Dog Days Ultra

DETAILS & GUIDELINES

DATE

Saturday & Sunday, August 22-23, 2026

START/FINISH

The start and finish lines are the same! The start/finish line, located on the single (small) hill of the course, will be marked by a large arch with a chip-based timing mat. The primary aid station will be located by the start/finish line.

RELAY RULES

  • A 24-Hour Relay Team may have 2–6 members of any age or gender.
  • Runner transitions will be strictly enforced and may only occur in the designated relay exchange area near the start/finish zone.
  • From there, the next 24 hours are yours to design. Teams can swap runners every lap, every hour, every few hours—whatever strategy works best. Laps do not need to be evenly divided among team members. The only requirement is that all runner changes happen in the designated exchange area.
  • Each team will be assigned a Team Zone where runners can rest, refuel, and recharge between laps.
  • Have fun with it! Relay teams are encouraged to bring the energy—team names, costumes, themes, and creative setups in your Team Zone are all part of the experience. The more personality, the better.

PARKING

Parking is available in the paved parking lot next to the Little League baseball fields, by the corner of Tower St. and Spurgin Rd. Parking is also available in the paved parking lot next to Lindborg-Cregg Memorial Field, off of Maverick Lane. Check out our parking map (coming soon!)

**PLEASE DO NOT PARK along Spurgin Road, 37th Avenue, or North Avenue West. These are primarily residential areas and we want to respect our neighbors!

SWAG

  • Custom Dog Days Ultra Finishers Medal
  • Official Dog Days Ultra Finishers T-shirt
  • Custom bib
  • Free race day photos!
  • Custom Speed Cup (we are a cupless race!)
  • Post Race BBQ + Party!

GOING FOR A HUNDO?! 100 MILERS!

Should you complete 100 miles (approx 60 laps) – you will receive a custom 100 Mile Dog Days Ultra Belt Buckle!

RECOMMENDED GEAR

Almost the entire course is exposed, with no shade, so be prepared for hot, sunny days and cool nights. While you will run through the main aid station once every 1.68 miles (where there will be 24/7 ice and ice baths available), you are still responsible for keeping yourself cool while away from base camp! There is no required gear, but we do recommend that you bring the following and either keep it on your person or keep it available in your drop bag/crew area:

  • Sun hat or head wrap (ideally with neck protection)
  • Vest or waist belt
  • Ice bandanna
  • Portable water bottles (collapsible or hand-held)
  • Sunscreen
  • Sunglasses

CUPLESS EVENT

 This event is a cupless event, meaning… no paper cups at aid stations, no coffee cups, no bowl for your pickles. Please plan accordingly! We will provide all participants a collapsible HydraPak Speed Cup at bib pickup.  You may also fill your own hydration device (handheld, waist pack, bladder, etc.)  

DROP BAGS

All runners will be able to leave a drop bag at the start/finish line base camp area. You will be able to access your drop bag for the duration of the race. If you will be using a designated crew tent, please leave your drop bag there in order to save space in the drop bag area for those folks who do not have a crew tent.

CREWING

Crews are only permitted at the start/finish line base camp area. (Runners will be disqualified if they are crewed elsewhere on course.) There will be a designated crew tent area adjacent to the main base camp area. Please note that all crew members should be self-sufficient on race day! Aid station food and water are for runners only (except for planned shenanigans!).

CREW TENTS

Crew tent spots are only available to 24hr solo & relay/12hr/6hr runners. Crew tent spots are available on a first-come, first-serve basis and will be marked out in 10’x 10’ squares. Camping during the event is permitted in the specified camping area, on the southwest side of the start/finish line area. These areas are not covered, and runners are encouraged to bring their own tents, canopies or EZ-Ups. Flying in from out of town? Please see the Travel & Lodging page for information about accommodations and other facilities in the area.

Participants may begin setting up on Saturday morning (August 22) at 9:00 AM , three hours before the 24-hour start. Anything set up prior to this time will not be supervised and will be the sole responsibility of the runner. Crew tents must be taken down by 4:00 PM on Sunday, August 23.

TIMING

Dog Days Ultra uses chip timing and splits with live tracking on the Competitive Timing app.

 

 

PACERS

Pacers are not allowed for any of the races, as is generally the practice for fixed-time races. We will have a number of different races occurring simultaneously and want to ensure that runners have sufficient space out on the course. We understand that it is SUPER fun to do laps with pals, however, so we will have a total of ten guest bibs available at race headquarters by the start/finish line. Family and friends who wish to do a lap with their registered runner can check out one of the guest bibs and accompany their runner for a lap, and then check the guest bib back in. Only one guest may accompany a runner at a time, and must yield to all race participants. Any person on the race course must be wearing a bib. Please note that this is NOT a substitute for pacing a runner, and race officials reserve the right to withhold a guest bib from a guest if they observe that guest accompanying their runner for multiple laps or multiple times throughout the race. 

COURSE SNACKS

Check back in late spring for a list of aid on course. It will be plentiful! 

COURSE SAFETY

While this is a closed-loop course surrounded by fencing, it does have one road crossing at the entrance to the Big Sky Horse Park. This crossing will be well-marked with flags and traffic cones, but please use caution when crossing this driveway.

LEAVING THE COURSE

There are two timing mats, at the start/finish area (in and out). You must cross the first mat in order to complete one loop, and the second mat to start your next. If you leave the course (for example, if you are crewing yourself out of your car), you MUST notify a race official at the start/finish line when you leave and come back.

BIB PICKUP

ALL RACES

Friday, August 21 from 3:00-5:45 PM at Run Wild Missoula HQ; 125 East Main St. 

Saturday, August 22  at the Race Start from 9:00-11:00 AM Big Sky Park

Race Day packet pickup will end promptly at 11:00 AMon race morning.

3 HOUR ONLY

Sunday, August 23 at the Race Start from 7:00-7:45 AM.

Race Day packet pickup will end promptly at 7:45 AM on race morning.

POLES

Trekking poles are only allowed for runners age 70+ or with special permission by race management.

AGE REQUIREMENT

12 & 24 Hour Solo participants be at minimum 14 years old. Should your child under 14 years wish to race, please email the race director.

DROPPING OUT

Remember, there are no DNF’s in a fixed-time race! The goal is to run as far as you can within the allotted time. For some, this may look like continuous movement–for others, it may involve breaks. Feel like you’re reaching your limit? We encourage you to take a nap, lounge in the ice bath, eat lots of food and get hydrated. If you decide that you’ve truly had enough, please be prepared to drop at the start/finish line base camp area. You will need to notify a race official and surrender your bib.

HEADPHONES

Headphones are allowed, but we highly recommend only using one earbud or using bone-conduction headphones so that you are able to remain aware of your surroundings and listen to instructions from race officials and volunteers. Please do not bring speakers or play music/audio out loud. We love that you want to hype yourself up (or distract yourself), but not everyone wants to hear what you’re listening to!

BIBS

Bibs must be visible on the front of the body for the entirety of the race. If wearing layers, be prepared to adjust your bib as needed. As noted in the “Pacers” section, 10 guest bibs will be available for family and friends of runners who wish to run a lap with their registered runner. These bib guidelines apply to both registered runners and guests.

DOGS

While we realize that this is called Dog Days Ultra–and at RWM we all love dogs!–no dogs are allowed on the race course. But spectators can have leashed fidos in the start/finish area.

ASSISTING A RUNNER IN NEED

If you encounter a runner in distress you must stop to assist them. Let’s be good humans! Time spent rendering assistance to a fellow runner will be considered by race organizers to adjust finishing time.

POST-RACE CELEBRATION

Sunday, August 23, 12:00 PM

All-American BBQ… Burgers, Dogs (hotdogs!) and veggie options too! 

Cold Beer! Tunes! 

AWARDS

There will be awards! We are just finagling what they are – stay tuned! 

Sunday, August 23, 12:20 PM – Awards Cermony

SHIRT EXCHANGE

Yep! Participants are welcome to exchange their unworn 2026 race shirts at the Run Wild Missoula offices, at 125 East Main, beginning Monday, June 29, from 10:00 AM– 4:00 PM. Headed out of town? Send us an email. 

REFUND POLICY

Please consult this page.

RACE CANCELLATION

Please consult our Cancellation Policy.

TRANSGENDER ATHLETE & GENDER INCLUSION POLICIES

Please refer to the Run Wild Missoula Gender Inclusion Policy.

SAFETY COMMITMENT

The safety of our participants and volunteers is a top priority of Dog Days Ultra organizers. We also want to stress the opportunity to be good stewards of the land. Deviation from race guidelines can result in disqualification at the sole discretion of the race organizers. Thank you!