November 22-23, 2025

Dinosaur Valley Endurance Run

About being a Western States qualifier...

We are the first 100K and 100 mile qualifier for Western States in the qualifying period. For our 2025 race, this qualifies you to enter the December 2026 lottery to run the Western States 100 mile race in June 2027. The qualifying times for our 100K and 100 mile are generous too!

Our event is very unique in that the 100 Mile course shares the exact same course for the first 100K distance as the 100K race. Therefore, our event is set up that 100 milers also get a recorded finish for their 100K time, and if they do not complete the 100 miles, they can still get a 100K buckle. More details below!

About the Qualifying Period

Western States Endurance Run is a dream or goal race for many ultrarunners, and it's so popular that there is a lottery to get into it, and it is a difficult 100 mile mountain race so you are also required to run a qualifiying race to enter the lottery.

The qualifying period runs from early November each year to the next year. They announce the qualifying races list in September before the qualifying period begins. Historically, for planning purposes, we want you to know that races are typically added to the list, not announced to be removed!

Therefore, the expectation and timeline for upcoming races looks like this:

September 2025 - they announce the 2027 list. We should be on it and currently you need to complete the 100K distance in 22 hours (even those in the 100 miler) OR complete the 100 mile in 35 hours to earn your qualifier.
November 2025 - you run the 100K or the 100 miler with us at Dino Valley and hit the 100K mark (which is also a recorded finish for the 100 milers) in under 22 hours, and/or you complete the 100 miles in 35 hours, and you earn your qualifier!
Some time before November 2026 - you apply for our Western States sponsored athlete spot - a chance for a qualified athlete to skip the lottery and get in automatically!
November 2026 - the qualifying period ends (we are the first 100K and 100 mile qualifier in the US in this period!) and you apply for the lottery.
December 2026 - the lottery is held. Read more about the Entry Process and the Lottery on the Western States website. Hopefully, you're lucky and get in!
June 2027 - you run Western States 100!

100K and 100 Miler overlap

What makes us a unique qualifier and one where we encourage you to dream big!

100K Entrants - when you complete the 100K, you earn an official recorded finish time and a 100K buckle. If it is under 22 hours, you earn your qualifier for that year's qualifying period for the Western States Endurance Run.

100 Mile Entrants - once you complete the first 100K of the race (which is run on the same course and same start time as the 100K entrants), you will have a recorded 100K finish time automatically, and if this is under 22 hours, you earn your qualifier for that year's qualifying period for the Western States Endurance Run. You then continue on your quest to completing the 100 miles with us. If you are not able to, your 100K finish stands, you receive a 100K buckle, and you do not show as a 100 Mile DNF in results.

If you complete the 100 miles, you basically upgrade and receive your 100 mile buckle instead of a 100K one, and you have a recorded finish time in both the 100K and the 100 miler. You can also qualify by finishing the 100 miler in 35 hours, but we find so far that if you meet this qualifying standard, you also qualified by finishing the first 100K distance in 22 hours too!