Street festival to kick off Canyons Endurance Runs

Around the world, there are only five races that serve as a "golden ticket event" for the Western States Endurance Run. One such event is taking place in Auburn next Saturday, April 23: The Canyons Endurance Runs. Ultra runners from around the world will try their luck on the 100-kilometer trek from Auburn to the finish line at China Wall. "This is an altered course. The original canyons run started and finished in Foresthill," said race founder and director Chaz Sheya. "When the pandemic came, the agencies wouldn't allow cross traffic on the trail, but they did allow a point-to-point race." The race has come a long way since its establishment in 2014. In the first year, the only competition was a 50K. Sheya decided to add the 100K in 2015, and the race received Western States qualifier status in 2016. Today, the race is part of the UTMB World Series and is expected to have the most competitive field of any ultra in the United States. Sheya said there are elite and professional runners in all distances, including Ironman CEO Andrew Messick. "This course is a different type of challenge. There's close to the same amount of climbing as Western States has in two-thirds of the distance," Sheya said, adding the course gives runners the unique ability to experience part of the Western States Trail. "It gives people the opportunity to get on the course and prepare for Western States. That was the whole reason I started the race was to give people the opportunity to learn the trail in the canyons." The festivities kick off Friday night with a street festival from 5-8 p.m. at the starting line - the corner of High Street and Lincoln Way. There will be food, beer, music and vendors. Then, it's off to bed for the competitors, as the 100K begins at 5 a.m. Saturday. The 50K will begin an hour later at 6 a.m., followed by the 25K at 6:30. The top three male and female finishers at each distance receive a golden ticket for Western States.