Grindstone Running Festival by Utmb
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Grindstone Running Festival by UTMB
The Grindstone Running Festival by UTMB is a trail running event held 17 to 20 September 2026 at Natural Chimneys Park, Virginia. The course runs through acres of national forest just west of the Shenandoah Valley and includes miles inside the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest.
Runners encounter Appalachian ridges, peaks, and valleys on largely technical terrain with significant elevation gain. The event is set during peak fall foliage and offers repeated ridge and mountain views along the trails.
The festival offers four distance options:
- 100M: 167.4 km; 6400 m+ elevation; 4 Running Stones
- 100K: 100 km; 3350 m+ elevation; 3 Running Stones
- 50K: 50 km; 1550 m+ elevation; 2 Running Stones
- 21K: 21 km; 500 m+ elevation; 1 Running Stone
Grindstone is a dual qualifier for the UTMB World Series Finals and the Western States Endurance Run. UTMB Community Bibs are available; half of those registration proceeds support a local charity chosen by the race team and the program is part of IRONMAN Foundation charitable giveback efforts. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
