Relay Race - Wild West Relay - a Colorado 200-mile long distance 24 hour team relay race adventure

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by WWR Race Director

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9th ANNUAL WILD WEST RELAY
GET YOUR ASS OVER THE PASS!

FORT COLLINS TO STEAMBOAT SPRINGS - COLORADO
36 LEGS, 200 MILES ...

I have done hundreds of races, and I have to say the race organization over the past weekend is by far the most impressive, and what is amazing about that is that it was for a race that was over 24 hrs long. I am extremely happy with the overall experience, and I am definitely looking to do this again, and I am telling all who wants to hear "you have to do this race!".
LS Denver, CO

Early Bird Registration for is now Open!

Read Runner's Blogs about the WWR

"... it was the most fun I've ever had while running."
John Meyer, Denver Post

The Wild West Relay is a 200-mile distance team running relay race adventure in Colorado designed for runners of all abilities. The Ninth Annual running of the Wild West Relay will be Friday - Saturday, August 3rd - 4th, 2012 (full moon is August 1st).

COURSE

This Colorado relay race begins by the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Fort Collins, and finishes in the beautiful ski and summer resort town of Steamboat Springs. Held on open public roads, much of this very scenic and remote course runs through National Forests or on dirt roads. The route winds through Roosevelt, Medicine Bow, and Routt National Forests, and through small, mountain and ranching communities.

TEAMS

There are two main divisions of teams in the Wild West Relay: 12-person and Ultra teams. Both divisions have competitive and non-competitive options.

12-person teams (7 - 12 runners) have seven competitive categories to choose from: Men's, Women's, Mixed, Open, Masters, or Flatlanders (all team members live below 2,500 feet) categories. Each person on a competitive 12-member team runs three legs of the race in rotation, with legs averaging 5.25 miles in distance.

High School teams are also invited to participate and have a discounted registration fee.

Ultra teams (4 - 6 runners) have three options to choose from. Ultra teams can choose the 6 x 1 option where each runner is responsible for one leg of the race averaging 32.5 miles or the 6 x 6 option where each runner is responsible for 6 legs run in rotation as the 12-person teams does. The Super Ultra option is for ultra runners who want the challenge of running to route solo or with a team of up to three runners.

The Helter Skelter category is available for both 12-person and Ultra teams and is a non-competitive category. Whereas competitive teams must follow the standard relay rules of keeping the running order of their team intact, the Helter Skelter category is for teams that choose to have their runners run in any order they want. No prizes are awarded to the top teams in the Helter Skelter category.

Teams start in waves from 5:00 AM to 1:00 PM - a team's starting time is dependent on a team's pace.

Are you an individual runner looking to join a team, or a team looking for runners? Check out our Team Matching Message Board.

VOLUNTEERS

In order for The Wild West Relay to be a success, each team will be responsible for choosing one of the two volunteer options – one of which benefits local community non-profit organizations.

In this way, we will secure the commitment of the more than 250 volunteers necessary to act as Race Marshals, staffing the Start and Finish areas, and the 35 exchange points along the course.

THE WILD WEST RELAY IS A FORM OF ADVENTURE RACE

The WWR is an adventure race in that teams are running continuously through the night to reach the finish. Many find the highlight of their experience to be their run in the middle of the night under the stars or full moon. But as it is an adventure race with a 200-mile route, teams must accept some responsibilities:

Teams are self supporting - teams are responsible to stocking their vans with their own water, food, first aid supplies, etc.
While directional arrows are placed on the course, the responsibility of knowing and following the prescribed course rests with each participant. Please always print, study and understand the leg maps available for print on this website.
Hazards are not marked - runners should proceed with caution
As the route is rural and isolated, medical attention could take a while. Cell phone coverage is spotty, so if the injury is serious enough, it may be better to transport the injured person to the closest medical facility (locations and maps in the Relay Handbook)
The route is not closed to traffic - runners are running on the side of the road. Therefore, appropriate rules (for safety and for consideration to the people who live there) apply. These rules are similar to USA Triathlon sanctioned events as their races are usually on open courses. Failure to follow these rules will result in the entire team being disqualified:
- No headsets, radio and/or headphones/ MP3 Players are allowed
- Use the portable toilets that are available at the exchanges to relieve yourself. You will be disqualified if you are seen relieving yourself on the ground.
- No littering - trash receptacles will be available at each exchange