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The Mammoth 200 is a beastly 200 miler through the Eastern Sierra of California brought you by Tim Tollefson and co-directed by Hilary Yang.
In a film by Drew Darby, Sally McRae ran the course prior to announcing it would be called the Mammoth 200 and be open to everyone crazy enough to think they can do it too.
First Time to Direct a 200 Mile Race
Going into year one of the the Mammoth 200, Hilary Yang and Tim Tollefson have made no bones about it – a year one race is guaranteed to be imperfect. Even during registration for the Mammoth 200 they were open about permitting challenges.
But this is what makes them trustworthy in my opinion. They are honest about the challenges of putting on a 200 mile race. Sure, Tim Tollefson’s Mammoth Trailfest has been a wild success but he’s never even directed a hundred miler.
And while Hilary Yang has been involved in the world of 200s, she hasn’t been the key decision maker on one yet. Everyone has to start somewhere, and that must be celebrated. I think there’s enough here to trust and simultaneously runers should buckle up for a wild week in the Eastern Sierra.
As with the runners, anything can happen for co-race directors Hilary Yang and Tim Tollefson. With 136 runners registered, there will be huge gaps between runners and their teams making them heavily reliant on accurate GPS locating for one example.
When I put on my race in Salt Lake City, we are close to no less than 12 grocery stores allowing huge margin of error on food, beverage, emergency kits, etc. Runners actually run past a Level One Trauma Center. But buried deep in the Eastern Sierra, every aid station must be prepared, first aid must be readily available, and volunteers must be trained.
It’s not easy. And again, this is to be celebrated.
$20,000 Prize Purse at the Mammoth 200
Now add $20,000 to the mix and let’s do some math.
136 runners x ~$1,700 = $231,000
That’s 9% of gross revenue to the podiums. This assumes all runners paid full price for entry. It’s entirely unsustainable.
Tim Tollefson is making an investment in his new race, clearly. Yes, sponsors can help offset it. But how much will a sponsor throw at a new race in the Eastern Sierra? I don’t have an answer, but guaranteed its not a sustainable amount to offset this kind of prize money.
I believe the sport needs this kind of prize money, but its not clear that the sport is ready to sustain prize money of this amount at a 136 person race in an inaugural year.
Regardless, cheers to Tim Tollefson and Hilary Yang for dreaming it up and finding a way to put it on the line. We benefit greatly as fans.
Live Feed
Now add a live feed to the mix and we can take to the bank that Tim Tollefson is coming out of pocket in year one of a race. It’s not cheap to bring Mountain Outpost to the race to execute a live feed. And though I don’t know the amount, even if its $1 its coming out of pocket and not out of profit or free cash flow.
And again, this is to be celebrated.
It’s entirely thanks to this live feed that I will be able to obsess over this race and watch Jimmy Elam battle it out with Max Jolliffe, Rachel Entrekin with Tara Dower, and hopefully be fully surprised by names I don’t know yet.
Cheers to the Mammoth 200.
Eastern Sierra Trails
The Eastern Sierra, a rugged region along California’s eastern border, offers diverse hiking trails. From gentle valley walks to strenuous alpine ascents, the trails showcase stunning landscapes, including jagged peaks, alpine lakes, and vibrant meadows. Most trails are in the Inyo National Forest or nearby wilderness areas like John Muir and Ansel Adams.
Elevation changes depend on the trail. High-altitude routes often start above 8,000 feet, with gains of 2,000 to 6,000 feet, demanding stamina and acclimatization. Descents can be equally tough, stressing knees and requiring careful footing on loose scree. Lower trails, like those near Mono Lake, have gentler slopes and less drastic elevation shifts.
Remote trails, such as those in the High Sierra, may require hours of driving on winding roads, with no cell service or facilities. Always check trail conditions and carry essentials, as weather can change rapidly.
