The Buckeye 200 is an approximately 203 mile road run from Walnut Beach at Lake Erie to Wellsville, OH, just across the Ohio-West Virginia border. Runners will experience scenery that includes mountain foothills, post-steel industry cities, Amish country, and lakefront streets. The run is an out-and-back adventure that starts and finishes on the beach. With just under 8,000ft of total climb, the journey includes both long, flat segments as well as about 70 miles of rolling hills. A 6 day time limit requires runners to average about 34 miles/day.
Crews are encouraged due to limited resource availability on some portions of the course overnight, but are not required. Many runners have successfully run the course self-supported. As this is an open road challenge with no official aid stations, runners will be dependent upon themselves or crew to obtain supplies. Those who are unable to complete the challenge will need to self-extract. If you need transportation back to your vehicle, be advised you might be waiting a while. This is a no frills event that runs on a budget. Stores, diners, and shops are plentiful between 6am and 9-10pm. There are several hotels on the course and within a few minutes walking distance of the course for those who choose to use them during the run. Towns with hotels along the course include Austinburg, Warren, Salem, Lisbon, and Wellsville.
Finishers will receive a large Buckeye 200 buckle, unique finisher's magnet, bumper sticker, and other items.
Those interested in running the Buckeye 200 should be experienced ultra runners, preferably with long distance experience in open road running. Many of our runners have completed other multi-day open road running challenges in the past.
If this sounds like an adventure you'd like to experience, we'd love to see you on the road next September!
