High Lonesome 100 2020 Cancellation Announcement

Dear High Lonesome 100 Family,

It is with a heavy and defeated heart that I am announcing the full cancellation of the 2020 High Lonesome 100. We have worked countless hours to save the race, both in July and by a plan-B postponement to October. However, given the myriad of challenges and hurdles presented by this global pandemic, we have come to this difficult conclusion. As we believe deeply in transparency and honesty, I will attempt to explain the process and outcome in the hopes that it will help you understand what we have been up against and have a more complete picture of our decision making process.

All emails sent to runners, including the results of the runners surveys, are available on our blog.

We have spent the past 10 weeks in extensive communication with our team, board, permitting agencies, health officials, sponsors, partners, and other race organizations. Through those conversations, it became apparent that there was virtually no chance that group-size limitations would be lifted in time for our traditional July dates. We then turned our focus towards the feasibility of an early October race. Initially this seemed a positive direction as both runners and our board favored it; however, as we dove deeper into this option, the challenges – both permitting and operational –quickly became overwhelming: weather, group size limits, volunteer safety, medical volunteer availability, loss of team members, permitting issues, additional costs, and more.

In a normal year, any one of those problems would be surmountable. We could possibly even overcome 2-3 of these hurdles in a given year…but not all of them, and not amidst the uncertainty of a pandemic. Even with the postponement to October, the two largest challenges are that - at best - we would be limited to a group size of 250 people and still run a high risk of being denied a county permit at the last minute. With a field of 125 runners and only 80 volunteers (about half of our normal crew), that would leave room for only 45 additional people. Our option then would be to either reduce the field, reduce the number of aid stations, or ban crews, pacers and spectators completely. High Lonesome is about community and to chip away at it so substantially would have changed the character of the event to such a large degree that it would no longer represent the event that bears its name. Our runners signed up to run the High Lonesome and we are sadly confident that we cannot offer runners that experience in this climate.

Unfortunately, this means that our only remaining option is to cancel the event. Our cancelation policy, which each person reads and agrees to during registration, states:

While unlikely, there are situations that might result in the cancellation of the event (fires, natural disasters, trail closures, ect). As many of the expenses of putting on the race are incurred far in advance, we will never be able to offer a full refund. However, we will refund as much money as possible. Our method will be to take the unspent portion of race entry fees, and divide it up proportionally across all runners. By registering for the race you agree to this policy and understand that the amount of a potential refund will be much less than your registration fee.

We have already spent the majority of our budget (which was down 15% due to sponsor loss and other COVID19 reasons), most of which is not refundable or deferable. Our current expenditures as a percentage of the entry fee are as follows:

25% Federal, state, and local taxes

18% Non-profit donations

13% Equipment purchases

13% Belt buckles

9% Permits

8% Operational expenses

5% Non-refundable deposits and reservations

4% Refundable deposits and reservations

5% Unspent

Following this policy would mean that we would only be able to refund $40 (9%) per person. I won’t lie to you, that feels like a laughably small amount, and so we have decided that we will offer runners two different, and hopefully more appealing, options. Runners will have the choice between a $100 refund OR an automatic lottery bypass and a 35% discount ($157.50) for 2021.

I know that to some this may still seem like not enough, and I understand that feeling. I am sorry that we aren’t able to offer more, but the unfortunate reality is that High Lonesome is still a startup. We have yet to turn a profit let alone build the financial safety net we know we need. Over the past three years, Kelsey and I have invested roughly $35,000 of our own money to bring this race to life. With this cancelation, and a discounted 2021, we are yet again placing a significant financial burden on the race and our personal finances. I’ll be honest, I don’t think we can survive another bad year. I don’t say this to guilt you, or to try and deflect your frustrations. I’m telling you this because I think you deserve to know the context that race is in. Beyond our own balance sheet, our cancelation will have a ripple effect in the Sawatch community and beyond. Since our inception, we have donated over $20,000 to five different non-profits who will now also feel the strain. Our sponsors, especially other small business like 7000 Feet Running Company, will lose critical income.

In hope of reducing the fallout for others, we are offering the choice of donating refunds to one of our trail-building non-profits or one of our two sponsoring independent running stores. If runners would like, they can also choose to waive the discount for 2021, though they are under no obligation to do so nor do we expect it.

As I write this, I am filled with an overwhelming sense of sadness and loss. Emotions that I’m sure I am not alone in feeling. I know how hard you have all worked hard to reach this race, and I wish there was a way to make this better.

We must remember though, that we are not ill-equipped for these times. Ultrarunners, more than any other athlete, know how to deal with suffering. We put our heads down, put one foot in front of the other, and continue to look for the glimmers of hope that keep us moving forward. Whether it is in the darkest part of the night or in the middle of a pandemic, I know that we will weather this storm, and that our community will return all the more vibrant for it.

I look forward, now more than ever, to seeing you all in the Sawatch when we meet next.

Regards,

Caleb, Kelsey, and the High Lonesome Team.