Badwater Ultramarathon: Will You Get In?

There's a question we're asked all the time and it goes like this:

"I've done X, Y, and Z races. Will I get into Badwater next year?"

EVERYBODY who sends us that email receives the same reply, and here it is:

Thanks for writing and for your interest in the Badwater Ultramarathon. We really appreciate your enthusiasm, however we have a policy of not “giving odds” on the likelihood of being accepted to race. 

Every year we receive a greater number of applications than the year before, despite the fact that we raise the minimum qualifying standard required to apply nearly every year. The system is clearly explained on the website for all to see and review. In other words, we don’t give “secret tips” to people who take the time to email us for more information. 

We will say that It's a good idea to plan a few years in advance for this race, not only to prepare yourself mentally and physically, but also to line up the qualifications that will give you a decent shot at being invited to compete. (On that note, we are very consistent in our adherence to qualifying standards, equal to our enforcement of the rules of the race when it unfolds. In other words, “no exceptions for any reason.”) 

All that said, we encourage you to attend the race as a pacer / crew member. Not only would you be helping somebody complete the race, but you would learn a lot in the in process and also acquire another important component for any future Badwater application. You can post your availability to do so at our Badwater Bulletin Board. 

You should also focus on finishing at least a few, if not several, 100-mile races and/or 135-mile races before your apply to compete. Note that running stage races do not count as qualifiers for our event. There are more Badwater sister events in the works - 135 continuous miles long in extreme terrain - which will ultimately become “Badwater Qualifiers,” largely replacing the “application review” system we currently use to select our race field. Info here. 

To find other ultrarunning events in which to compete, check out the calendar in Ultra Running Magazine and on their website. 

Finally, you should be sure to subscribe to our email newsletter, so that you stay in the loop. 

Thank you again for your inquiry. We hope to see you “out there” in the near future!