Welcome!

Join us Saturday August 29, 2026 in Lexington, Nebraska for the Inaugural Wiley Canyon Ultramarathon and 10K & 5K run! My name is Joel Kinney, founder of the Wiley Canyon Ultra and Prairie Sky Gravel LLC. I am excited and proud to announce GRAVEL racing in central Nebraska! Whether you are a seasoned runner looking to endure your first ultramarathon or if you are beginning your running journey, we are here for you!

The Course

5K & 10K : The 5K and 10K will start and finish at Kirkpatrick Memorial park in Lexington, Nebraska. The routes will consist of paved and gravel roads. The 5K & 10K are noncompetitive events.

THE ULTRA!
The Wiley Canyon Ultra is roughly 35 miles long. The course is an out and back. Runners will start and finish at Kirkpatrick Memorial Park. It was designed to maximize aid stations and provide runners with the opportunity to finish their first ultramarathon. The course begins in Lexington, NE and takes you north through beautiful Wiley Canyon!

Trophies will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place finishers in Men’s and Women’s Division for the Ultra only. All Ultra finishers will receive finisher memorabilia

Nebraska is flat… will there be hills?
Yes! There will be hills. The race really begins once you reach Wiley Canyon Road, you just have to make it there! (You can do it!)

Roads: The course starts on black top roads in town and transitions to gravel roads. A small portion of the race will be on a minimum maintenance road. Runners must embrace the spirit of gravel!

Weather: Nebraska in August is HOT! There is little to zero shade on course. If we are lucky, there will be a breeze. I recommend a proper hydration & calorie intake strategy, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a good hat! The unofficial start time for the race is 5:00 am. If the weather is forecasted super hot that day, it might be adjusted sooner. Running before day break will be to your advantage!

Race Cut Off Time: The Ultra race is over at 04:00 pm on race day. That averages to a roughly 18 minutes per mile pace. At the Wiley Canyon Ultra, we celebrate the first runner to the last runner to cross the finish line!

Will my cellphone work on Wiley Canyon Road?
The answer: maybe? There will be race officials monitoring runners on course. If you listen to music while you run, I would download your favorite playlist, otherwise you can listen to the soothing sounds of Nebraska and the Sandhills!

Check In & Packet Pick up

Check in and packet pick up will be Friday August 28, 2026 from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Grand Generation Center 407 E. 6th Street Lexington, NE 68850.
We encourage you to check in Friday. We understand life happens. There will be a short time frame to check in on race day in the morning. If you plan on checking in on race day, please email the race director ahead of time at wileycanyonultra@gmail.com. Please plan on checking in on Friday before the race.

Participant & Volunteer Waiver

All waivers must be agreed upon and signed prior to the event.

Race Day Parking

All participants, spectators, and volunteers will park in the City of Lexington Swimming Pool parking lot located at 10th & Monroe Street.

Lodging & Amenities

Lexington, Nebraska offers a wide range of hotel & motel options. If you camp, Lexington is about a 15 minute drive from Johnson Lake Recreation area.

Our town has many locally owned Grocery Stores. Be sure to hit up our local businesses! Lexington offers many family-owned restaurants, coffee shops, and the best donut shop this side of the Mississippi!

The Rules

Rule #1:
GOOD VIBES ONLY!
Show up, bring the stoke, and ride the good vibes train to the finish line!

FOLLOW THE RULES OF THE ROAD!
All athletes must follow the rules of the road. Stop at all stop signs, yield to traffic, stay to the right of the road, abide by posted road signs, listen to any and all instructions given by law enforcement officers.

STAY TO THE RIGHT!
Athletes must stay right of center of the road at all times. Running on the left side of the road is incredibly dangerous for runners and drivers. Staying to the right keeps everyone safe!

STAY ON THE ROAD!
Regardless of road conditions, you must remain on or directly next to the road. The Ultra course takes you through the heart of rural Nebraska. Please respect landowners and their property. Do not trespass.

DON’T LITTER!
Zero tolerance policy for littering. The long-term success of our event requires all of us to keep our roads clean. Littering is an automatic disqualification.

NO OUTSIDE SUPPORT
This is a self-supported event.
This means: no caching supplies, no friends, family, or team support on the course, and no prearranged support from other runners. Once you leave the start, you are on your own.

Drop Bag: One drop bag will be allowed at the halfway point aid station (mile ~17). It must be clearly labeled with your name, phone number, and bib number. A volunteer will get all drop bags to the aid station and will bring them back to the finish line.

AID STATIONS:
Aid stations will have Tailwind Nutrition Endurance Fuel, water, and calories in the form of snacks. Resupply along the race at aid stations. For the Ultra, aid stations will be approximately 4 to 5 miles apart. No aid stations for the 5K or 10K. If you have specific nutritional needs, carry your supplies for the day.
Plan for the worst, prepare for the best! August in Nebraska is HOT!! We recommend having the ability to carry 1500 ml of water.

EQUIPMENT :
Shoes: Shoes are required for all runners on course.
Headlamps & Reflective/High Visibility Clothing:
Headlamps are required for the Ultra runners. Headlamps must be on while running prior to sunrise. 200 Lumen minimum. You will be running in the dark.
Safety Reflective clothing can include vests, headbands, arm bands, and ankle bands that reflects light.

We recommend a proper hydration & fuel strategy, sunscreen, sunglasses, a cellphone, and a good hat!

THE GOLDEN RULE!

GOOD VIBES ONLY! (remember RULE #1?) Help others in need, and have fun! Disrespect to other athletes or volunteers will not be tolerated, and may result in disqualification and being banned from future events.

BE PREPARED!
Be prepared. All participants must have a plan in case you need to drop out (quit prior to the finish aka “does not finish” or DNF).

DNF’s happen…
If you drop out between Mile 0 – Mile 8, make your own arrangements to get off course safely and notify race officials of your DNF.

If you drop out on Wiley Canyon Road, it is your responsibility to make it to the nearest Aid Station. Notify a volunteer and arrangements will be made to get you out of the canyon at the race officials’ convenience. You may be waiting there for a long time. Crew vehicles are not allowed on course. Cell phone service is non-existent in places on Wiley Canyon Road. We will have Volunteers on course monitoring runners. If you need assistance, flag one of them down.

To DNF text: 308-520-1516

Race Cancellation & Refunds

In the chance of inclement weather or any unforeseen circumstances, the Race Organizer has the authority to cancel the race at any time. If the race is canceled, runners will be given credit for the next available race date and arrangements will be made to get each participant their event shirt. Planning and organizing an event like this is time sensitive. For that reason, we have a “No Refunds Policy.”

Event's current local time: 7:26 PM CT