier for the 2026 Hardrock.

Service Requirement

There is a Service Requirement for admission to the run, consisting of 8 hours service in either:

  1. Organization of an ultra;
  2. Service at an ultra;
  3. Work on a trail used by an ultra;
  4. Construction work on a new or existing natural-surface trail under the supervision of a formal trail maintenance organization operating under permit by the appropriate land agency, not necessarily on a trail used by an ultra.

Work under 1), 2), or 3) must be coordinated with the Race Director of that ultra. Pacing or crewing another runner at an ultra does not count. Work under 4) must be signed off by the representative of the trail maintenance organization and list either the land agency permit # the work is performed under, or be signed off also by a representative of the land agency.

This service must be completed during the 12 months ending on June 16, 2024. The appropriately signed Service Requirement Form must be received as described on the form by June 24, 2024, or the runner will be removed from the start list. In addition, on June 25, 2024, the wait lists will be purged of those who have not sent in their form, and they will be ineligible to receive a spot on the start line if another runner withdraws.

Qualifications for the Hardrock Hundred

The Hardrock Hundred is a "post-graduate" run. For safety reasons, not as an attempt at elitism, we cannot accept novice runners. The challenges faced during the HRH are much more than the exertion and fatigue expected from running 100 miles, and require the ability to navigate the course with uncertain conditions that may include:

  • High Elevation
  • Long, steep climbs
  • Extended distance and time between aid stations
  • Severe weather, including heat, cold, rain, hail, and lightning
  • Water and snow crossings
  • Exposure to potential for falls

Any runner attempting the HRH must understand that these challenges exist and they must be prepared to make decisions for his or her own safety under uncertain conditions without any expectation of assistance. While there is no guarantee that the runner is prepared for every eventuality, finishing a qualifying event gives some evidence of being prepared for the HRH. Finishing a qualifying event additionally improves the chances for a runner to finish the HRH.

The HRH has selected qualifying races to give the runner and the HRH management confidence that the runner is prepared to safely complete the HRH. The qualifying races each exhibit some of the challenges listed above. Some consideration is also taken for geographic location to help provide access to qualifiers worldwide. In addition, the HRH Board of Directors expects qualifiers to be environmentally responsible, have a positive impact on the health of the sport, and support the communities in which the races are held. Generally, events must be held a minimum of two times before being accepted as qualifiers.

The HRH Board of Directors reviews this list annually to add or remove qualifiers as appropriate. When a run is added, the previous two events will be included immediately. In most cases when a run is removed, it will be phased off the qualifying list over two years. This prevents having a finish be eligible as a qualifier one year and the same finish not qualifying the following year. However, the HRH BOD reserves the right to remove a run without the two-year process.

There have been instances where qualifying runs have been cancelled or shortened due to unforeseen circumstances. In these instances, and similar situations in the future, we do not consider that event in that year a qualifier. While this may regretfully prevent some runners from qualifying, the HRH feels the importance of the qualifying process for runner safety outweighs compromising this process for convenience.

If you are interested in your race becoming a Hardrock qualifier, please

Entrant Fee, Application Availability & Runner Refunds

Application to the 2024 Hardrock will be available on UltraSignup between October 11 - November 12, 2023. The lottery to select entrants and waitlists will be held on Saturday, December 2, 2023. The selected runners will be notified immediately thereafter. Your billing information is collected at the time of application, and if selected in the lottery your full entry fee will be billed using your payment information. The entry fee for the Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run is $435 plus applicable UltraSignup processing fees.

The general refund policy is a 50% refund of the entry fee if you withdraw from the entry list prior to June 1st. This means that if you are selected in the lottery, you will be on-the-hook for at least 50% of the entry fee. No refunds will be given for withdrawals made after June 1st.

A waiting list will be maintained after the field is full. If you are moved onto the starter's list from the wait list, you will be notified and you will be given the opportunity to decline entry at no cost before your credit card is charged.

Pregnancy Entry Deferral

Eligibility: Any woman who has been selected for the entrants list of the Hardrock Hundred and becomes pregnant prior to run day.

Procedure: Submit Pregnancy Deferral request in writing to the Race Director any time after the lottery is held and prior to the pre-run Thursday check-in deadline. Submit along with request written confirmation of the pregnancy signed by a medical professional.

After deferral, the entrant will be able to re-join the accepted entrants list on any one of the three years following the deferral. For example, a pregnancy deferral used for an entrant in 2023’s Hardrock will be granted entry in 2024, 2025, OR 2026. She must enter Hardrock during the normal application window for the Hardrock she chooses to run, and then notify the Board of Directors that she will use her deferred entry status prior to the date of the lottery.

At the time of deferral, the entrant will have her entry fee refunded in full; she will pay a new entry fee at the time of re-entering the run.

Normal runner application rules and requirements still apply for the year the re-entry is activated, including our service requirement and having a valid qualifier.