4927 E. County Road 36, Fort Collins CO
Saturday, November 7th, 2026
Welcome to the Colorado 24 Hour Run! We aim to provide a fun, welcoming race experience that allows everyone to find a challenge, no matter where you’re at on your running journey. Want to see how far you can go in 6, 12 or 24 hours? Or achieve a new furthest distance? What about setting your fastest marathon, 50K or more? You’ve got the time and opportunity with a fully supported 1mi dirt loop that is easy on the eyes and feet. Come run for a day and/or a night and cheer on others as we strive together for our personal bests.
We aspire to not only offer a first-class running experience on the most scenic flat one-mile dirt loop you’ll find in Colorado, but also a top-notch post-race experience that will leave your bellies full and the stories flowing.
- Start: Colorado Youth Outdoors - Swift Ponds Campus, Fort Collins, CO.
- Duration: 24 Hours, 12 Hours, 6 Hours
- Elevation: 4,826'
- Terrain: 100% dirt road
- Fauna: Raptors, Cranes, Geese, Ducks, Largemouth Bass, Catfish, Perch, Bluegill
- Registration Cap: 300
- Date: Nov 7-8, 2026
- Course Open: 8:00am - 8:00am
Pertaining to the mid-race change from Daylight Savings Time to Standard Time, all race clocks will stay on race time (aka DST) until the conclusion of the event.
Welcome to the Colorado 24 Hour Run! We aim to provide a fun, welcoming race experience that allows everyone to find a challenge, no matter where you're at on your running journey. Want to see how far you can go in 6, 12 or 24 hours? Or achieve a new furthest distance? What about setting your fastest marathon, 50K or more? You've got the time and opportunity with a fully supported 1mi dirt loop that is easy on the eyes and feet. Come run for a day and/or a night and cheer on others as we strive together for our personal bests.
We aspire to not only offer a first-class running experience on the most scenic flat one-mile dirt loop you'll find in Colorado, but also a top-notch post-race experience that will leave your bellies full and the stories flowing.
Registration
24 Hour Race Fees:
Dec 15 - April 30: $150 + $10.00 fee
May 1 - July 31: $175 + $11.50 fee
August 1 - Nov 7: $200 + $13.00 fee
12 Hour Race Fees:
Dec 15 - April 30: $125 + $8.50 fee
May 1 - July 31: $145 + $9.70 fee
August 1 - Nov 7: $165 + $10.90 fee
6 Hour Race Fees:
Dec 15 - April 30: $90 + $6.40 fee
May 1 - July 31: $105 + $7.30 fee
August 1 - Nov 7: $125 + $8.50 fee
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24 Hour RELAY Race Fees:
Dec 15 - April 30: $225 + $14.50 fee
May 1 - July 31: $250 + $13.50 fee
August 1 - Nov 7: $275 + $14.75 fee
12 Hour RELAY Race Fees:
Dec 15 - April 30: $200 + $13.00 fee
May 1 - July 31: $225 + $14.50 fee
August 1 - Nov 7: $250 + $13.50 fee
6 Hour RELAY Race Fees:
Dec 15 - April 30: $175 + $11.50 fee
May 1 - July 31: $200 + $13.00 fee
August 1 - Nov 7: $225 + $14.50 fee
All Relay Team Members must fill out the registration form & sign the waiver, up to a maximum of 6 team members. First person to register / create the team pays the registration fee, and there is no additional fee for additional members. All team members will receive a shirt, finisher award and (of course) burgers, beer, aid & more.
Looking to register as a family for a relay? Colorado Youth Outdoors is all about families recreating together in the outdoors, and we're fully on board with that! If you have a team all from the same household, we'd love to give you 25% off your relay registration. Contact us before you register to get that code.
What You Get in Return for Your Registration Fee
- The most scenic flat 1 Mile loop in Colorado
- Enthusiastic, knowledgeable race staff & volunteers
- Gender specific race T-shirt
- Finisher award (including belt buckles for individual 100mi+ achievers!)
- Free race photos
- Full-Service Hot Food Aid Station
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and non-alcoholic options are available as part of our standard race fare
- Medical coverage
- Real-time results
Fundraising
Our host, Colorado Youth Outdoors, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. They are all about building relationships through outdoor recreation. We strongly encourage all of our entrants to raise support for CYO as part of their race. Ask friends and family to challenge you with a per-lap donation, or simply make a one-time gift. Runners can also donate as part of their registration.
Recognition and awards will be given for the three top fundraisers overall, as well as those achieving $200, $500 and $1000 tiers.
Gnar Runners will be donating $0.05 for every lap completed by every runner - so get your booty moving!
Colorado Youth Outdoors is where Relationships grow. They teach archery, survival skills, spin & fly fishing, fly tying and shooting sports to teens and their adults. While you and your teen are outside having fun together, they have discussions around participation, appreciation, communication, and dedication. These aren’t just words; they’re action items for building relationships. The goal: Time Well Spent building healthy lifelong relationships. CYO is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Swift Ponds (CYO's campus) is a beautiful 220 acre property on the east side of I-25 and about a mile south of Harmony road in Fort Collins Colorado. The Swift Ponds property was purchased by Louis Swift in 1969. Louis Swift was a visionary who had a dream of turning his newly purchased property into a great fishery, sanctuary for wildlife and an educational and recreational property for the community.
Transfer Credit & Distance Change Policy
If you are not able to race, we will be able to offer a race transfer credit that can be applied to any future Gnar Runners race (valid for 12 months). Credit deadlines are as follows:
Until April 30: 100% credit of registration (excluding RunSignup fees)
May 1 - July 31: 75% credit of registration (excluding RunSignup fees)
August 1 - Nov 6: 50% credit of registration (excluding RunSignup fees)
Deferrals:
- Log in to your RunSignup account
- Go to Profile, Upcoming Races, Colorado 24 Hour Run, Manage Registration
- At the bottom of the page, select “Defer Registration” and follow the automated process.
- While RunSignup will prompt you to, you DO NOT have to immediately choose which race to apply your credit to. Once you hit "Confirm Deferral" and see the "Your registration has been deferred" message, your credit is in the system and will be valid for one year past the event date.
Duration Switch:
- Log on to your RunSignup account
- Go to Profile -> Upcoming Races -> Colorado 24 Hour Run -> Manage Registration
- At the top, click the link to "Transfer Event"
- Follow the steps to register for the race in the new duration
Runners stepping up in duration can pay the additional registration fee to upgrade to the marathon race. There is no charge for runners dropping down in duration.
The online deadline to transfer is Thursday (11/6) at midnight. It can also be done in person at packet pickup.
Runners who switch durations on Thursday or before will be eligible for awards in their new race duration category. Race day switches are not eligible for awards.
Cancellation Policy
Entries are non-refundable. Entries are non-transferable, except for transfers via the wait list. In the event the race is cancelled due to extreme weather, fire, disease or for some other unforeseeable event, we cannot offer refunds or credits.
Course & Aid Stations
The amount of vertical/gain loss on the loop is ZERO (or at least it's so small that any mapping software can't get beyond the margin of error!)
Runners will reverse direction on the loop every 6 hours. Reversal notices will be posted at the start/finish. When you hear a reversal announced, COMPLETE THE LOOP YOU'RE ON before changing direction.
The course is U.S.A.T.F. certified at 1.0002mi (ID# CO240003MWC). The race is U.S.A.T.F. sanctioned, ID# 155337
Course Map
Elevation Profile
Course GPX File
- Colorado 24 Hour Run (Current for 2025)
Aid Stations
The Start/Finish pavilion will have a full-service aid station, available every 1 mile lap. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options will be available constantly. Options will include:
- Gnarly Nutrition sports drink
- Hammer Nutrition gels
- Water and ice
- Salty snacks: Pretzels, potato chips, corn chips
- Fruit: Oranges and Bananas plus additional variety depending on seasonal availability
- Sweets: Cookies, M&M's, Gummy bears
- Soda: Coke, Ginger Ale
- Hot Soup/Broth
- Hot Drinks - Coffee, Tea, Cocoa
- Hot Sandwiches/Quesadillas - Grilled Cheese, Grilled Ham & Cheese
- Bacon
- Burgers - Beef & Veggie with fixings
***There will be GF/Vegan alternatives for nearly all non-GF/V standard offerings. These are typically held back to save them for those who need them, so please ASK! Also note that while we will do our best to keep utensils and trays separated for these as well as common allergens, this is the backcountry and cross-contamination can occur.
While we will provide plenty of electrolyte options in drink mix and salty real foods, we deem the risks associated with salt in concentrated pill form to be more than we're comfortable providing. We won't restrict runners from using their own salt caps, but will not have them available at aid stations.
Richardson Hall (Lodge)
The CYO campus lodge (Richardson Hall) will be open for those who need a respite in a heated, indoor space during the event. Located approximately 0.2mi off the course loop at the southwest corner of the campus (opposite end of the start/finish/aid), it will have space available for crews & runners. Parking in its lot and crewing in and around the building is allowed. You're even welcome to nap inside, though we make no promises about quiet.
Runners who depart the course to visit the lodge MUST RETURN TO THE COURSE AT THE SAME POINT THEY LEFT IT (Rule #2). If a runner leaves the course and a directional change takes place while they are off course, they must finish their partial loop in the same direction they were originally traveling before reversing (Rule #3).
Unless you're planning to park at the lodge for the duration, we strongly recommend that crew should plan on parking at the main lots and walking to/from the lodge to cut down on vehicle traffic & dust.
Personal Aid Stations & Crew
Runners will be allowed to set up their own personal aid station. There is a large lot immediately across from the start/finish/aid that will be open for runners to set up in. Space is first-come, first-serve. No camping/sleeping tents are allowed; popup-style canopies are fine. Please keep your footprint to a maximum of 10'x10' in respect for your fellow runners.
Family and friends are allowed to assist their runners at any point on the loop, but may only set up a station within the Personal Aid area. Aid must be given in a generally stationary setting - walking a few paces is fine, but crews can't join their runners in traveling the full loop.
Runners or crews arriving or departing after the course opens at 8:00a on Saturday may walk on the inner (foot traffic) loop to transit between parking areas and the start/finish/aid. Please stay on the outside of the lane and give priority to runners on course.
Runners may take breaks as they choose during their race.
Toilets
There will be multiple portos at the main start/finish/aid. There will be an additional porto at roughly the halfway point of the loop. Modern bathrooms are available in Richardson Hall.
Race Rules
Race rules are designed to provide a safe and fair experience for everyone involved and to help ensure our ability to produce the race again next year. Major rule infractions by racers will result in immediate disqualification of the racer. Please do not argue with or harass our volunteers. Please direct any questions and feedback to the Race Directors on race day or contact us ahead of race day here.
- Runners must cross the lap timing mat ONLY upon the completion of a full loop.
- If a runner leaves the course (including to spend time in aid), THEY MUST RETURN TO THE COURSE AT THE EXACT SAME SPOT to continue.
- If a runner leaves the course and a directional change takes place while they are off course, they must finish their partial loop in the same direction they were originally traveling before reversing.
- Runners may start and stop their efforts at any time, taking as many or as long of breaks as they wish (even leave the campus) as long as they abide by the first three rules. Runners do not have to inform staff about breaks.
- Only full laps will be counted in the runners' total. For purposes of tiebreakers, the first one to finish the last lap will be declared the winner.
- If a runner is pursuing a national/international record or qualifying standard, we will be equipped with an on-site Jones Counter to measure partial final laps. Those individuals should declare their intentions to the Race Director prior to their start.
- RELAY TEAMS: Multiple team members may be on the track at a time, but the team will have one bib and only laps for the bib holder will count toward the team's total.
- Purposeful littering is prohibited and will result in an immediate disqualification.
- No short cutting.
- Dogs are not allowed on Colorado Youth Outdoors campus (not even as spectators - sorry).
- Fishing or other play in the campus ponds is not allowed.
- Unregistered runners are not allowed on course.
- Personal aid stations must be set up in the designated area by the start/finish/aid. No personal aid stations may be set up in the parking lots
- No camping tents. Popup-style canopies are fine.
- STRICT 15 MPH speed limit on the Colorado Youth Outdoors campus. The campus is open for race traffic only - this is a private venue and private road.
- Pertaining to the mid-race change from Daylight Savings Time to Standard Time, all race clocks will stay on race time (aka DST) until the conclusion of the event.
Schedule
Saturday 10/31:
| 6:30a MDT: | Campus opens to runners. All Packet Pickup is on-site. |
| 7:55a MDT: | Pre-Race Briefing |
| 8:00a MDT: | Course Opens - 24 / 12 / 6 Hr Mass Start |
| 12:00p MDT: | Hot Food Service Begins |
| 2:00p MDT: | 6 Hr Finish + Awards |
| 8:00p MDT: | 12 Hr Finish + Awards |
Sunday 11/1:
| 7:00a MST: | Course Closes (note time change) |
| 7:20a MST: | 24 Hour Awards |
Parking & Directions
The main loop road will be divided into two lanes with a coned divider. The inside lane will be the race course - foot traffic only (10-12' wide). The outer lane will be vehicle traffic. Vehicle traffic in that lane will be one-way only, moving counter-clockwise around the loop.
The main parking lot will be in a field on the northwest corner of the loop, about 0.2mi from the start/finish/aid. The lot will be signed with lanes marked.
Overflow parking will be available on the southwest corner of the loop, about 0.5mi from the start/finish/aid. There will not be marked lanes; please use common sense.
Parking is also allowed at Richardson Hall, but unless you're planning to park at the lodge for the duration, we strongly recommend parking at the main lots and walking to/from the lodge to cut down on vehicle traffic & dust.
There will NOT be parking immediately parallel to the loop. Runners may visit their vehicles mid-loop, but CANNOT set up a personal aid station in the parking lot and MUST return to the loop at the same point they left it before continuing forward.
Driving Directions
Course Map
Suggested Races
Find The Run Newsletter