The Shenandoah Mountain Bike 100 and 100k is one of the best long-distance endurance mountain bike races in the United States and is part of the National Ultra Endurance Race Series (NUE). This top endurance MTB event is organized by the wonderful Shenandoah Mountain Touring, who organize some terrific custom bike trips and other races. Another one of the best endurance mountain bike races they organize is Wilderness 101. This epic race takes place in the beautiful rural mountains of Virginia, northwest of Charlottesville. Riders have the option of two lengths; the 100 kilometers length and the big boy/girl, the 100-mile race length. The 100k is on Saturday, with the 100 ‘miler’ taking place on Sunday Funday.
Shenandoah Mountain Touring is a class race organizer and puts the logistics and overall quality of the Shenandoah at a very high level, including good course markings and well-stocked aid stations. The aid station distances for reference are as follows for 2022:
Station #1 approx. 1-2 hours
Water or sports drink only- no drops or food. Station 1 mainly controls traffic flow in a multi-directional section of the course. Station #2 is only ten, mostly flat miles away.
Station #2 – 31 miles in – approx. 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours (This is also station #6. You will pass it again during your last 1-2 hours of the event)
Drops allowed. The station will be stocked with food and beverages to be announced later.
Station #3 – 45 miles in – approx. 3 1/2 to 5 hours — Hammer Gel Station
Drops are allowed. Anything but specific food is discouraged. The station will be stocked with food and beverages to be announced later.
Station #4 – 57 miles in – approx. 4 1/2 to 6 1/2 hours – Cold Coke
Drops are allowed. Anything but specific food is discouraged. The station will be stocked with food and beverages to be announced.
Station #5 – 75 miles in – approx. 5 1/2 to 10 hours — Hammer Gel Station, Pizza, and Cold Coke
Drops are encouraged! This is the drop-dead point. No one is permitted to continue past this section without lights or approval from the Chief past 4:20 PM. Warm clothes are suggested if you think you will be out after dark. There will be a cut-off even if you have lights. This will be announced at the start.
Station #6 – 88 miles in – approx. 7 to 14 hours (station #2 from earlier in the day)
Additional lights may be needed at this point. If you have been riding from #5 in the dark, it will take you at least 2 hours to finish the race in the dark. The leaders can do the last section in about 1 hour during daylight.
The endurance race of 100k starts at 9 am on Saturday, with the 100-mile length starting on Sunday at 6:30 am.
The Shenandoah Mountain Bike 100 is part of the National Ultra Endurance Series (NUE), which includes some of the best mountain biking events in the country. NUE comprises an Epic Series, 100-mile events, and a Marathon series, which includes 50-mile and 75k length events.
- True Grit 100/50
- Cohutta 100 – Big Frog 65
- Mohican MTB 100
- Wilderness 101k
- Telluride 100/50
- Shenandoah 100
- Marji Gesick 100/50
- Ring of Fire 100
- Big Grizzly 100/75
- Pierre’s Hole 50/100
Below, we have a terrific interactive map from Veloviewer in which you can see the map of the course and the 3-d profile of the elevation profile of the course. Play around with it! Very cool to see the visual details of the suffering you are going to undertake. For even more details on the course and the specifics, you can click on the Veloviewer link to see all the micro-details of the course you could imagine.
