At 4 AM this Saturday, June 6, in Woodstock, Virginia, the gun went off for the Old Dominion 100. 250 runners have 28 hours to cover 100 miles through the Shenandoah Valley — with 15,000+ feet of elevation gain on horse trails. It's one of America's oldest 100-mile ultramarathons, first held in 1979.
In a calendar saturated with new, spectacle-driven ultras, the Old Dominion remains a pilgrimage. No promotional drones, no corporate Instagram stories — just trail runners, passionate volunteers, and 100 miles of unmodified Appalachian terrain.
Old Dominion 100 at a glance
- Founded 1979 — among America's oldest 100-mile races
- 100 miles with ~15,000 ft of elevation gain through the Shenandoah Valley
- Start: 4 AM, June 6, 2026, Woodstock, Virginia
- Cutoff: 28 hours (sub-24h earns the coveted silver buckle)
- 2025 reference: Andrew Simpson in 15:33:55
What makes this race different
The Old Dominion runs on horse trail networks used by the Virginia Tevis — a historic equestrian race — since the 1970s. The course crosses George Washington National Forest and the Appalachian foothills, with sections on narrow dirt paths where decades of horse traffic have shaped the terrain.
This isn't a «packaged» trail race. There's no neon flagging every 200 meters, no influencer aid stations. It's a test of navigation, relative self-sufficiency, and endurance on terrain that's as humbling as it is beautiful.
The buckle tradition
The Old Dominion honors a hallmark American ultra tradition: the buckle distinction. All finishers receive a bronze buckle. Those finishing under 24 hours earn the silver buckle — more coveted, harder to get, a signal of a well-managed race over the full distance. It's a direct inheritance from the Western States and Tevis culture, where buckles are worn as genuine badges of achievement.
Context in the June 2026 ultra calendar
This June 6-7 weekend, the Old Dominion is one of 60 ultra events scheduled across North America alone, according to UltraRunning Magazine's race calendar. The density of the June ultra calendar is a direct consequence of the sport's massive growth since 2020.
But some races resist commodification. The Old Dominion is one of them. Its 250 entrants contrast with mega-events that register 10,000+ participants. Its finisher records, maintained since 1979, form a living archive of American ultra history.
How to follow the race
Live results and runner tracking are available on olddominionrun.com and UltraRunning Magazine. First finishers are expected by evening, with most runners crossing between midnight and 8 AM Sunday.