Desert Solstice Track Invitational

Event Overview

Course & Terrain

Elite 24-hour and 100-mile race on the 400 m all-weather track at Camelback High School.

Key course features to know before comparing this race:

• Record-focused 400 m track event
• Direction changes every four hours
• USATF and IAU record-submission timing procedures
• Live splits and livestream coverage
• Two timing points on every 400-meter lap, at the start/finish and the 200-meter mark
• Bibs carrying a photo of the previous year’s 24-hour winner

A flat track creates ideal record conditions, but track etiquette, lane discipline, and repetitive loading are central to race execution. The 400-meter all-weather track at Camelback High School has no elevation gain and a maximum elevation of 1,123 feet. Runners start counter-clockwise and reverse every four hours. Zach Bitter’s 2015 report notes that running in lane two adds distance.

Phoenix in mid-December is usually mild but can be cold or wet; the organizer notes past rain and recommends being ready for wet, cold conditions. It gives average highs of 67°F and lows of 43°F, with record highs in the upper 70s and record lows in the upper 20s. Light but steady rain fell through much of the 2011 and 2012 races, and tents are available to keep crews dry. iRunFar reported 45–70°F with low humidity in 2021.

Entry & Logistics

Why This Race Matters

Desert Solstice began in December 2010 as a 24-hour race on a certified 500-meter path at Nardini Manor in Buckeye, with Jamil Coury as race director, and moved to the 400-meter track at Phoenix’s Central High School in 2011. Aravaipa Running built it for fast marks and US 24-hour team qualifying, and the organizer now counts 101 national and 15 world records set here, up from 74 and 13 in 2019. iRunFar reported Pam Smith’s track 100-mile world record in 2013, Gina Slaby’s 100-mile world record in 2016 and Camille Herron’s 24-hour world record in 2018, all since passed. Nick Coury’s 173.01 miles from 2021 and Zach Bitter’s 11:40:55 from 2015 are still on the organizer’s list as the American 24-hour and track 100-mile records. Women have won outright in six of the 16 editions, and the 2026 race is billed as an updated venue at Camelback High School.

Historical benchmark notes in the directory record (verify current records with the linked official sources):

• National records set at Desert Solstice: 101 (count published by Aravaipa Running, checked 14 September 2026)
• World records set at Desert Solstice: 15 (count published by Aravaipa Running, checked 14 September 2026)
• Men’s 24 hours: Nick Coury, 278.432 km (173.01 mi), 2021
• Women’s 24 hours: Camille Herron, 262.193 km (162.919 mi), 2018
• Men’s 100 miles: Zach Bitter, 11:40:55, 2015
• Women’s 100 miles: Camille Herron, 13:02:16, 2022

Preparing for a Race Like Desert Solstice Track Invitational

The 24-hour race guide covers the format as a whole. These guides go deeper:

• 24-hour races explained: How the format works and what to compare before entering.
• How to train for a 24-hour race: Progression, walking, night-gear practice, fueling and tapering.
• 24-hour race pacing strategy: Conservative starts, run/walk options and late-race reassessment.
• What to eat during a 24-hour race: Food choices, stomach problems, hydration and caffeine.

Best Fit

• Elite ultrarunners chasing 24-hour or 100-mile standards
• Athletes targeting national-team qualification or records
• Runners who can handle a small, high-performance track field
• Runners chasing a 100 km or 12-hour mark, who may ask for entry on a comparable performance

Planning Notes

• Start conservatively and use flexible process checkpoints for effort, walking, food, fluid, alertness, and symptoms instead of forcing one hourly distance target.
• Repetitive surfaces can expose fit, friction, and loading problems. Check in when symptoms or conditions change, and use only footwear already tested for the course.
• The directory does not mark this as having simpler logistics. Confirm qualification, terrain, support, registration, medical, and withdrawal requirements before planning around it.
• Entry is selective and performance-based
• The published page gives conflicting field limits of 25 and 30
• World Athletics shoe rules and USATF competition rules can affect record attempts
• The organizer’s prize table sets the women’s 100-mile world record at 12:42:40. The IAU’s list dated May 6, 2026 still shows that time as the record. It lists Caitriona Jennings’s November 2025 mark at Tunnel Hill as the women’s 40–44 record, and its May 1, 2026 pending list shows Ashley Paulson’s 12:19:34 from February 2026 with data or clarifications requested.
• The organizer’s record table still marks Sarah Webster’s women’s 24-hour world record as pending at 278.622. The IAU’s records page lists 278.621 km, updated January 23, 2026.
• All 100-mile and 24-hour entrants register for the 24-hour event. There is no DNF: results show the furthest distance reached, with the 100-mile split listed separately.
• Track etiquette is enforced. Hug the inside lane, pass on the outside, and move to the outside of lane 2 or inside of lane 3 for extended walk breaks; blatant violators can be disqualified.
• Record attempts allow music only from an MP3 player. A phone used for music must stay in airplane mode, and any communication on it could void a record (Rule 144.3b).
• Runners may leave the track but must return to the same spot, not re-enter beside the timing equipment, and cannot leave the fenced area and come back (Rule 163.6a).

Event FAQs

Related Preparation

• Browse the curated 24-hour race calendar
• Browse Arizona Ultramarathons
• Compare this race in the full 2026 calendar
• Browse the 24-hour race calendar
• Open the 24-Hour format guide
• Compare all race formats
• Use the timed-race pace calculator
• Plan checkpoint arrivals and cutoff buffers
• Print a pace band for your goal time
• Estimate race calories and plan fueling
• Build a crew and drop-bag plan
• Build a race-specific gear checklist