Desert Rats Trail Running Festival
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Desert RATS Trail Running Festival by UTMB
The Desert RATS Trail Running Festival by UTMB is a multi-day trail running event held in Fruita, Colorado. The festival program comprises three days of racing across trails that run along the Colorado River, up onto mesas, and over red slickrock cliff buttes and desert singletrack.
Races include four distances with documented elevation gains:
- 100 KM 2050 M+ elevation
- 48 KM (50K) 1050 M+ elevation
- 21 KM 700 M+ elevation
- 9 KM (10K) 200 M+ elevation
The event functions as a dual qualifier. Runners who complete the 100 KM within 20 hours earn a qualifier to bid for a spot in the Western States Endurance Run. Finishers of the 100 KM, 50 KM, or 21 KM receive a UTMB Index and Running Stones that can be applied to the UTMB World Series Finals lottery.
The festival format includes a basecamp festival party and a free kids race, and the organizer describes additional weekend activities for families. The UTMB Community Bibs program is associated with the event; a portion of community bib funds and half of community bib registration costs are directed to a local charity chosen by the race team, and the program is part of The IRONMAN Foundation initiative. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
