A common saying in the ultra running community is that running a 100-mile ultramarathon is like condensing a lifetime of emotions into a single day. The fluctuating highs and lows include intense bouts of elation and despair, conflicting cycles of confidence and doubt, and streaming tears of joy and sorrow. While this may sound like a psychological condition bordering on insanity, finding the willpower to endure these myriad emotions while pushing yourself physically is what draws humans to run seemingly impossible distances in extreme environments. As an ultra runner, I’ve experienced these highs and lows on the trail. And now, as a race director, I’ve discovered that the same gamut of emotions—and the need to push through them—occurs throughout the process of creating and directing a 100-mile ultramarathon.

Pipe Dreams

On November 5, 2022, I felt that familiar upwelling of emotions as I directed the third-annual running of the Rim to River 100, a 100-mile endurance race I created that traverses the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. This ultrarun had long lived in the recesses of my mind while out on long runs traversing the gorge. For the better part of a decade, it sat idle as nothing more than a pipe dream. But I always knew that, sooner or later, I had to make the effort to bring it to life so that others could experience those same trials and tribulations I did during those early runs through the gorge. 

Facilitating meaningful and empowering outdoors experiences has been a defining objective for the vast majority of my adult life. Over the course of my 20-year career as commercial whitewater river guide, I developed an intense passion for spending time in the New River Gorge and an equal desire to help others experience it to their fullest ability. In 2020, with invaluable help from my wife Laura, I harnessed this passion to bring the idea into fruition with the successful running of the inaugural Rim to River 100. 

An Epic Route

The route traverses the public trails and roads in and around the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. Runners enjoy exposure following trails next to the legendary sandstone cliffs on the rim, test their knees down the steep forested hillsides, and muster their grit along the ancient banks of the river a thousand feet below. The route starts at ACE Adventure Resort, with runners getting expansive views—and their first opportunity to refuel— at the Concho Rim aid station at mile 7.5. This year’s first runners arrived just as sunrise illuminated the dramatic gorge below. From there, runners make their way past the historic Thurmond train depot and then alongside the churning rapids of the New River to the Cunard Aid Station at mile 27.

From Cunard, a steep, 1.5 mile climb leads to the Kaymoor Trail, past the coal mine ruins on the rim of the gorge. Runners follow the Kaymoor Trail high above the river on their way to the iconic Long Point overlook, a narrow, rocky promontory that juts into the expanse with postcard-worthy views of the New River Gorge Bridge. After refueling at the Long Point Aid Station at mile 38, runners drop back down the gorge to the Fayette Aid Station, directly underneath the massive arch of the bridge. Encompassed and inspired by the energetic sounds of whitewater rapids and thumping music at the aid station, the refueled runners make their way another seven miles downstream to the 50-mile turnaround point at the tiny town of Ansted. 

Over the full 100 miles, runners climb and descend a total of 13,000 feet—the length of the Daytona International Speedway— while traveling on a variety of surfaces comprised of 84 miles of trails, six miles of dirt roads, and 10 miles of pavement. From a guide’s perspective, I always enjoy sharing the gorge with visitors, and my mindset was no different when putting together this route. Expansive views, ghost towns, waterfalls, creek crossings, forgotten mine shafts, and world-class whitewater—this course showcases everything Laura and I have come to love about this place.

Toeing the Line

Two hundred and thirty runners toed the starting line at 6:00am on race day, knowing they had the next 32 hours to run 100 miles. It was unseasonably warm for this year’s event—afternoon highs approaching 80 degrees made the additional crux of proper hydration difficult for many runners. When reaching one of the eight different aid stations along the course, replenishing water and electrolytes along with calories was key.

By the 2:00 p.m. final cut-off time on Sunday afternoon, 143 runners were official Rim to River 100 finishers, earning the coveted ultramarathon finisher prize: a custom belt buckle engraved with the dramatic landscape they had just traversed. Twenty six runners finished the course in under 24 hours, an impressive accomplishment given the challenges of the route.

Dan Green from Huntington, WV, was the overall and men’s winner, finishing with a mind-blowing time of 15 hours and 34 minutes. His blazing time also set a new course record by three minutes. Sarah Wallace from Pittsburgh, PA, was this year’s fastest female and ninth-overall with an astonishing time of 22 hours and 46 minutes. Even more impressive was Sarah’s newly minted status as the first three-time finisher of the Rim to River 100. The finishing times varied all the way to the last finisher, who barely beat the cut-off clock with just 47 seconds to spare. Another highlight was local runner Molly Wolff, who completed the course after having to drop out at mile 80 during her inaugural attempt last year.

Not only do runners get to experience our beloved home, they also get a taste of our amazing community through the aid stations sponsored by local businesses, a bevy of volunteers, and the amazing atmosphere generated by this event. Local outdoor enthusiasts, community members, organizations, businesses, and fellow trail runners from neighboring states all came together to help make Laura’s and my dream come to fruition. People volunteered hours of their time at aid stations—often through the night—encouraging and caring for runners trying their best to complete the route. The landscape of the New River Gorge is what gets runners here initially, but the hospitality and passion of the aid station volunteers gets them to come back year after year.

Rim to River 100 runners also enjoy knowing that their entry fees have a direct impact on our community through helping to fund Adventure Appalachia, a nonprofit that Laura and I founded. Proceeds from the race go toward funding cost-free outdoor adventures for our local Fayette County high school students. Our goal is to eliminate barriers and expand access to all the world-class outdoor adventure opportunities we have here in the New River Gorge region, and in 2022 we were able to fund and facilitate trips for over 200 local high school students with activities like whitewater rafting, kayaking, rock, climbing, mountain biking, and zip-lining.

Community engagement, local impact, and epic endurance experiences in a place we love—these core tenets define the Rim to River 100. Ultra-distance running has allowed me to grow so much personally, and being a race director has done the same. When we put ourselves out there, explore our mental and physical limits, and face failure, we discover truly empowering experiences. Ultimately, it’s 100 miles of wild and wonderful, and we’re already getting excited about next year’s race. If you’d like to learn more, check out the Rim to River Endurance Company here, and check out Adventure Appalachia here. 

Bryant Baker is a proud father and husband, a river and trail enthusiast, and a forever-student of the wilderness.

Feature Photo: A runner crosses the New River on the Thurmond Bridge. Photo by Molly Wolff

Watch ‘Into The Well’, a documentary about the first ever Rim to River 100.