Races

San Diego 100

Lake Cuyamaca, CaliforniaApril

Lake Cuyamaca loop. Four county mountain zones. Looks tame on paper. Rocks, roots, heat, and 15,600 feet of climbing say otherwise.

100 mi+10,207 ft-10,206 ft32 hours3,672 ft to 6,411 fttech 9/1013 stationsWestern States qualifierPCT sectionsdeceptively hardApril
Distance100 mi
Gain+10,207 ft
Loss-10,206 ft
Altitude3,672 ft to 6,411 ft
Technicality9/10
Air40°F to 95°F
Gradient profileOfficial race GPX
  • Start4,645 ft
  • High6,411 ft
  • Low3,672 ft
  • Finish4,646 ft
Aid stations13 stops verified
  1. Trout Pond at mile 13
  2. Cuyamaca Peak at mile 19
  3. Green Valley at mile 29, cutoff 12 hours, crew
  4. Sweetwater at mile 41, cutoff 16 hours, crew
  5. Hammer's Hideaway at mile 52
  6. Penny Pines 1 at mile 60
  7. Meadows at mile 64, cutoff 22 hours, crew
  8. Red Tail Roost at mile 71, crew
  9. Per's Cabin at mile 76
  10. Penny Pines 2 at mile 81
  11. Pioneer Mail at mile 84, cutoff 28 hours, crew
  12. Sunrise at mile 92, cutoff 30 hours, crew
  13. Finish Cuyamaca at mile 100, cutoff 32 hours

Field, 2026 · 25-year sampleresults

Starters188
Finish rate67%
Median29:26
Sub-2411

Geometrycourse math

Steepest drop879 ft-7.9% over 2.1 mi
Night miles44 misunset near 19:00 local

Course records

Men4:43:53Skip Brand2016 results
Women19:32:19Suzanna Bon2009 results

The cruxNoble Canyon and exposed PCT ridges in afternoon heat

Course DNA

The Course

Loop from Lake Cuyamaca through Cuyamaca Rancho, Anza-Borrego edges, Noble Canyon, Mt Laguna, and Pacific Crest Trail. About 90 percent singletrack. Fifteen thousand six hundred feet gain and loss. Low 3,000 feet. High 6,000 on exposed ridges. Sixteen aid stations with drop bags at eight. Pace the early miles. The split often shows at mile 50. 32 hours spans 100 mi on 90% singletrack. +10,207 ft shapes the middle miles.

The Work

Heat training non-negotiable. Technical foot speed on rocks and roots. Back-to-back long runs on rocky descents. Qualifier: 50 mile under 13 hours or 100K/100 within cutoff. Train +10,207 ft across 100 mi. Long back-to-backs in April weather.

Kit

Mandatory gear per participant guide. Sun kit and warm layer for night ridges. Poles help on long climbs. Blister kit early. April in Lake Cuyamaca, California: 40°F to 95°F. Pack for 16 stations and night if 32 hours runs long.

Race Day

Friday 6:00 am start. Strict aid cutoffs enforced. Eat before the hot afternoon. Wind chill on ridges at night. Finish by Saturday 2:00 pm.

Results

San Diego 100 finish lines.

Sources (3)

San Diego 100