Five athletes with a shot to finish the 2026 Midwest Grand Slam of Ultrarunning will toe the starting line July 25 during the Burning River 100.
Two of them — Andy Gullone and Jason Profitt — are trying to become ‘Super Slammers’ by finishing all five race of the series: Mohican Trail 100, Kettle Moraine 100, Burning River 100, Hallucination 100 and Indiana Trail 100.
Three others — Jessica Hardy, Brian Collins and Matt Novak — still have a chance to complete four races of the grand slam by finishing the final three events: Burning River 100, Hallucination 100 and Indiana Trail 100.
Profitt, 42, of Hilliard, Ohio, was 44th overall in 27:02:50. He finished Mohican this year in 28:04:10.
Gullone, 44, of Wheaton, Illinois, was 90th overall in 29:05:58. He finished Mohican this year in 29:48:28.
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When and where is the 2026 Burning River 100?
The Burning River 100, which is celebrating 20 years this summer, is a trail run that offers distances of 100 miles, 50 miles and a standard 26.2-mile marathon, as well as a 100-mile relay.
“The race travels through several of the region’s most scenic areas, including the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and the Summit Metro Parks,” the event’s website notes.
Rules meetings, packet pickup, and 100-mile race starts will all take place at 1989 Front St. in Cuyahoga Falls.
To learn more, visit the Western Reserve Racing online at westernreserveracing.com.
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Midwest Grand Slam for trail runners
The Midwest Grand Slam of Ultrarunning was established in 2012, according to the series’ website: midwestslam.com.
“If you are an ultrarunner, endurance athlete, adventure racer, marathoner, or just plain crazy individual who is looking to push yourself to new heights of achievement, then the Midwest Grand Slam of Ultrarunning is for you,” the race notes. “Athletes who successfully complete each of the four or five races (for Super Slammers) in the same calendar year will each receive a handsome natural stone trophy after the final event in the series, the Indiana Trail 100.”
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