Results
Results pending: this edition has finished but the directory has not yet recorded a published result. Check the official results page for the latest standings.
Event Overview
| Date | Oct 10-11, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Location | Cassoday, Kansas, USA |
| Format | Fixed-Distance |
| Terrain | Road |
| Region | North America |
| Distance / duration | 100 mi |
| State / area | Kansas (KS) |
| Course model | Out-and-back |
| Edition note | The standard 100-mile race starts October 10 at 6:00 AM. A 4:00 AM Saturday start and a Friday 10:00 PM start for runners aged 50+ require written race-director approval. The registration copy gives conflicting Sunday finish deadlines for early starters; confirm the applicable deadline directly. |
| Elevation gain | Approximately 6,000 ft |
| Cutoff | 30 hours standard; approved early starts allow longer limits |
| Start | 6:00 AM Saturday (standard 100-mile start) |
| Highlights | Flint Hills, Gravel and Dirt Roads |
Course & Terrain
Out-and-back route from Cassoday on approximately 99% backcountry gravel and dirt roads through the Flint Hills.
Key course features to know before comparing this race:
- Tallgrass prairie and rolling Flint Hills roads
- Minimal paved mileage on a wide-open out-and-back
The nontechnical road surface is exposed, rolling, and repetitive, making wind, temperature, pacing, and foot comfort important.
Why This Race Matters
Heartland 100 is a useful reference point for runners comparing long fixed-distance ultras where most of the field runs through the night. Its format, terrain, and support model shape the kind of preparation required: not just fitness, but pacing discipline, nutrition planning, foot care, and the ability to make good decisions under fatigue.
Preparing for a Race Like Heartland 100
The 100-mile race guide covers the format as a whole. These guides go deeper:
- Walking strategy for ultramarathons: When and how to walk by terrain, effort and cutoffs.
- Crew and aid-station strategy: Crew tables, aid stops, drop bags and runner preferences.
- Gut training for ultrarunners: A six-week practice sequence for race-day fueling.
- Tapering for ultramarathons: Plan the taper and race week around your own recovery.
Planning Notes
- Treat intermediate cutoff gates as part of the course. Build enough margin for aid stops and late-race slowdown, and verify every current gate in the official rules.
- 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.
Event FAQs
What is the standard Heartland 100 cutoff?
The official entry lists a standard 30-hour cutoff, with separate approved early-start options.
Is Heartland 100 a trail race?
It is an out-and-back ultramarathon on predominantly backcountry gravel and dirt roads rather than technical singletrack.
Related Preparation
- Compare verified US 100-mile races
- Compare this race in the full 2026 calendar
- Open the 100-Mile format guide
- Open the Fixed-Distance format guide
- Compare all race formats
- Use the timed-race pace calculator
- Plan checkpoint arrivals and cutoff buffers
- Build a crew and drop-bag plan
- Build a race-specific gear checklist
Verification & Sources
Verification scope: the listed edition's date, location, format, and available logistics were checked against the event-specific official sources below during the directory review dated August 10, 2026. Organizers can revise details after review.
- Official 2026 Heartland 100 entry and results — https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=133168
- Official results — https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=133169
- Multiday Running event directory review scope: August 10, 2026.