The Mammoth 200 Course Preview for 2026!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Play The Mammoth 200⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Video Game!Learn about our Patreon Offers!: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/DistancetoEmptyPod ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get some free DTE Swag by supporting out sponsors!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://janji.com/pages/distance-to-empty⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and be sure to select 'podcast' > 'Distance to Empty' on the post purchase "How did you hear about Janji" page. Thank you!Check out Mount to Coast here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mounttocoast.com/discount/Distance⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kevin and Peter break down the 2026 Mammoth 200 course, just days before race weekend. Kevin ran the race last year and shares his memories of each section, while Peter, who hasn't run it, serves as emotional support co-host. They cover what's changed for 2026 and go through the course section by section, with difficulty ratings, crew tips, and where things get tough.What's new in 2026Start time is 9 AM, an hour later than last year, and the race is a week later in the calendarThe course is now billed at 218 miles (up from 214), and the cutoff has been extended to 109 hoursGU Energy Labs replaces Never Second as the nutrition sponsor, and all aid stations are cuplessDuck Pass (mile 17) is now water onlyThe first crew-accessible stop is now CRC at mile 24, about 8 miles sooner than last year's Sherwin CreekThe longest gap between aid stations is now 15.4 miles (CRC to Convict Lake)Crowley Lake has moved to the ball fieldGreen Church is now Watterson SummitLee Vining has moved to Gus Hess Community Park, with an outdoor sleep stationRunners now pass under Highway 395 at the Rush Creek Overpass instead of crossing with a crossing guardWalker Lake is now a full aid stationThere's a new water drop at the bottom of the Parker Bench descentJune Lake Junction replaces Obsidian Dome, and Upper Deadman (Glass Creek) replaces Inyo CratersThe indoor Main Lodge aid station (mile 207) replaces Minaret Vista, followed by a steeper, shorter climb to the summitThe course by the numbers218 miles, roughly 31,000 feet of gain and lossHigh point of 11,053 feet, with an average elevation around 8,000 feetA loop around a caldera roughly 760,000 years oldSection-by-section highlightsVillage to CRC: the Dragon's Back descent is the most technical part of the courseCRC to Crowley Lake: a hot valley-floor gravel road, then the Convict Lake loop at sunsetCrowley Lake to Watterson Summit: sandy, punchy double track and the Lion's Den tunnelWatterson to Sawmill to Taylor Canyon: some of the hardest miles on the course, with pumice, exposure, and a non-crew aid stationTaylor Canyon to Crater Mountain: fast, runnable double track through Jeffrey pine forestCrater Mountain to Lee Vining: moonscape views, a long descent, and one easy-to-miss turnLee Vining to Upper Deadman: Parker Bench, an overgrown descent, and a steep climb out of June LakeThe final push: Main Lodge, the summit, and a 3,000-foot descent to the villageKevin and Peter also share crew logistics, including a reminder to double-check driving directions to Watterson Summit and Crooked Meadows, since Google Maps often gets them wrong. They wrap up with advice for the weekend: be ready for anything the Sierra weather throws at you, and keep troubleshooting.Important: Always verify details against the current official race and course manual, since changes often happen after recording.Also mentionedThe Canal Corridor Hundred on October 10, where Kevin and Peter are runningThe free Oregon Trail-style Mammoth video game (link in show notes)The Meet the Mammoth series and last year's course preview with HillarySponsorsJanji: Order, choose "podcast" then "Distance to Empty" on the post-purchase survey, and send us a screenshot for free Distance to Empty swag.Mount to Coast: Use code DISTANCE for 10% off.Support the show: Check out our Patreon for coaching options (first link in the show notes).