Coming Soon Calgary's Backyard Ultra!

Al Howie Award for most Loops Covered

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Buckles for 24 loops or More the most coveted of Items.

Why a belt buckle - here is a history lesson, Running a 100-mile ultramarathon tests athletes both physically and mentally in ways few other pursuits can match. The reward at the end, aside from the accomplishment of putting the mind and body through hours of grueling stress to complete a seemingly insurmountable feat, is the coveted belt buckle. The iconic belt buckle represents not just a finish line crossed, but each also tells the unique story of struggle, self-discovery, and resilience.

IT all started here really  

The first belt buckle awarded during a 100-mile race was in 1974 to Gordy Ainsleigh who wanted to see if he could complete the Western State Trail Ride in 24 hours.

Ainsleigh had completed the ride several times prior, often running ahead of his horse. Inspired by the soldiers and determined to prove that someone could complete 100 miles in 24 hours on foot, Ainsleigh decided to run the Western States Trail Ride. Already an endurance runner, who had run the Castle Rock 50-mile ride and won the 42-mile Ride & Ties, a leapfrog-style race with a team of two people and one horse, Ainsleigh finished in 23:42, earning a belt buckle.

In 1977, Robie decided to add a 100-mile run to the event, calling the inaugural event the Western States National One Day Run. Runners who finished under 24 hours would receive a belt buckle.

The following year, the run moved to a month before the ride, after participants expressed concerns about sharing the trail, particularly on single-track sections. From that point, the race became known as the 

WSER Western States Endurance Run

Finisher or DNF mugs for all

T-shirts for 3,6,12 and LSM choose to buy one on entering