The Best Runner Leaves No Tracks
Formerly known as Best of San Diego 100 Miler. I changed the name to avoid confusion with San Diego 100 Miler.
The Best Runner Leaves No Track Tao Te Ching/Lao Zi, Chapter 27
Race Reports
David Miao, 2022 (in Chinese)
Gang Qin, 2022 (in Chinese, lots of photos)
Video Blog and Blog by Andrew Glaze, 2021
Bin Liu, 2020 (in Chinese)
Gang Qin, 2020 (in Chinese, lots of photos)
Phillip Espinoza, 2019
Bill Dittman, 2019
Bibo Gao, 2017(in Chinese)
Please Read This Before You Sign Up
This is a fat ass or self-supported run. You're supposed to carry/plan everything you need for your run. The water stops as name implied only promise water. No refund, no transfer, no wait list, no course marking, no t-shirt, no medal, no certificate, nothing, just come and run. It's not a run for everyone, regardless how many 100 milers you have finished. You can not just sign up and run. You won't finish it.
1). There is no course marking. You'll need to navigate and stay on course by yourself.
2). The support is VERY limited.The first water stop will be on 50K. You'll need to be very self-reliant and very efficient on fuel and fluid.
3). The cutoff is 24hrs for 100 miler. You'll need to run fast!
I don’t require a qualifier since it’s over simplified. If you really want to know what to take to finish this run, here's my take:
1). Finished a trail 100 miler in 24hrs, or any 100 miler PLUS a 3:20 or better marathon recently.
2). Train really hard on navigation, self-reliant, efficient on fuel and fluid.
3). Train running on roads if you're just a trail runner, or running on trails for road runners. The course are about half roads and half trails.
To recap, you’ll need to run nonstop for 24hrs, running all the times, includes uphills, by yourself. Unless you’re an experienced elite ultra runner, you’ll chase the cutoffs from start to finish, no break. Please read the Water Stops & Cutoffs section below carefully. Can you run 6hrs 50K, 11hrs 50 miles, 14hrs 100K? during the 100 miler? all by yourself? If not, are you willing to train and train really hard for it? Don’t let the seemingly mellow elevation gains fool you. This 100 miler, as beautiful as it is, can be also as tough as any of 100 miler you may heard about. Obviously I welcome good runners (run fast and long, self-reliant, efficient, know the ways to run), but I welcome more the runners who are willing to commit and train consistently to get there. Don't sign up if you're not serious, at the same time don't let my words scare you if you are (serious not scared :).
Water Stops (WS) & Cutoffs
Cutoff times will be strictly enforced.
Start/Finish line, Torrey Pines
100 mi, +7777 ft / -7777 ft
2099 Carmel Valley Rd, Del Mar, CA 92014
WS#1 Balboa Golf, 31mi, Cutoff 6hrs
31 mi, +1461 ft / -1261 ft, roads
1430 28th St, San Diego, CA 92102
WS#2 Santee Lakes, 50 mi, Cutoff 11hrs
19 mi, +2192 ft / -2012 ft, mostly roads
9398 Fanita Parkway, Santee, CA 92071
WS#3 Garden Rd Park, 62mi, Cutoff 14hrs
12 mi, +1405 ft / -1246 ft, technical trails
14828 Garden Rd, Poway, CA 92064
WS#4 Sunset Dr, 75mi, Cutoff 18hrs
13 mi, +1156 ft / -1400 ft, urban trails
3600 Sunset Dr, Escondido, CA 92025
WS#5 San Dieguito Rd, 89mi, Cutoff 22hrs
14 mi, +1123 ft / 1169 ft, technical trails
17520 San Dieguito Rd San Diego, CA 92127
Finish, 100 mi, Cutoff 24hrs
11 mi, +409 ft / -652ft, mostly roads
2099 Carmel Valley Rd, Del Mar, CA 92014
Course Map
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31557076
You can download any files you may need from the above map, gpx, kml, fit…or Cue sheet of turn by turn navigation or even a 20+ pages of detailed info with maps . If you need a navigation or/and course planning tool/app, I strongly recommended ridewithgps, which is the best of its kind. Its turn by turn voice navigation works just like a car gps does.
So What Do We Have Here
We have the most beautiful, epic and elegant single loop 100 miler in the world (with a reasonable amount of bias of course). I can't go into details of all the beauty and attractions along the course, you can google/wikipedia yourself. Just list some of names (and approximate mile) here.
Torrey Pine State Reserve and Beach (mi 0-3, 100.2). La Jolla Golf Course. UCSD (mi 3-5). La Jolla Cove and Children Beach (mi 8-10), Pacific Beach (mi 13-15). Ocean Beach and Mission Beach (mi 16-18). Sunset Cliff Park (mi 19). Shelter Island ( mi 21). Spanish Landing, San Diego Airport, Harbor Island, Star of India, USS Midway Museum, Unconditional Surrender Statue, Seaport Village, Embarcadero Park, Convention Center etc (mi 21-26). Gaslamp Quarter, Heart of San Diego (mi 27). Balboa Park, San Diego Zoo (mi 28-29). Balboa Golf Course (mi 31). Switzer Canyon (mi 32). University Height (mi 33-38). SDSU (mi 39). Cowles Mtn Peak (mi 44). Santee Lakes (mi 49-51). Sycamore Canyon, Clark Canyon, Goodan Ranch (mi 52-60). Poway (mi 61-72). Pascal Valley, Coast to Crest Trail ( mi 72-98). Lake Hodges (mi 75-83). Del Dios Gorge (mi 83). Rancho Santa Fe (mi 84-87). Del Mar Horse Park (mi 95). Del Mar Fairground (mi 97).
Event's current local time: 11:40 AM PT
