Races

Antelope Island Buffalo Run 50 Miler

Antelope Island, UtahMarch

Antelope Island marina loop. Bison on the ridge. Salt lake on both horizons. Fifty miles of desert grassland tread.

50 mi+3,380 ft-3,380 ft17 hours3,931 ft to 5,688 fttech 5/10Checkpoints per race bookwild bison on courseGreat Salt Lake viewsPentalon recordsMarch
Distance50 mi
Gain+3,380 ft
Loss-3,380 ft
Altitude3,931 ft to 5,688 ft
Technicality5/10
Air35°F to 70°F
Gradient profileCalTopo course map
  • Start4,245 ft
  • High5,688 ft
  • Low3,931 ft
  • Finish4,245 ft

Field, 2025 · 12-year samplescraped

Starters109
Finish rate100%
Median14:16
Sub-24109

Geometryderived

Steepest drop620 ft-4.8% over 2.4 mi

Course records

Men7:41:11Nate Jewkes2024 scraped
Women8:53:31Andrea McArdle2021 scraped

The cruxSecond lap fatigue on rolling island singletrack (near mile 33)

Course DNA

The Course

Antelope Island Buffalo Run 50 Miler runs 50 mi through Antelope Island, Utah. +3,380 ft gain and -3,380 ft loss. Surfaces skew 85% dirt trail / 15% gravel road. Second lap fatigue on rolling island singletrack. High point near 5,688 ft. Low near 3,931 ft. March temps run 35°F to 70°F. The course rewards patience early and punishes rushed descents after mile 25.

The Work

Train for 3,380 feet of climbing across 50 mi. Back-to-back long runs on trail. Practice power-hiking grades above 15 percent. 17 hours total means limited margin: rehearse fueling every 45 to 60 minutes and downhill eccentric work weekly. Technicality 5/10. Build a block that simulates the crux near mile 33.

Kit

March in Antelope Island, Utah: plan for 35°F to 70°F. Mandatory shell if rain is in forecast. Headlamp with spare batteries if 17 hours pushes past dark. Poles help on sustained climbs above mile 13. Vest capacity for 2 liters minimum. Shoes matched to 85% dirt trail: lugs for mud, rock plate if the course turns technical after mile 25.

Race Day

Hold effort through mile 13. The field often splits on the first big climb after mile 25. Second lap fatigue on rolling island singletrack near mile 33 is where time is won or lost. Walk the steep pinches. Run the flats and gentle downhills. Crew at major aids: socks, calories, ice if hot. Transitions under 5 minutes when possible. Final third is 17 miles of fatigue management. Finish with reserve for the last descent.

Results

Antelope Island Buffalo Run 50 Miler finish lines.

Antelope Island Buffalo Run 50 Miler

50 MilerBryce Canyon

Sources (3)

Antelope Island Buffalo Run 50 Miler